Our “Highlands” & “Tavern” Plank tongue and grooved floors are milled from carefully salvaged reclaimed lumber with original, old circle sawn surfaces. Not all reclaimed boards or beam surfaces are suitable for the look that K.D. Woods Company achieves with this exciting product line. Boards that are graded for these floors exhibit the rich, deep patina that is achieved only by many years of aging in the environment that is unique to old barns, agricultural buildings, and warehouses of a bygone era. Although the tongue and grooves are accurately “floor-matched” from the bottom of the board, the rustic surface of the planks as installed on the subfloor are not as flat as standard plank flooring because of the minor variations of thickness along the plank edges.
All “Highlands” & “Tavern” Plank flooring is surface lightly milled leaving 50% of the original saw kerf. After the installation and immediately prior to applying the finish, the floor should be carefully swept and vacuumed free of sawdust and any construction debris. Because of the natural texture of these grades, care should be exercised to minimize tracking of dirt or dust onto the flooring prior to finishing. (consider covering the flooring with builder paper or cardboard)
Finishing of “Highlands” & “Tavern” Plank flooring is similar to finishing other standard products, with a few exceptions. Unlike most flooring, these grades are lightly sanded or screened prior to applying the first (or sealer) coat, to keep the dramatic, rustic appearance. A brush or medium nap synthetic applicator works best for the application of sealer coat and finish. A light screening or buffing between the following 2 to 3 coats of the finish of your choice, (an oil based finish works best) is all that’s necessary to achieve a quality finished floor surface. We find that a matte or satin sheen works best. Ask your finisher to work with you on a small area of flooring or left over pieces of flooring to determine the best finish product and procedure.
