Do you sell to homeowners or just "to the trade"?
Our customers include home owners, contractors, interior designers and architects, furniture and cabinet makers and hobbyists. Projects range from new construction to renovations and restorations for commercial and residential applications.

What kinds of wood do you carry?
We carry Antique Heart Pine (Longleaf Southern Yellow Pine), Red and White Oak, Eastern White Pine, and American Chestnut. We also occasionally carry Maple, Spruce, and Beech. Other woods that we have had available at one time include Hemlock, Butternut, Sassafrass, Locust, Ash, Walnut, Cherry and Elm. All of the material we sell is antique and reclaimed. We do not carry any new woods.  If you are interested in "new" flooring, we carry environmentally responsible bamboo, cork and linoleum.

How can I tell what kind of wood is right for me?
There are a few questions to ask yourself: 
     1) Is there a specific species of wood that you want or need?

Some people need a particular species of wood, because they are matching to an existing floor.  When matching to an antique floor, it is particularly important that you order flooring that will be milled from material that was cut at the same time as your existing floor.  This means making sure that your new flooring is coming from original growth and not new growth trees.  We also want to make sure that we match the species that you currently have.  Feel free to send or bring in a sample of your existing floor.

Some people may also want a specific species, because they have a specific visual image in mind for their new floor.  During your search, you may want to keep in mind that other species might also provide the look you desire.

     2) Will the hardness of the wood be a factor in your decision?

Woods range in hardness and density.  Various tests can be and have been done to test for these characteristics.  Traditionally, a harder wood was used in the public spaces such as living and eating rooms, while softer woods could be used in more private spaces such as upstairs bedrooms.  Antique woods will be harder and denser than their modern counterparts, due to the slow growth nature of forests that were harvested over one hundred years ago.  Floor hardness is a matter of aesthetic choice.  Some people like a harder floor for their kitchen, wanting something that will withstand the traffic of pets, children and lots of activity.  But we have also seen beautiful softer pine floors in the kitchen that have a soft, warm feel that indicates years of wear.  A few species are shown here with the hardness label given by the Architectural Woodwork Institute:

            "Soft": Eastern White Pine
            "Medium": Spruce, Chestnut, Fir and Elm
            "Hard": Cherry, Antique Heart Pine, Red Oak, Beech and White Oak
            "Very Hard":  Hard Maple and Hickory

     3) Do you need a floor with a particular kind of stability?

One of wood's inherent characteristics is that, as a natural product, it expands and contracts when exposed to varying temperature and humidity.  All wood floors will move over the course of a year, and the way that a particular house handles seasonal changes will play a big part in determining how much the floor will move.  Other considerations include the width of the floorboards and the species of wood.  While wide boards will show more visible gapping as the wood shrinks, narrower boards will also move but just show thinner gaps.  Also, species vary in their stability.  For example, Oak and Maple are less stable than Heart Pine.  Stability may or may not be a consideration for your floor.  Those laying a floor over radiant heat may want to choose either a wood that is more stable or narrower widths.  For some homes, the gaps that can occur between boards may simply add to the natural charm of their floor.

     4) Are you looking for a particular color for your floor?

Woods range in color and in tone.  White Pine and Spruce, for example, are both light in color.  Either species, however, can be milled lightly for a deeper tone and perhaps more rustic character or milled to a bright and smooth finish.  This range due to milling can be dramatic.  Some species, such as Chestnut, range deeply in color, from light to dark -- sometimes even within the same board.  Other species, such as the Heart Pine, are very consistent in color and tone.  Finally, staining has been an option for many people who like the characteristics of a particular species but desire a slightly different color.

     5) What kind of character do you want your floor to have?

Flooring can also vary with respect to character.  Some of the different aspects to consider include grain and clarity/rusticity.  

Wood can be cut either perpendicular to the growth rings (quartersawn or vertical grain) or parallel to them (flatsawn or plainsawn).  Quartersawn material is a more formal and linear look, while flatsawn material reveals more movement from the growth rings.  

Wood can range in its clarity with respect to knots.  With our grading system, we divide our heart pine material into three grades:  clear, select and rustic.  Each grade has a specified range for the knot size that is allowed.  With reclaimed wood, nail holes may also be present, to differing degrees according to grade.  Flooring may also have checks or cracks that run within the floorboards.  The extent to which these are present also varies by grade.

Most modern day flooring is available in widths of 2" to 3-1/4", but wider floorboards are certainly available.  Flooring reclaimed from beams and timbers can be available in widths up to 12".  Your decision concerning the width of your boards will also impact the look of your finished floor.  We can also get material to mill boards with widths wider than 12".

Finally, the milling process can affect the character of the floorboards.  Flooring that is lightly or skip-planed will have been allowed to keep texture and tone that existed in the boards before they were milled.  Saw marks and oxidized wood can both be present.  Normally, however, flooring is milled in a more traditional manner yielding a cleaner, brighter tone and character.

Where does the wood come from?The wood we salvage comes primarily from 19th-century industrial buildings and barns in the northeast.  The vast majority of these buildings no longer meet contemporary building codes and are impractical for modern businesses to occupy.  In many cases they represent a liability to their owners and the communities around them.  Sometimes our material comes from odd places.  We have resawn water tanks, pickle vats, huge doors, tobacco poles, crane mats, pilings and barges, to name a few.

How do you mill these old boards and beams?Salvaged beams are denailed and cut into slabs, which are dried in the kiln to a ±8% moisture content.  Wood can be sold at this stage as rough sawn material.  Flooring, however, is usually the final objective.  Therefore, blanks are then created by planing the wood to a certain thickness and ripping it to a certain width.  These blanks are put through the molder to produce flooring with a finished top surface, a tongue and groove on the sides (for most of our flooring) and rebates cut from the bottom.  The ends of each flooring piece are square edged.

How is your wood different from other mills?
No standardized grading system exists for lumber mills that offer reclaimed flooring. Because of this, a great range exists within the industry for a floor type that may have the same name with different companies.  When specifying, customers should understand that they are selecting their product for quality factors such as orgin and age, density and color and for characteristics due to age such as nail holes and potential mineral stains.  Specifiers should understand the options offered and the grading system of the mill from which they are purchasing, because each mill has its own grading system. Make sure you get solid information about the kind and character of wood being offered and at what price. This way, you will better be able to compare apples to apples.

Can I get samples?
Yes. We do send out samples. We will try to send a customized package to you according to what you need.  We often must charge for samples, but we try to keep the costs to a minimum to cover shipping and handling costs.

What kind of information do I need to place my order?
We want to make sure that we fully understand the kind of floor you want and (as part of the same process) that you fully understand the floor that you have ordered and will receive.
We will need to make sure that the following items are specified:  the species of wood, the character or grade, widths, thickness and lengths of floor boards (our flooring comes random length unless specified otherwise), and the quantity. You should be fully confident that we only sell reclaimed, antique material and nothing new.  Specifications are available for all of our Heart Pine flooring, which we make available in different grades.  Descriptions can be provided for our other material as well, to make sure that all parties are clear about the character that may occur in the floor (such as nail holes, checking and mineral stains).

Do you mill other things besides flooring?
We produce other finished products such as stair treads, thresholds, casing stock, counters, mouldings and other millwork.  We also sell rough-sawn material for projects such as customer-made counters, cabinets, furniture and beams. 

Will you mill a custom project for me? We are a fully equipped mill and will custom mill to specifications.  Very often highly specific architectural standards need to be satisfied and we are capable of meeting those demands.  We do have a $500.00 minimum charge for custom orders.  Please call us for details. 

Can I get an estimate or price quote for my project?
Yes, we are happy to provide you with a full estimate that includes a lead-time and shipping information.  Our price quotes are good for 30 days unless otherwise noted.

How do I place an order? How do payments work?
Just give us a call and let us know that you'd like to proceed with an order and we'll get things rolling.

DEPOSITS: We request a 50% deposit to initiate an order.  And because it is important to us that your invoice be accurate, we ask you to review your invoice carefully to make sure that the sizes, quantities, species and grades are what you want.  Deposits are non-refundable. A required signed Order Confirmation constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of sale and acceptance of the order as written.

LEAD-TIMES: Estimated lead-times begin with receipt of your deposit and signed Order Confirmation.  Due to factors beyond our control, we cannot guarantee lead times, but Longleaf is very sensitive to the importance of scheduling, and we make every possible effort to meet deadlines.

FINAL PAYMENT: Final payment, including shipping charges and sales tax (if applicable), is due upon order completion and before your material leaves our facility to ship to you or at the time of pick-up.  At the time we initiate your order, we will provide a good-faith shipping estimate. If the actual cost of shipping should differ from the estimate, we will adjust the price accordingly on a final invoice.

FORMS OF PAYMENT: We accept checks, cash and credit cards (Visa and MasterCard).

Can you store my order for me?
We will gladly hold your material at our facility for two weeks after completion.  After two weeks, Longleaf must charge $50.00 per month per skid (± 500 sq.ft. per skid) or per order if of a smaller size.  Just keep us posted, and we'll do our best to work with your schedule.

How will my flooring be packed?
Longleaf packs your flooring in manageable size bundles which are banded together with plastic strapping. The average size bundle is roughly 15 to 20 square feet and weighs about 45 pounds. The bundles are then assembled on wood pallets and banded, as one or more units, with steel strapping. Our finished packs are easily maneuvered by forklift, lull, or other mechanical means.

How does my order get delivered?
Longleaf ships lumber in a variety of ways depending on the specific requirements of the job.

LOCAL DELIVERIES: are made either by Longleaf Lumber's own trucks or by a very reputable sub-contractor. We provide "curbside" or "tailgate" delivery only, meaning that our delivery people will not carry bundles into the jobsite. Our customers must provide labor to handle the delivery.

LONG DISTANCE DELIVERIES: are typically sent common carrier. Common carriers require notification if the delivery is to a residential site. Often times, residential sites have restricted truck access and only smaller trucks can be used. Longleaf will work with you to work out these logistics. As mentioned above, these deliveries will also be "curbside" or "tailgate".

OVERSEAS SHIPMENTS: Longleaf will coordinate the loading of your order into shipping containers and onto a ship. Once the wood arrives in the port of destination it is the customer's responsibility to get it to the jobsite.

Do you have a guarantee?
We guarantee your material to be as listed on your Invoice, per our grade specifications.  Upon arrival and before installation, inspect your order.  If for any reason you are not satisfied with the material, please contact us immediately, and we will do our best to remedy the situation. Material that does not meet the specifications on your invoice can be replaced or returned and refunded within 30 days of receipt. We will also gladly refund any material that was shipped in error. Obviously, we cannot accept returns of material that have been cut, altered, damaged (either at your site or in return transit) or installed.