What is Southern Longleaf Pine?
At Cochran’s, we value all the great American woods, and the southern longleaf pine is certainly one of the greatest. In this post, we’ll take a look at what this wood is and how you can use it to create unique and beautiful flooring.
A Noble History
Longleaf pines once covered the United States in vast acres. These trees, that can grow over 80 feet and live 300 years, were prized for many uses. Pine resists rot, fire, drought, mildew, and pollution, and it produces wood that’s extremely hardy.
Pine has high levels of resin or pitch, and in the eighteenth century, shipbuilders relied on the pitch to waterproof wooden ships. Pine was a prized wood in Europe, where it was used only in the finest, most expensive construction.
Today about 3 million acres of old-growth pines still grow, and forestry organizations are working to protect these trees that are a rich part of American history.
A True-Hearted Tree
What makes pine stand out is its extremely thick inner wood or heartwood. Most trees have a lot of sapwood or outer wood with a thin layer of heartwood. Longleaf pine is just the opposite. The thick inner wood is what we call the “heart pine.”
True heart pine comes from longleaf pines that are 200 years old or more because that’s how long it takes to grow the heart to its fullest. Today, most heart pine comes from reclaimed wood.
Cochran’s has established itself as a premier and knowledgeable source of reclaimed heart pine and other antique woods. Because of our specialized expertise in refinishing these woods, suppliers know they can trust us to preserve and beautify these woods with the care they deserve.
A Beautiful Choice
Heart pine has a golden-reddish color that develops a deep patina with age. Compared to woods like oak, heart pine does not have many streaks or variations. It has a smooth finish and uniform coloring that take easily stains and oil finishes.
In true heart pine, you’ll see nail holes and “pitch pockets,” where the resin built up, but you won’t find any scars or irregular markings.
Where to Find Pine Flooring
Cochran’s has beautiful pine woods that we’ve reclaimed with our detailed and painstaking process. You’ll find a wide selection of reclaimed heart pine, new heart pine, and custom finishes that perfectly capture the look of antique pine.
We can help you select the flooring that’s right for your home and your project, whether it’s pine or another great American wood. We can also use them to create our TrueWood engineered flooring, so you can get the look you love on any surface, even a concrete slab.
Green as a Pine
Wood is a natural resource, and Cochran’s only gets wood from responsible tree farmers who practice sustainable harvesting. The heart pine we sell usually comes from reclaimed sources, giving this treasured wood the chance to live again.
Environmental protection groups have recently added some trees to the list of endangered species. Buying these endangered trees, or trying to import them, can lead to a whole pack of legal troubles. The listed trees are mostly rosewoods, ebonies, and mahoganies from other countries. None are American species.
What does that mean for you as a concerned buyer?
When you buy from Cochran’s, you’re buying from millwrights who don’t just talk the talk when it comes to sustainability. Cochrans doesn’t take chances on illegal or irresponsibly harvested wood, and we don’t think you should either.
Get Your Pine On
If you’re looking for a beautiful, durable floor that will last for generations, you can’t go wrong with longleaf pine or any of our other fine woods. Call Cochran’s today and discover the difference that our care, experience, and craftsmanship make. We’ll help you create a floor that blends a noble history with a beautiful future.
Cochran’s Lumber is proud to be the leading provider of spectacular floors for homes, offices, and retail spaces across America! Our newly redesigned showroom was thoughtfully designed to make the selection of flooring and finishes exciting and simple. We feature a variety of new and reclaimed flooring products and many new and unique finishes.
We are proud to offer an inviting space where customers can come and get a clear visual of the many types of hardwood flooring options that we offer, and feel comfortable at the same time.
Visit our showroom today in historic Berryville, VA (only 50 miles west of Washington D.C) or give us a call at 1(877) 297-8331.
