Bernard Gallagher and Frank Teo installing reclaimed Oak flooring at Brooklyn passive house. 3-5″ old growth woods “…grained and hued like pale Oak” (Joyce) from 19th c. farm structures in the Northeast. This is the first installation of reclaimed flooring at the house – to be followed by 12″ skip planed antique Eastern White Pine softwoods on the top floor.
Cellar floor delivered
While most of the house will be reclaimed wood flooring, the cellar is a bed of concrete with an R-value closer to a screen door than foil faced Polyisocyanurate. The cellar is below the Passive House insulating barrier, which starts just above, on the ceiling.
Squibb history: The first motor driven mobile mixer entered the construction scene in 1916 – a small but consequential development of the concrete jungle. It was invented by Stephen Stepanian – and the modern mixer doesn’t appear to have changed much from his original vision. It replaced the horse-pulled mixer that worked with wooden paddles to turn the mix. It was slow work until machines able to haul tons of wet concrete were developed, especially in the building boom after WWII. Photo: Blueline Construction staff transport wheel barrow loads of the mix to the opening of the cellar.
Reclaimed Wood Flooring, but softly
Bob Villa recently commented on the virtues of softwood flooring that is even more relevant to the realm of reclaimed; “If you think that installing hardwood flooring is a budget buster, think again. Although hardwoods such as Oak, Ash and Beech (or reclaimed Chestnut, Cherry and Ipe) is pricey, softwood flooring such as Spruce, Pine and Hemlock is less. There’s a trade off though, softwood floors are just that, soft, and more susceptible to scratches and dents. But most people feel that just adds to the rustic charm. One other plus is that they’re more environmentally friendly than hardwoods. If that sounds appealing and you won’t mind a little of the existing wear and tear, then softwood flooring may be a good choice.”
