FAQ

Don’t the logs decay at the bottom of the river?

The logs are preserved on the river bottom because they are not exposed to the damaging effects of air. The natural properties of the tree’s sap prevent them from becoming water logged. When we recover the logs and cut into them, they have that fresh pine smell - just like the day they were harvested over 100 years ago.

What makes it “heart” pine and what is so special about heart pine?

Heart pine is literally the heart or middle of the tree. It only comes about by slow growth. Today’s pine trees grow quickly, so they haven’t had time to develop a heart core and are mostly sap wood. That is why today’s pine is considered a soft wood – not worthy of making floors out of. However, the heart pine that we recover is strong like red oak which makes great flooring.

The special beauty of heart pine is its color and growth rings. If you look at a cross-section of today’s pine you will find 2-3 growth rings per inch. When you look at a piece of Riverwood heart pine it has more like 6-30 growth rings per inch.

What is the difference between Riverwood and above-ground recovery (AGR)?

We offer both because they are both special and beautiful. Riverwood is what we have recovered off the bottom of the river. It is in log form when we pull it up so we are able to cut it to our own specifications. It can become 12” wide floor boards, a chevron mantle, or beautiful paneling – what ever we think its characteristics lend it to. However, above ground recovery comes from old structures that are being torn down, or old trees that have fallen in a storm. It may already have been cut to be flooring, have nail holes, or a patina from previous use. We clean it up, re-plane it, and re-cut it.

What is a chevron?

The sap from pine trees was harvested to produce the naval necessities of tar, pitch, turpentine, and resin. To harvest the sap chevrons were cut by hand into the sides of the trees to drain its sap. These chevron marked logs (simply called chevrons now) make beautiful mantle pieces filled with history and character.