The biomass heating facility at Bennington College in Vermont.
Our woodland owning clients sometimes like to know where their wood is going and what it’s going to be used for after a harvest. So today we’re telling the story of the not-so-lowly wood chip, and how it’s keeping New Englanders warm in winter.
When we at Hull Forest Products buy your timber and saw those logs at our mill, nothing is wasted. Bark is peeled off and turned into landscaping mulch. Sawdust is recycled in our biomass-powered dry kilns and also sold to wood pellet manufacturers. Slabs, edgings, and trimmings are ground into wood chips, a versatile product with uses ranging from paper production to playground surfacing to biomass heating.
One ton of wood chips has the energy equivalent of approximately 60 gallons of heating oil.
Hull Forest Products supplies mill quality as well as whole tree wood chips to New England institutions that utilize biomass heating, including Ponagansett Middle and High Schools in Rhode Island, Mt. Wachusett Community College and the Quabbin Reservoir Visitor Center in Massachusetts, and Bennington College in Vermont.
Since its biomass heating system came online in 2008, Bennington College has reduced its annual emissions by 40 percent. The school used to burn 400,000 gallons of oil to heat the campus through the Vermont winter; now they use less than 10,000. Bennington is committed to reaching carbon neutrality by 2020, and currently their biggest liability is the 15 percent of the campus not connected to their biomass system. They are now working to extend their steam lines to all areas of the campus.
One ton of wood chips has the energy equivalent of approximately 60 gallons of heating oil, but unlike oil, wood chips are a renewable (and local) source of energy. Bennington College uses approximately 6,000 tons of wood chips each year. These chips come from trees grown in family owned working forests, and their use helps promote a healthy market for local wood.
Woodland management conducted by Hull Forest Products at the Mark Greer Scout Reservation helped create a forestry curriculum for the Cub Scouts, and the Friends of Camp Tadma erected this sign to highlight the area.
Managing for Multiple Use: The Mark Greer Scout Reservation
Like so many Scout properties, Camp Tadma, an active boys summer camp in Bozrah, CT found itself on the chopping block in 2010 as the Boy Scout Council considered selling the 340-acre property. Friends of Camp Tadma Chairman Bruce Sullivan hoped that a timber harvest would generate some additional income and also improve the long-term health and productivity of the forest, making it more attractive to the Council. Hull Forest Products had conducted timber stand improvement work at Camp Tadma in the 1980s. Now the time had come to revisit those woods.
According to Chris Casadei, the forest resource manager at Hull Forest Products who was assigned to Camp Tadma, “When a forester revisits a woodlot that has responded nicely to the sound management practices applied by his predecessors, there is a feeling of great satisfaction.” “This feeling was abundant as I cruised the productive stands on the opposite side of Tadma Pond at the Mark Greer Scout Reservation. The vigorous growth was a direct result of our timber stand improvement work from the 1980s.”
Managing for Income & Recreation
Casadei reworked the property’s forest stewardship plan to reflect the current conditions and presented his findings and recommendations to the Council’s property committee. He scheduled a timber harvest to take place over two successive winters so it would not conflict with the activities of the seasonal camps held on the property for hundreds of Cub Scouts. Management prescriptions within the stand were tailored to the woodland’s current condition and the way it had responded to the previous work. “We did areas of timber stand improvement and intermediate sawtimber thinning, as well as two small areas of shelterwood harvest,” says Casadei, adding “There was also some ‘while you’re here with the equipment’ clearing of a few new campsites and some problem tree removal within the camp.”
Benefits for the Camp & the Campers
First and foremost, the forest itself has benefited from a flush of natural regeneration and the accelerated growth of the residual stand. The woodland will continue to provide quality wood, clean air and water, recreational opportunity, and wildlife habitat.
Camp Tadma has reestablished itself within the Council as a viable piece of the Connecticut Scouting experience and for the time being, talk of closing the camp has ceased. Whether the income from the timber sale influenced the fate of the camp has yet to be acknowledged, but it certainly could not have hurt.
The objectives and activities of the first winter harvest at Camp Tadma were profiled by the Norwich Bulletin, providing both the camp and Hull Forest Products with great publicity.
Camp Tadma has turned the managed areas into a forestry classroom, and campers hike through the different stands, learning firsthand about woodland management. The Friends of Camp Tadma were so pleased they proudly erected a “BSA Forestry Management Camp” sign at the camp’s entrance. Cub Scouts now have the opportunity to learn firsthand how working forests provide multiple benefits, including wildlife habitat, a sustainable supply of timber, and recreational opportunity.
This photograph of our logyard in winter was selected to grace the February 2013 Farm Credit Calendar
Here at Hull Forest Products, we’re quite chipper about winning Farm Credit’s 2013 photo contest, which highlights regional agriculture. Farm Credit is the nation’s largest lender to cater exclusively to agricultural businesses and rural America.
Not everyone realizes the contribution that forestry and forest products make to southern New England’s agricultural sector–more than $250 million annually in Connecticut alone. In addition, the forest products industry employs thousands of CT residents.
We like to remind folks that if they enjoy the local landscape, they can support that landscape by choosing locally grown forest products. Landowners who earn periodic income from the sale of timber on their woodland are much more likely to keep their land in forest instead of converting it to development, which is the largest threat to the region’s forests.
This photo of our Pomfret, Connecticut logyard in winter, with logs waiting to be milled into lumber, flooring, and other sustainable wood products was selected from among the many entries Farm Credit received and will be their February 2013 calendar photo.
Custom prefinished wide plank flooring from Hull Forest Products (solid Hard Maple floor #556)
Looking for prefinished wide plank flooring? Perhaps you don’t have the time or patience for a site-finished floor, but you want the durability and quality of a site-finished floor. All of our wood floors are available either unfinished or prefinished.
We can accommodate wide board and long board orders and every floor is custom finished with your choice of stain color and sheen level. The finishes are environmentally friendly and there is no off-gassing on site. This could quite possibly be the easiest floor installation you’ll ever know.
Figure 1: Hull Forest Products’ wide plank white oak flooring in a mix of 7, 8, and 9 inch widths with a semi-gloss poly finish in a Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts home. Floor #200.
Not sure what kind of wide plank wood floor you want? Flooring manufacturer Hull Forest Products recommends you ask yourself four questions to help determine your style when choosing wide plank flooring:
1. Do you prefer a clear floor or one with some knots or other natural markings?
Clear floors, like the White Oak floor shown above in Figure 1, present a more uniform appearance. While all planks exhibit a natural beauty unique to the tree from which they came (there really are no two alike), there is a more obvious grain and color variation between the planks of floors exhibiting light to heavy character markings. (See Figure 2 below)
Figure 2: Natural grade live sawn White Oak with some character markings. This is the same species of wood as shown in Figure 1, but a different grade and saw cut. This natural grade of wood has character markings such as knots, bark pocket, and mineral streak.
In Figure 2 we have a natural grade of live sawn White Oak with some knots and other character markings that create a homey, less formal, atmosphere.
2. What kind of statement do you want your floor to make (or not make)?
If you want a floor that draws a lot of visual attention, you may like something with strong contrast between heartwood and sapwood, such as Hickory. Or you might prefer a floor that showcases the rustic beauty of character knots, bird peck, and other variations as unique as each individual tree.
If you want your floor to blend into its surroundings a bit more, you may prefer a traditional choice, such as Red Oak or White Oak. Trends come and go, but Oak is a classic. Eye pleasing but not attention-grabbing, Oak accounts for approximately 2/3 of all new floor installations in the United States. We offer flawless Oak floors that showcase clear grain beautifully and we offer character grade Oak floors with varying degrees of rusticity.
3. If you are not sticking with the natural wood color but are planning to stain your floor, are you going for a color that is light, medium, or dark?
Many of our clients choose to keep the natural color of the wood. Others want a bleached floor, or a very dark one. In general, lighter floors lend an open and airy feeling and can make a room seem larger, while darker floors tend to have a vintage, more formal look. Of course you can stain your floor any color you like, but it helps to start with a wood that is close to the color you are trying to achieve. In addition, some woods, such as Oak and Pine, absorb stain more readily than others and can be stained equally well light or dark.
4. Where will the floor go in your home, and what is your tolerance for dings and dents?
All wood floors develop wear marks over time. This is part of the charm of wood, an organic material. Some people actually prefer softer woods because they develop this patina more quickly. For example, our wide pine is very popular among farmhouse and period homeowners because it quickly gives an “aged” feel (See Figure 3 below). Others do not find wear charming, and they tend to choose harder woods such as Maple, Ash, Red Oak, White Oak, andHickory.
Figure 3: Old Sturbridge Village, a living history museum in Massachusetts, uses our wide plank pine. They deliberately apply no finish to the wood so it wears quickly. This floor has been subjected to heavy public foot traffic for years, aging it very quickly so it looks older than it is.
Where you plan to place the floor in your home may make all the difference in your wood selection. Depending on your tolerance, a harder wood may be a better choice for a high-traffic area, while a lower-traffic area such as a bedroom may be the best place for a softer wood.
Your choice of finish will also affect the condition of your floor, with a poly finish providing more protection than an oil finish or no finish.
Placing area rugs over your wood floor in high-traffic areas will also help reduce wear.
The beauty of solid wood floors is that they can be sanded and refinished many times and still have a lifetime of wear left in them.
See Figure 4 for an example of a hardwood floor that is subjected to heavy public foot traffic but still looks great.
Figure 4 below shows the floor of the Frye Boot flagship store on Spring Street in lower Manhattan. We made this floor for them out of ten inch wide natural grade White Oak planks, and they chose to stain it a very dark color. The floor we made for Frye Boot looks fantastic and it gets walked on every day by all kinds of shoes–including high heels.
Figure 4: Our White Oak flooring in the natural grade, Frye Boot flagship store, Spring Street, lower Manhattan.
Your own living room is unlikely to ever see this level of foot traffic, but I point it out as an example of what you might want to go with if you really don’t want to see any dings or dents on your wood floor. For those uncomfortable with any wear, a hardwood like Oak is a great choice.
Have questions or need more advice in choosing a floor? Our flooring specialists can help. Browse our wide plank floors.
Call us toll-free at 1-800-353-3331 or email us today.
Our White Oak flooring in the natural grade, Frye Boot flagship store, Spring Street, lower Manhattan.
1. Oak Takes Stain Really Well
The pores in Oak are more open to receiving stains than those of other woods, so your Oak floors can easily be stained to match any color scheme– you can go natural, pickled white, dark espresso, or anything in between.
2. Oak is Plentiful, Durable, and Beautiful
Renowned for their strength and longevity, Oaks grow in all the temperate climates of the world and provide shade, beauty, mast for wildlife, and lumber. There are over 60 species of Oak in the United States. Northern Red and White Oak, grown in the northeastern United States, are especially prized for their superior strength and tight grain—the result of shorter growing seasons and colder weather. Oak floors are eye-pleasing and practical; in fact, they account for 2/3 of all new wood flooring installations in the United States and Europe.
3. Oak is Tough
Oak is very wear-resistant so it makes an extremely durable wood floor that holds up well to the highest levels of foot traffic.
4. Oak Has a Distinguished History
Traditionally used for the frame and planking of ships and for timber framing, Oak has a natural ability to resist rot and insect damage. Most of the great sailing ships of the world had hulls and planks and frames made of Oak. The hull of the U.S.S. Constitution, the ship that gave the U.S. its first naval victory, was made of Oak and famously repelled British cannonballs during the War of 1812. The British coined her nickname, “Old Ironsides,” when their cannonballs appeared to bounce off her hull. (Incidentally, the captain of the Constitution during this famous naval battle was none other than Isaac Hull.)
5. Oak Helps Make Great Wine and Whiskey (Need We Say More?)
Oak barrels are used in wine and whiskey making because they are waterproof and because the tannins in the Oak impart subtle flavors of vanilla, butter, and spice. These same tannins are what help Oak to repel insects and resist rot and water damage–all great qualities to have in a wood floor.
Have questions about our Red Oak floors, White Oak floors, or any other wide plank floor? Call 1-800-353-3331 between the hours of 7:30 am and 4:00 pm EST to speak to a real live person. Or email anytime.
Members of the Hull family stand with MA state senator Stephen Brewer and MA state Rep. Todd Smola at the dedication of May Brook Glen, a property donated to the Opacum Land Trust by the Hull family.
October 2010-
The Hull family has donated a 3.3 acre parcel in Holland, Massachusettts, comprising May Brook Glen to the Opacum Land Trust in order to see the parcel protected from development.
May Brook Glen has over 1,000 feet of frontage on May Brook, which rushes and tumbles over rapids in May Brook Glen and then flows into Holland’s greatest recreational asset, Hamilton Reservoir. The property includes a deep, cool hemlock shaded gorge with massive boulders that contour the river.
The land also holds an important piece of history for the Town of Holland. There are remains of a dam on the property built by Captain Nehemiah May (1730-1793), a signer of the petition to form the Town of Holland. Captain May also served as the first selectman for Holland in 1785.
The donation of this potentially developable parcel to Opacum preserves both scenic and historical resources, and will aid in protecting the water quality of Hamilton Reservoir, part of the Quinebaug River. For more information, visit the Opacum Land Trust online at www.opacumlt.org.
This is an amazing piece of equipment; but all you need to know is that is brings you perfectly and consistently milled flooring.
We are quite proud of our newest piece of equipment: a Weinig moulder. This thing makes it possible for us to bring you perfect floor planks, whether you want square edge tongue and groove floor planks or beaded edge paneling.
You’ve chosen plank flooring and love the look of a site-finished floor. If you’re building a new home or an addition, staying off the floor while it is being finished may not be an issue. But if you’re upgrading an existing floor while simultaneously living in the house, you’ll need to prepare for the installation and finishing. We’ve asked flooring installers to provide a few tips for making it through the process unscathed. Your reward: a floor with architectural integrity and a finish that will look more beautiful with time, not less.
1. Make Room.
You will need to empty all of the furnishings and wall hangings from the room being worked on and you may also need to clear part of an adjacent room for the duration of the installation. The room being worked on has to be empty for the contractors to do their work, and an adjoining room may be pressed into service as a storage area.
2. Plan Ahead.
It is advisable to store plank flooring in or near the room where it will be installed for one to two weeks prior so the wood can adjust to the indoor climate. You can’t rush nature. Make sure you stack the planks in layers separated by sticks of wood so they get maximum air circulation. Be patient. Remember that 1-2 weeks of hosting these bundles of wood is worth it because the acclimation process will prevent gaps from forming in the floor.
3. Choose Stains and Finishes.
While you’re patiently waiting for the wood to acclimate, compare surface and penetrating finishes and decide which type is best for you. One of the many advantages of job-site finished flooring is the range of choices you have for stains and finishes.
Some folks prefer a surface finish such as oil-based polyurethane for the amber glow it imparts to the wood, while others prefer water based polys because they remain clear, dry faster, and have less odor.
DIYers may be drawn to penetrating finishes that are forgiving for the novice, such as tung or polymerized tung oil.
The floor’s location in your home and your tolerance for wear should also influence the choice of finish as surface finishes offer greater protection from scratches and stains than penetrating ones.
Will the finish go on the raw wood or will you be staining the wood first? Either way, you should test the product(s) on samples of the wood to make sure you’re happy with the outcome. Your contractor can give you some cut-offs to use as samples. Consider how the floor will look with your existing wall color, trim, furniture, or the other floors in your house.
4. Prepare Yourself.
“It helps to prepare yourself psychologically for the transition,” says carpenter Phil Nowlan of Putnam, Connecticut. Accept that there will be a temporary inconvenience, like 2-3 guys in your home each morning when you may be trying to get the kids ready for school. Plan accordingly.
5. Take a Break.
Depending on the scope of the job and how much the work may disrupt your routine, you might consider staying someplace else for a few nights during the finishing process. Once the finish is applied, you will need to stay off the floor until is has dried. Dry time varies depending on the type of finish used. Most floors receive 3 coats.
How long it takes for the smell to diminish also depends on the type of finish chosen, with water-based finishes emitting far less odor than oil-based ones. Keep in mind, says Nowlan, that the smell will also vary depending on the square footage of your floor–a big room will be smellier during the finishing process than a small one. Phil Delaney of Floorworks in Woodstock, Connecticut, advises that if 50 percent or more of your home is being worked on, you may want to stay someplace else during the finishing stage of the project. At the very least you may need to eat out a few times or stay away for the day during the application of finish coats.
How long will it take? “If it takes two days to put in a prefinished floor, an unfinished floor takes five days: two days of installation, three days of finishing time,” says Delaney. The pricing is very similar though. “Pricing is by the square foot, not the hour. I charge $3/sf to install prefinished material that costs around $6-$7/sf. For a floor finished on-site, I’ll charge $4.25/sf for the install, and they’re paying $4-$5/sf for the material. The labor costs more, but the material usually costs less.”
6. Schedule Smart.
It is not always feasible, particularly for families, to stay away from the home during the finishing process. In these cases Delaney advises a low-VOC finish and schedules the work around the family. “If I am done sanding the floor in the afternoon, I won’t put the finish on until the following morning, that way they don’t have to smell the finish all night. I’ll put it on the following morning after they’ve gone out for the day, and when they come back to the home at 5 o’clock they have their house back.”
7. Keep Your Perspective.
You may endure a few days of inconvenience, but the pay-off is that you get higher quality floors that will last a lifetime, and an incomparable finish. Keep in mind that modern sanders with dust containment systems have significantly reduced the amount of dust generated during the sanding process. “I always tell people that this is not your grandfather’s 1970s desert sandstorm floor sanding experience. It is a very manageable amount of mess when you have the right equipment,” says installer Phil Delaney. “To me, the short-term inconvenience is definitely worth it for the look of the job-site finished floor. When you’re dealing with large plank flooring, it’s material that speaks for itself, full of character and quality. People interested in authenticity should be looking at plank flooring.”
Wide plank flooring made from locally grown natural character grade White Oak on the kitchen floor in this timber frame home.
Top Ten Benefits of Wood Floors – And Why You Should Choose Them
1. Wood is the most abundant renewable flooring material available.
Trees create wood by harnessing solar power. Trees are a renewable resource and sustainable forest management makes it possible to harvest wood over and over again without any negative impact on the environment. Average annual net growth for hardwoods is greater than average annual removals, and hardwood growing stock in the United States has increased by 119 percent since the 1950s. Wood is a natural, renewable, sustainable, and environmentally-preferred building resource. (Sources: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Forest Service; Woodisgreen.com; National Wood Flooring Association: woodfloors.org)
2. Wood floors improve indoor air quality.
Indoor air quality is better with real wood floors than with vinyl, carpet, or other flooring choices. Wood floors do not harbor animal dander, pollen, dust, and mold compared to other floor coverings. (Sources: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Wood Flooring Association: woodfloors.org)
3. Wood floors are long lasting.
Wood floors last hundreds of years and don’t need to be replaced as often as other flooring options. (National Association of Home Builders)
4. Houses with real wood floors sell faster than those without them.
In a national survey of realtors, 90 percent said houses with wood floors sell faster and for more money than those without them. (National Wood Flooring Association: woodfloors.org)
5. Wood floors save natural resources.
They use far less water and energy to produce than other flooring options. Every wood substitute requires far more energy to produce than wood. (University of Wisconsin Wood Products Program Life Cycle Analysis)
6. You can address climate change by using more wood, not less.
Wood is a carbon neutral material that produces oxygen during its growth cycle and stores carbon during its service life. The growth of wood in renewable forests works to sequester and remove carbon from the atmosphere. (Consortium for Research on Renewable Industrial Materials www.corrim.org)
7. Choosing wood floors protect forests.
The use of wood creates demand in the marketplace, giving people incentive to plant more trees and maintain forested areas. Want to protect forestland right here in the United States? Buy local/native wood products. You will help conserve the landscape you enjoy by giving local forest owners incentive to keep their tree farms. (shoplocalsaveland.com)
8. Wood outgreens bamboo.
Trees take longer to regenerate than bamboo, which is often touted as an environmentally friendly flooring because it is rapidly renewable; however, longer regeneration time is a benefit because forests with trees of different ages promote biodiversity. In contrast, bamboo is grown in monoculture plantations which do not make as large a contribution to wildlife habitat, air, water, or soil quality. (Idahoforests.org)
9. Wood earns LEED points.
Wood is recognized by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program for improved indoor air quality, material use, location proximity, and sustainably sourced materials. (U.S. Green Building Council)
10. Natural materials enhance your home environment.
Your home should be a beautiful, healthy sanctuary. Wood is a beautiful, durable, healthy choice for both the world’s environment and your home’s environment. Bringing natural materials like wood into your home is also a great way to enhance your well-being and your indoor air quality. (Source: United States Consumer Product Safety Information)
We hope this information is helpful to you as a homeowner or builder/designer. We love hearing from you, so let us know if you need a catalog or complimentary wood samples. And don’t hesitate to contact Hull Forest Products with your wood flooring questions. Call 1-800-928-9602 to speak with a flooring representative, or email us today.
