Charleston Heart Pine Flooring

Through selective timbering, we harvest trees that are on power company right-of-ways or on private property being cleared. In this way, we are able to take trees destined for destruction and preserve their beautiful wood for generations to come. We also continue to recover trees lost to Hurricane Hugo.

Our heart pine is more affordable than wood salvaged from old buildings—and that makes it a smart investment. It’s a rare wood of rare beauty. And it adds value to any home.

To scientists, the long leaf pine is known as Pinus palustris. But to builders and craftsmen, this remarkable tree has always been known as “heart pine.” Just what does this term mean?

The heartwood of the tree is the sturdy central column that gives support. The next layer is sapwood, which acts as a pipeline to move water from the roots to the leaves. As the tree matures, the older sapwood cells become inactive. Then they harden to create more heartwood—just when the tree needs added strength.

What makes long leaf pine unique is that there is very little sapwood. Instead, these trees—which can soar to 125 feet—are primarily composed of the strong heartwood.
 

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