Welcome to Southern Yellow Pine Direct. New Heart Pine, sourced using the best mature Southern Pine timber. Our floors are milled using a state of art technology and the best raw materials within that species. All of our floors are KILN dried with relief grooves, they are planned smooth and barefoot ready.
As you read, remember we are discussing unfinshed Southern Pine. As you read, notice terms such as #2 and Knotty pine; they are one in the same. On the same subject, new heart and longleaf heartpine are interchangeable. In short, our #2 is not a defected grade, it simply does not have enough Heart content. What is Heart Content? It consist of sap plus heartwood and reveals itself in colors.
For more information, read “Southern Yellow Pine is not a species”, or “Heart vs Knotty Pine”.
Our Heart Pine ‘grade’ must contain a minimum of 50% heart content of the face (visible) on every unfinished board. New Heart Pine is not new at all. The term new Heart Pine indicates that the floors are not reclaimed. Our floors are produced using mature, Mature Southern Pine trees. ‘New’ separates it from antique or reclaimed heart pine, however it is far from young. 95% of all the pine harvested in the United States is from farms, i.e., fast growing species, mother nature takes time.
Caribbean Pine, one of the best kept secrets in the flooring market. A secret no other company will tell you, it grows close to the equator, sub tropics as in central America. So what? Well, this combination creates heart content much faster than our domestic New Heart Pine. Why is that important? A 50 year-old tree has growth rings similar to a 100 year-old Longleaf pine. Also known as Ocote, Caribbean pine is the national tree of Honduras. Caribbean Pine, from Honduras (our source) grows on plantations just like in the United States.
Grading Unfinished Caribbean Heart Pine
Prime or Rustic grades both offer 85% minimum heart content and lengths up to 12’. The difference between rustic and prime, knots and color variations some call character. Caribbean Heart Pine, unlike our domestic pine is not quoted as 1 x material but, like Oak, simply by using the face width. The Prime grade creates an more formal look or uniform floor whereas the rustic grade may be finished to match any decor or style.
Examining Character / Euro grade White Oak helps explain the grade and why the grade exist. With a Euro or Character grade white oak as both ignore a characteristic normally used to differentiate #1 from #2. Why is this done? You add length with lower prices compared to the #1 common White Oak and quality compared to the #2 common. Our 1×8 Mill Run Heart Pine is similar using C & better plus Heart Pine, allowing small defects. A small portion of board sacrificed to capture the 12′ length. All Mill Run is 1x8x12′, kiln dried, tongue and groove, straight edges and ends. All boards are planned smooth and barefoot ready with relief grooves for stability.
Wide plank heart pine
1×8 Mill Run Heart Pine floors might be perfect for you, if you understand real wood grades. And more importantly, when purchasing the unfinished version, experience and or a real wood professional are a firm requirement. Unless you simply buy enough it to “learn as you go”, made possible by the low price. We do not suggest the latter and the 1×8 Mill Run Heart Pine requires only 10% waste just like any other grade.
We do not offer installation not as a contract with southern yellow pine direct. It would be impossible to vet that many people that would be going into our customers’ homes. However, in most larger cities and certainly in regional areas of almost every state we do have professionals that have installed our product. Even though ultimately, it is your responsibility to make the decision we can give you the questions and grade the answers!
Now if there is a #2 grade, there must be a #1, right? So, bear with me, this may seem odd but a #1 grade, or clear pine, is actually a C & better grade. Grade C is the highest grade of pine lumber and is commonly used for fine woodworking and interior trim. Therefore, our #1 grade, is our clear pine with only fine pin knots, if any. Clear pine has a variety # 2 grade will have knots, character, and color variations. Clear, or C and better grade is well, clear free of knots.
Each of these grades are available tongue and groove, V-groove (car siding) and Nickel Gap, to name our most popular profiles. The majority of interior siding we deliver will be either Knotty (#2) or C & better pine with Heart Pine reserved for floors. As you have probably noticed pine provides dimensions differently from other species. Our floors are quoted 1 x 6 and describes the measurements prior to the t/g or v groove. In reality, the board will be neither 1” or 6” rather ¾ x 5 1/8. Our Southern Yellow Pine floors are available in 1 x 4, 1 x 6, 1 x 8, and 1 x 10 with lengths 8’-14’. Visit our Pinterest page.
Matching treads