What is Knotty Pine?

What is #2 Knotty Pine

What is “Knotty pine”? Simple, it is a generic term for pine with knots, not a big surprise. What may surprise you, Knotty Pine is not a grade. #2 SYP is not a true grade and differs from mill to mill, i.e. floors or lumber. Lumber mills sort based on defects, knots included. But when a mill produces flooring, Heart Pine flooring, it is sorted based on the amount of visible heartwood, not defects. Age creates not only gorgeous colors and character, it creates stability. When comparing your local #2 SYP with our floors, get samples and ask for local customers. Comparisons reveal the facts, one is plain and void of character, while the other defines character.

What is Knotty Pine and what it is not!

Knotty pine should be used with the #2, as in #2 Southern Yellow “knotty” pine. #2 is not a defect grade, it fact at SYP Direct is simply means the board does not contain more than 50% heartwood. Heartwood is better known as character, defined by colors including brown and red.  Heart content is measured in sap and heartwood, color (variance in colors); many times in wide planks you see the heartwood running right down the middle.

What is knotty Pine- it is not full holes.

Knots are not holes at SYP Direct. However, at the publicly traded liquidation store, the descriptions tell you that select southern pine has holes, as all knotty pine will have holes. I tell you one thing, be careful of floors that are shorter than 30″ with holes that is the garbage from the garbage. (see examples on our Pinterest Page)

Questions such as What is Knotty Pine are fine when you are researching, but when are shopping it opens you up to misinformation.

Get samples, get references and most importantly, get the grade specifications in writing. Some of our “competitors” offer a #2 Knotty Pine, with the word Select added in front. Now in the real world that means ‘hand selected’, not machine selected but by hand. What they use if for is to up the price for no reason. How do we know? Read the fine print, the “sort out almost all the cracks and defects”? If you are paying for Select Knotty Pine, or any grade (in any species) it should be a perfect representation of that grade.…at the very least.

What is Knotty Pine? – It is 1 of our most frequently asked questions.

Personal Service and Customer Service are a common theme in our online review and those kept private, i.e. emails to office. When you do business with Southern Yellow Pine Direct, you are doing business with one of our founders/owners. Customer service during the sales process is great, but the support during, shipping, delivery and installation always get the most praise.

About Southern Yellow Pine Direct

With an A+ rating from the BBB, it is no surprise that we never misrepresent our floors in any way shape or form. #2 Knotty Pine, the perfect example of telling the 100% truth about the grade. We have no surprise cost, nor do we ever want a customer disappointed in quality.  It is today, and our business  will continue to be dependent on word of mouth and repeat business. Without quality, we have nothing.  Email the real owner

What is “Knotty pine”? Simple, it is a generic term for pine with knots, not a big surprise. What may surprise you, Knotty Pine is not a grade. #2 SYP is not a true grade and differs from mill to mill, i.e. floors or lumber. Lumber mills sort based on defects, knots included. But when a mill produces flooring, Heart Pine flooring, it is sorted based on the amount of visible heartwood, not defects. Age creates not only gorgeous colors and character, it creates stability. When comparing your local #2 SYP with our floors, get samples and ask for local customers. Comparisons reveal the facts, one is plain and void of character, while the other defines character.

What is Knotty Pine and what it is not!

Get samples, get references and most importantly, get the grade specifications in writing. Some of our “competitors” offer a #2 Knotty Pine, with the word Select added in front. Now in the real world that means ‘hand selected’, not machine selected but by hand. What they use if for is to up the price for no reason. How do we know? Read the fine print, the “sort out almost all the cracks and defects”?

What is Knotty Pine Select?

If you are paying for Select Knotty Pine, or any grade (in any species) it should be a perfect representation of that grade.…at the very least. At SYP Direct, our #2 Knotty Pine grade is our best seller, and we stand at 3 mm square feet and counting, with an A+ BBB rating. And finally, ask for references and real reviews, as in people you can talk to you, local to you would be nice.

Southern Yellow Pine Direct offer homeowners the reliability of an A+ rated BBB company; the best quality, pricing and service bar none. We operate under an "old school" philosophy that the customer is always right. We make sure you are just that by educating and dispelling myths about Southern Pine and Heart Pine flooring.
Remember we are a mill to order manufacturer of unfinished and prefinished Southern Pine, including our speciality Heart Pine. Our lead times are normally about two weeks, with Hardwoods and Imports the lead times vary and that is an understatement. 2 days -2 months has bee the answer since COVID. But things are imporving, as White Oak prices continue to fall. (Jason Howard 9/9/2022)
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