SYP 90 year old Heart

[widetrackman]

Wife wants SYP flooring, the real Heart Pine. I recently started cutting some of my large, probably Loblolly, but did not check yet. These trees are 30-38 DBH. I cut a real straight 30" today and counted 90+rings. I got 6- 8'-6" logs no limbs till 55' and 1- 11' log  Would there be enough heart in these size/age trees that would make nice flooring that the wife might like. I have lots of these size trees.  Yea I know never like the antique 200 year old stuff but maybe nice enough to please the wife and help pay for the Mill

[customsawyer]

If you have cut the tree down you should be able to see how much red heart is in the logs. If you're logs are the size you say I would expect the red heart to be a 6-8" diameter core in the center.

[SwampDonkey]

Probably as they sit in the heat you'll see on the end grain where the pitch is mostly coming out of, the sapwood. I would also suggest staying way from the pith and juvenile wood (5 or 6 rings) around it for stability.

[Southside]

Agree with what Jake said. Likely won't be much there. Having said that, nice, clear jacket wood with decent ring spacing can make for very nice flooring if you quarter saw it. 

[Den-Den]

It might be a good idea to mill a few Heart pine boards and make a pallet sized sample.  Very old heart pine flooring is quite nice.  I suspect it may not be so nice for the first few years.

[Magicman]

My present customer wants to replicate the Heart Pine flooring in their home and he has some 36" butt SYP logs.  Sorry, no can do.  I doubt that the heart is 8" on the butt end and it does not even come close to the floor sample that he has.

[KenMac]

I doubt very seriously that one could replicate the look of antique heart pine with the best stains and finishes available today. The real stuff is just unique.

[Don P]

I've seen wide ringed antique heart pine, it is not usually what draws the oohs and ahhs. The first thing people say when they have the "good stuff" is "Its heart pine and it has 32 rings per inch". You've got about 4. It is heartwood of pine but it is not that old tight antique heart pine. I'll be in the same boat looking soon. We may end up logging in an old factory somewhere  :D If its critical to the customer make sure it is ok to their eye.

[Magicman]

Yes, I put my customer in touch with an outfit that resaws reclaimed building timbers.  Beyond finding actual flooring those resawn timbers are the next best thing that I have ever seen.