Arkansasandman Yes the short leaf acacia (Acacia Confusa) is a solid wood Handscraped Virginia Mill Works product. Its unique 8” wide butcher block board construction makes it more stable than traditional wood floors and is some 74% harder than Red Oak. This is a nail down product and the thinner 18 ga L-cleat nails, 1 ¼”-1 ½” long works best for this species. As with any installation it is important for installers to actually read and adhere to the manufacturers written instructions. Details on species characteristics, proper acclimation, nailers, moisture testing, and floor flatness requirements are all spelled out in the instructions. Regarding acacia stability it’s similar to that of Ash, so no real issues just acclimate well. The Virginia Mill Works products are milled to specified tolerances and at 6-9% moisture content. It is important for wider boards to be within a 2% (mc) balance with that of the subfloor before placing into service.
moderntech Of course prior to installation the milling should be checked for quality and proper fitment. Un-square or tapered ends can easily be cut off or simply discard the individual board. However using a micrometer for pass/fail milling acceptance isn’t necessary for installers. From a standing position one should be able to make a reasonable inspection of individual boards and overall quality. Wood and grass products are naturally hygroscopic meaning “seeking or attracting moisture”. It’s no mystery that moisture or lack of moisture due to various regions of the country, transportation and storage or poor jobsite conditions can all affect the shape of wood. In addition, individual board dimension, widths and thickness as well as precise tongue and groove fitment can be negatively altered due to uncontrolled moisture and temperature fluctuations. Therefore for these real reasons compliance to milling tolerances using either digital or manual micrometers is only applicable at the time of controlled milling, not weeks or sometimes months later on the jobsite.
moderntech Of course prior to installation the milling should be checked for quality and proper fitment. Un-square or tapered ends can easily be cut off or simply discard the individual board. However using a micrometer for pass/fail milling acceptance isn’t necessary for installers. From a standing position one should be able to make a reasonable inspection of individual boards and overall quality. Wood and grass products are naturally hygroscopic meaning “seeking or attracting moisture”. It’s no mystery that moisture or lack of moisture due to various regions of the country, transportation and storage or poor jobsite conditions can all affect the shape of wood. In addition, individual board dimension, widths and thickness as well as precise tongue and groove fitment can be negatively altered due to uncontrolled moisture and temperature fluctuations. Therefore for these real reasons compliance to milling tolerances using either digital or manual micrometers is only applicable at the time of controlled milling, not weeks or sometimes months later on the jobsite.