When designing an indoor yoga studio, every detail matters. From calming tones on the walls to soothing textures underfoot, every feature comes together to create a rejuvenating experience.
Calhoun Hardwood Flooring recently collaborated with Amy Love, owner of Full Bodied Yoga at 1120 SE Main St. #101, Portland, to bring her harmonious vision of nature into the studio with reclaimed redwood wood flooring. The hardwood, salvaged from a prior build, brought richness and warmth to the spacious room.
Love’s project was the perfect candidate for an eco-conscious reclaimed wood installation according to Jim Calhoun, owner of Calhoun Hardwood Flooring. With strong structural strength and intricate, knotted wood grain featuring mineral streaks, the hardwood helped tie the space visually together as no other plank could.
“They say that yoga is the dance of the soul, and the other dance partner is nature,” Calhoun said. “What better dance partner is there than redwood for yoga?”
Reclaimed Wood: A Process of Diligence & Patience
Reclaimed wood, however, is not a straightforward material to install and few Portland contractors work with it. The installation process requires patiently and diligently completing additional steps that fresh factory-direct products do not. Reclaimed woods require additional cutting and finishing to achieve a slick, contiguous appearance like a well-made piece of furniture.
“Most trade flooring, whether it be tile, carpet, or linoleum products, tend to come from a factory. They are prepped and ready to go, and the contractors just install it and they’re done. When I do a floor, I take a rough forest product, like reclaimed wood, and turn it into furniture for your home or business,” Calhoun said.
To begin a reclaimed wood installation, Calhoun speaks with the customer about wood grades. Wood grades do not affect plank quality, but have a major impact on appearance. For Full Bodied Yoga, Love chose a rustic #1 grade plank. The wood-grain-focused #1 grade redwood planks heavily feature knots and mineral streaks with longer boards, which created a floor with intense visual interest.
