Reclaimed Chestnut Hardwood Flooring
Antique Wormy Chestnut Floors
Salvaged from historic structures over a century old, Antique Wormy Chestnut is a finite resource that captures a rare moment in American ecological history. Its buttery golden palette and iconic wormy signatures provide a sophisticated, story-rich foundation for interiors that value authentic “Modern Heritage.”
- Species: Authentic American Chestnut (commercially extinct)
- Source: Salvaged from historic barns and structures over a century old
- Face Grade: Iconic "wormy" character with nail holes and natural knots
- Widths: Random 3"-5", 4"-7", or 5"-10" architectural mixes
- Thickness: 11/16" solid plank precision-milled for stability
- Length: Random 2' - 8'+
- Milling: Tongue and groove with precision end-matching.
- Finish: Site Finished (Prefinished options available)
- Shipping: Nationwide Jobsite Delivery
- Price: $12.00 to $135 (Custom Quoted per Project)
- Current Lead Time: 4–6 weeks for custom milling (Expedited options available)
Ecological Legacy, Precision Refined.
Every plank of our Antique Wormy Chestnut is curated from lumber and timbers salvaged from historic structures over a century old. By pairing this rare “ghost timber” with modern milling, we preserve the iconic wormy signatures and buttery patina while ensuring the technical accuracy required for luxury interiors.
Defining the Character
The Tactile Finish
Antique Wormy Chestnut offers a softer, more intimate tactile experience than traditional hardwoods. Its unique cellular structure creates a “buttery” surface that feels remarkably smooth to the touch, distinguishing it from the rugged grit of reclaimed oak. This innate warmth is preserved through precise Virginia milling, resulting in a floor that provides authentic barefoot comfort while honoring the integrity of its rare, old-growth grain.
Original Fastener Marks
Decades of service in Appalachian structures have left behind the subtle signatures of original craftsmanship. We preserve nail holes and historic “shadows” found in this lumber to anchor your floor in its century-old provenance. Far from being imperfections, these marks represent the structural story of the American frontier, adding a rhythmic, artisanal character that mass-produced alternatives simply cannot replicate.
INSECT SCARS & WORM HOLES
Often described as the “natural script” of the forest, these iconic insect tracks and delicate pinholes serve as an authentic record of the chestnut’s organic life cycle. As a commercially extinct species, these markings are the unmistakable hallmark of genuine Antique Wormy Chestnut. These subtle scars lend an intricate, high-character texture that honors the wood’s biological history and brings a layer of unmistakable honesty to your finished floor.
Aging Stress Cracks
Also known as “checking,” these stable fissures are the result of the wood naturally seasoning and “settling” over a century of historic service. Unlike the cracks found in improperly dried new lumber, these are deep-seated hallmarks of age—evidence of the immense loads these timbers once carried in old Appalachian structures. We leave these intact to provide a sense of depth and grit, ensuring the floor feels like a permanent, grounded piece of American history rather than a temporary surface.
SOUND KNOTS & NATURAL VOIDS
Knots are the biological signatures of a tree’s growth, marking where branches once met the trunk. Our Antique Wormy Chestnut embraces this history with a generous mix of solid knots and the iconic beetle-track voids that define the genuine reclaimed experience. Depending on your desired aesthetic, these voids can be easily filled during the on-site finishing process to create a more refined surface while keeping the wood’s natural, “wormy” rhythm completely intact.
In Its Element
Witness how Antique Wormy Chestnut provides a story-rich foundation, bridging the gap between a lost ecological era and refined contemporary design. This gallery captures the material’s power to illuminate a space with its warm golden palette and iconic worm hole signatures.
The Gallery
Century-Old Warmth
The defining characteristic of Antique Wormy Chestnut Flooring is its ability to ground high-end architectural spaces with a rare, storied elegance. By utilizing reclaimed wood from the early 19th century, it infuses modern design with an authentic, enduring soul, showcasing the delicate “worm” holes and deep honeyed tones that make this flooring a pinnacle of American heritage.
Experience The Patina
Hold History in Your Hands.
Choosing a Wormy Chestnut floor is a tactile experience. Photographs can only tell part of the story. You need to feel the dense grain, trace the historic saw marks, and see how these century-old patinas react to the natural light in your own home. Request a curated sample package and experience the Appalachian Woods difference firsthand.
Your $10 sample fee is fully credited toward your final custom commission.
The Architect's Guide
DRAWING NO: AW-2026
How long does it take to mill a custom chestnut floor?
Every floor we produce is a bespoke commission, milled to order in our Virginia shop. Lead times typically range from 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the size of the project and our current shop schedule. We recommend engaging with us early in the design phase to ensure your custom floor is ready the moment your job site is prepared for installation.
Why is flooring priced as a range rather than a fixed cost?
Because we do not sell mass-produced commodities. Every Appalachian Woods floor is a custom commission, milled specifically for your project. A fixed price assumes a one-size-fits-all product, but your floor’s final cost is determined by your exact architectural requirements. Your dedicated quote will be based on four specific variables:
Project Scale & Manufacturing Efficiency: Every custom floor requires dedicated mill setup and precise calibration. Larger square footages allow us to run the mill at peak efficiency, which often allows us to apply favorable volume-based pricing to substantial orders.
Width Specifications: A random mix of widths yields the best use of historic timber and is the most cost-effective. Specifying a single, uniform width (e.g., all 8-inch planks) requires highly selective milling and shifts the investment.
Milling & Edge Profiles: Standard tongue-and-groove carries a different production time than a custom pillowed edge or hand-scraped finish.
Current Timber Availability: Because we source genuine 19th-century agricultural structures, the rarity and yield of specific raw materials naturally fluctuate.
Can I customize the amount of "original surface" on my floor?
Absolutely. While our standard Barn Board grade aims for a 15% original surface “hit and miss” ratio, we are a custom mill. If your design intent requires a more rugged, 50/50 split or a cleaner, more refined look, we can adjust our skip-planing process to meet your specific architectural requirements.
Will the original saw marks and nail holes catch on socks or splinter?
While our Chestnut grade retains the tactile “grit” of its previous life, it is designed for comfortable, barefoot living. The key is in the on-site finishing process. We recommend a professional “screening” or light sanding after installation. This process removes any sharp fibers or rough edges while leaving the visual integrity of the skip-planed surface and circle-saw marks perfectly intact.
How much variation in color should I expect?
Expect a rich, high-contrast palette that no new-growth floor can replicate. Because our lumber is a mix of “weathered” exterior boards and “aged” interior planks, each plank reacts differently to light and finishes. Furthermore, the original “skin” is more porous and will soak up stains and oils more deeply, creating dark, natural highlights that add immense depth to the room.
Can your solid reclaimed chestnut be installed over radiant floor heating?
Yes, solid reclaimed Chestnut offers exceptional stability for radiant heat systems because it has been naturally seasoning for over a century. This historic aging process makes the lumber significantly more resilient and dimensionally consistent than new-growth solid wood.
However, any bespoke integration requires site-specific expertise. Determining whether our specific plank widths and your unique heating system are a perfect architectural match is a critical judgment call that must be made by the onsite architect or professional builder. We have supplied many successful radiant heat projects, but final responsibility for total environmental control—including proper subfloor preparation, humidity monitoring, and heating system temperature regulation—always rests with your specialized installation team
What type of finish do you recommend to preserve the original patina?
To honor the deep tannins and skip-planed texture of Reclaimed Chestnut, we suggest finishes that enhance rather than mask the wood’s history. High-quality natural oils or matte water-based finishes are often preferred for their ability to highlight the character without adding an artificial sheen. However, because reclaimed wood is more porous than new timber and every home has unique lighting and wear requirements, we recommend consulting a professional finisher familiar with antique wood. They can perform on-site samples to ensure the finish reacts perfectly with the “aged” and “weathered” sections of your specific floor.
Do you provide specific installation instructions?
We believe the best results are achieved when our flooring is handled by a professional installer experienced with wide-plank, solid reclaimed wood. For the highest standards of performance, all installations should strictly follow the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) guidelines. Because environmental variables—such as subfloor composition, local humidity, and site-specific HVAC schedules—vary significantly from one project to the next, your professional installer is the best authority on the specific acclimation and fastening techniques required for your unique job site.
About how much does it cost to ship flooring to my job site?
Freight costs vary depending on the size of your specific order, the exact delivery location, and current carrier fuel surcharges. As a general baseline, you can budget approximately $0.75 per square foot for Mid-Atlantic shipments, and $1.25 per square foot for West Coast deliveries.
Because freight rates fluctuate and every job site is unique, these numbers are strictly ballparks. To get a perfectly accurate shipping rate, we highly recommend calling us or filling out a Quote Request, and our team will calculate the exact logistics for your project.
Are your shipping quotes firm, or will costs change after I order?
We pride ourselves on providing firm shipping quotes upfront directly on your Sales Order, and we work hard to ensure there are no “surprise” surcharges after the fact.
On rare occasions, we may need to re-quote a delivery due to unusual circumstances—such as sudden spikes in carrier fuel surcharges or new information regarding your specific delivery site details. If this ever happens, we prioritize complete transparency and will communicate with you immediately so you are always fully informed about your project’s budget.
Why is your American Chestnut flooring 11/16" thick instead of 3/4" like your other species?
Chestnut tends to come to us at thinner dimensions than, say, oak or pine reclaimed from the same era, so after milling and finishing, 11/16″ is the thickness we can consistently deliver.
The good news: 11/16″ is still a fully structural, nail-down flooring thickness — only 1/16″ shy of the standard 3/4″ — and it can be installed the same way. It also means you’re getting genuine old-growth chestnut, which hasn’t been commercially available as new lumber for over a century.
Precision Architectural Profiles
Every wide-plank floor we produce is custom-milled to your project’s exact architectural specifications. From the seamless monolithic surface of a square edge to the authentic, foot-worn undulation of a pillowed joint, our profiles are engineered for both historic accuracy and generations of structural stability.
Tongue and Groove
Square Edge Profile
Our Square Edge profile creates a monolithic, seamless surface that honors the hand-fit craftsmanship of 19th-century architecture. It is the definitive choice for designers seeking a flush, continuous plane without the visual interruption of modern bevels.
drawing no: t&g-SQ-01
Tongue and Groove
Beveled Edge Profile
Features a precise micro-cut along the joint to deliberately articulate each individual board. This dimensional shadow-line accommodates slight subfloor variations while adding subtle linear depth to the space.
drawing no: t&g-bv-02
Tongue and Groove
Worn "Pillowed" Edge
Softly undulating edges meticulously crafted to replicate centuries of natural foot traffic. This tactile profile creates a highly authentic, timeworn aesthetic that is exceptionally forgiving and comfortable underfoot.
drawing no: t&g-PL-03
s4s / butt joint
surfaced four sides
A completely squared, un-profiled plank designed specifically for traditional face-nailing. This raw, structural approach delivers uncompromising rustic authenticity for historic flooring installations.
drawing no: s4s-bj-04
shiplap profile
overlapping rabbet joint
Milled with opposing rabbet joints to create a tight, overlapping seal while accommodating natural seasonal movement. A premier specification for structural wall cladding, wainscoting, and architectural ceilings.
drawing no: sl-rb-05
Profile sketches are for illustrative purposes and are not drawn to exact scale. Exact milling specifications and CAD profile drawings are available for architects and design professionals upon request.
Technical Specifications
Dimensions & Milling
- Widths: Random Mix of 3"-5", 4"-7" or 5"-10" (Custom Options: Single Width or Other Combination)
- Thickness: 11/16" Solid Plank
- Length: Random 2' - 10'+
- Side Profile: Tongue & Groove with nail groove
- End Profile: Tongue & Groove & precision squared
- Edges: Square Edge (Custom Worn Edge, Beveled or Hand Scraped available)
- Bottom: Stress Relief Channels
Character & Grading
- Knots & Holes: Many sound and partially broken knots, nail/spike holes, and occasional insect scars
- Cracks: Aging stress cracks up to 1/8" are allowed as long as the plank is stable and usable
- Color & Patina: Natural amber/honey hues with some original aged patina and saw marks
- Grain: Mixed grain patterns
Performance & Installation
- Moisture Content: 8-10% or less
- Heartwood: 90% and better
- Finish: Unfinished (Designed for site finish but prefinishing available for custom orders)
Nationwide Logistics
From Our Mill to Your Job Site
Distance is never a barrier to exceptional millwork. Whether your project is a historic brownstone in Boston or a modern retreat in the Pacific Northwest, we coordinate dedicated, fully-insured freight delivery directly to your residential or commercial job site. Every order is custom-crated by our team to ensure your order arrives in the exact pristine condition it left our mill shop.
Customer service was very curious and knowledgeable. This is our second purchase of wormy chestnut flooring from Appalachian Woods. We have been more than pleased, and are planning a third purchase of wormy chestnut from AW to complete the third floor in our home by finishing the downstairs flooring. You are a great company. Thanks!
Ron Sheeley
Archdale, North carolina
Steve was warm, friendly and always there. We (purchased) reclaimed wormy chestnut and it’s gorgeous! No problems with the installation – the milling was great. Lightening fast shipping! It was there in perfect time. We hope to reorder from Appalachian Woods in the near future. Their product and sales crew made it very easy to become a future return customer. 100% satisfaction and ease in shipping/calling/purchasing/delivery.
Katie Bowen
Cambridge, New York
The wide plank walnut flooring and the 100 year old wormy chestnut exceeded our expectations. the quality, character and uniqueness of the flooring has taken our house from great to spectacular. The house looks like it has been there for 100 years!
Janine Washle
Elizabethtown, Kentucky
The Next Step
Request a Custom Proposal
Every wide-plank floor we produce is custom-milled to order. Connect with our project team to discuss your architectural specifications, room dimensions, and timeline. We will provide a comprehensive proposal including dedicated freight to your job site. Our project team typically returns custom proposals within 24 to 48 hours.
