Black Locust for Floors?

[Jason Quick]

Anybody ever seen or heard of black locust being used for flooring? I know it takes a finish well, and it's hard as nails anyway...would it actually make a good floor? Does it look like crap as it ages?

We're fixing to build a house next year, and in the Craftsman spirit, I'm looking to use materials native to the area. BL grows like weeds in the windbreaks out here, and seems to be easier to get as lumber than osage orange. I know it's going to be tough getting it, but it isn't going to be a huge area w/ wood floors in the house, so I'm willing to bite the bullet on cost. Plus, it'd be kinda cool to have a floor that no one else has.

The other choice is probably white (burr) oak, which is native too. Nice, durable, easy to get and pretty cheap. The easy choice, which is why I'm looking elsewhere. : )

Or...maybe as a deck? Hmm....

Jason

[fredfighter]

The heartwood is often olive green and fades to a a dark tan or brown. I don't know about how stable it is.

Ironically, although it is a rot-resistant wood much of the older black locust I see growing through MD, PA and OH is blighted. It seems to be surviving the blight, the leaves turn a funny bluish tinge by August and brown at the edges instead of yellowing in the Fall but the trees though weakened are not dying off in large numbers. Still, a lot of black locusts these days have a fair amount of rot in the trunk. They live a lto longer after they start to rot than do many other trees. Hmm, here may be some spalted black locust out there.

Sound wood should make great deckwood. ISTR one marine materials dealer was advocating black locust for boat decking.

[Charlie Self]

Heartwood only for a deck. Black locust warps a log in drying, but once dry is stable. Hard to work with hand tools, it's also a prime bitch to nail (drill pilot holes). It will take a great finish.