We often get calls from contractors and homeowners asking if we could provide material to repair an old, original floor first installed in the early 1900s. More often times than not, we’re able to acquire, manufacture, and supply the material needed, but one of the trickiest steps in the process is identifying what we need to match.

Pictured above are three species we often get asked about on repair or replacement floors. The plank on the left is white pine, the middle is Doug fir, and the piece all the way on the right is heart pine. When finished these three can easily be confused for one another, but there are a few items to keep an eye out for when identifying:

White pine (AKA “pumpkin pine”) is more prominent in the northeastern part of the country and seen at wider widths (5”+). White pine’s natural color is between beige and amber with some brown. Also, the grain in white pine is typically less pronounced.

Doug fir’s natural color is more amber to orange with some brown. The knots seen in Doug fir are typically not sound and can fall apart when touched.

Heart pine is the densest of the three species and its color ranges from yellow to orange.

If you have questions about identifying wood species or repairing an old original floor, don’t hesitate to ask! Pictures are always helpful!