Since the colonial era, heart pine, and particularly longleaf heart, has been prized as an elegant and durable flooring for American homes, and this remains true today. A casual internet search will turn up many options for "heart pine", but there are very large ranges of quality and cost. Below is a list of some of these differences:
| Red Hills' Heart Pine | Reclaimed/River Recovered Heart Pine | Most New Heart Pine | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source | Sustainable natural forests | Old buildings or river recovery | Planted and clear cut |
| Cost | $6-$12/sq' | $14-$25+/sq' | $4-$9/sq' |
| Age of trees | 90-200+ | 90-200+ | 50-75 |
| Species | Longleaf | Mostly longleaf, but some other species mixed in | Mostly Loblolly |
| Janka scale hardness | 1225 (Longleaf Heart) | 1225 (Longleaf Heart) | 690 (Loblolly) |
| Board lengths | 8’ and 12’, Custom lengths available | Mostly Random (2’ to 8' Most Common) | 6'-12' Most Common |
| Widths | 2" to 9 1/4" Most common, but can be customized | 3” - 9 1/4" Most Common | 3 1/8" and 5 1/8” Most Common |
| % Heartwood | 80-100% for heart grades (can be customized) | Commonly 90-100% | 20-50% Most Common |
| Knots | Varies by grade | Varies by grade | Varies by grade |