LA MANCHE · NORMANDY
Where Our Floors Begin
Deep in La Manche lies our mill, where wild trees embark on the process of becoming beautiful, characterful oak flooring.
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La Manche
Deep in La Manche you will find our mill, a place once home to the Moss family for more than 10 years. It is also where one of the key ingredients in our exquisite Wild Oak floors is found.
The area has a fascinating history too, having featured heavily in Operation Lüttich during the Second World War. Today, it is the setting for a much more peaceful pursuit; transforming beautiful French timber into exceptional flooring.
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A Long Partnership
Our partnership spans more than 30 years, dating back to when we first began our operations in La Manche.
Originally, we sourced reclaimed boards and beams from across great swathes of France. We carried out the demolition work ourselves before returning to the mill with the timber, ready to begin the process of transforming it into the beautiful floors we are known for.
That connection with French timber remains at the heart of what we do today.
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Three Generations. One Craft.
Our connection with French oak is more than a business relationship. It is part of the Moss family story, built over decades and passed from one generation to the next.
That experience shapes the way we approach every board. We understand that beautiful flooring isn’t created by rushing the process, but by knowing when to let the timber do the work.
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Time Is Part of the Process
Creating a beautiful wooden floor is a slow process. From the moment the timber arrives at the mill, every stage is carefully considered. We allow the wood time to dry naturally before moving on to machining and finishing, helping to preserve the character and stability of the finished floor.
Air Drying
Once our felled trees have been rough sawn into what will eventually become floorboards, they are left outside to dry naturally until the moisture content is low enough for them to enter our kiln.
Air drying is essential for creating a more stable floor. Timber that is kiln dried too rapidly has a greater propensity to move as it takes up moisture, so we allow nature to do its work first.
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Into the Workshop
Once the air and kiln drying operations are complete, the timber heads into the workshop where the machining stage begins.
The back of each board is planed to the desired thickness, the edges are squared and the top is carefully sanded.
It is a process that combines traditional methods with the precision needed to create a floor that is both beautiful and practical.
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The Natural Finish
Each board is sanded rather than planed on the top surface, helping to maintain the natural qualities and character of the timber.
Knots, grain, variation and the marks left by the timber’s journey are not imperfections to be hidden. They are part of what makes every floor unique.
From Our Mill to Your Home
Every board carries the character of the timber it came from. By taking the time to dry, machine and finish each piece carefully, we create flooring that retains the natural qualities of the wood while being made for modern interiors.
From the forests and reclaimed buildings of France to the floors we create for our customers, the journey begins here in La Manche.