“I reached out to Stephen at Union Church Millworks hoping to find some select-grade hickory. While he didn’t have the widths I needed in stock, he didn’t hesitate to offer to custom mill exactly what I needed—3”, 4”, and 5” random widths. I had to tooth it into an existing floor, and in my 50+ years of doing hardwood floors, I’ve never had a mill product fit so precisely! The repair was smooth and a joy to install.
Finding a local “mom-and-pop” mill that can make exactly what you need—in small amounts no less—is practically unheard of. The customer service there is amazing too.”
— Dennis Cudd, Floors by Dennis
“For those considering LVP or engineered hardwood flooring, I want to share my experience. Over 25 years ago, we installed black walnut flooring throughout our family room, dining room, foyer, and the hallway leading to our bedrooms. Our washer and dryer are located in a closet off that hallway.
One morning, we were awakened by a loud bang followed by the sound of rushing water. Our front-load washer had a valve malfunction overnight, filling the tub until the pressure forced the door open. Water poured out into the hallway and across our floors.
We immediately began soaking up the water, expecting the worst. At that time, the floors were eased-edge, factory-finished, with three coats of polyurethane, and had been installed for roughly seven years.
Despite the amount of water they were exposed to, the floors did not cup, crack, warp, or show any signs of damage. Both the wood and the finish performed exceptionally well. Even after such a significant incident, the floors looked exactly as they did before.”
— Southeast VA Homeowner
“When it came time to replace the flooring in our kitchen and breakfast room, our minds immediately went back to the black walnut floors we had installed decades earlier. At the time, we had LVP squares that showed visible wear from chairs and foot traffic, so we replaced them with hickory engineered hardwood planks. After about a year, we noticed small flecks of finish coming off in areas with very little use.
We contacted the supplier, who reached out to the manufacturer. After reviewing photos, they acknowledged a production issue and offered us a few replacement boxes—but we were expected to cover the installation cost. Instead of investing more into flooring we didn’t trust, we chose to remove everything and reinstall black walnut.
Keep in mind, we originally purchased our black walnut flooring more than 25 years ago. It was never sanded, never refinished, and it included the section near the hallway where our washer overflowed years earlier. I watched the installer fit the new boards to the original ones, and when he tapped them into place, the height and fit were identical. There was absolutely no difference—perfectly flush, level, and smooth.
To me, that speaks volumes about the quality and consistency of Union Church Millworks’ hardwood floors. Their craftsmanship has held up for decades, through everyday wear and even significant water exposure. They should be proud of the products they create.
If you buy their flooring once, you won’t be dealing with problems later.”
