Sprigg Lynn, the owner of Universal Floors Inc., a family-owned company out of Washington D.C., has been working on floors in the U.S. Supreme Court, previously located inside the Capitol building, for many years. David Lynn, Sprigg’s grandfather, was the seventh architect of the Capitol, making the work even more significant to Sprigg.
Universal Floors has a growing stockpile of salvaged wood, making them an ideal candidate for work in Washington D.C.’s historic homes and buildings. “When houses are slated for demolition, we go in, inspect the property, and salvage the wood. We’ve gotten wood from all over the city,” says Lynn.
FLOOR FOCUS
Earlier this year, Colorado’s Neil Gorsuch joined the Supreme Court as a Justice and had a few renovation requests for his office. These requests have become the most recent work for Lynn inside of the Supreme Court.
The task at hand included removing bookcases and matching the floor covering to the existing rift and quarter sawn white oak, including some walnut and mahogany inlays.
PROCESS DETAILS
“After the original bookcases were removed, the floor covering underneath no longer matched what was in the rest of the room,” says Lynn. “As we do with any historic restoration, we deconstructed the existing floor, labeling every piece, and used wood from our stockpile to reconfigure the floor to accommodate the new layout.”
For Lynn, this work is a family affair. “It’s unique to be able to continue my grandfather’s legacy in the Supreme Court building by using my skills to restore the floors inside. It’s fun. It’s challenging. It’s historic restoration.”