Reclaimed Wood Flooring

Now that we all have greater environmental concerns, it makes sense to use products like reclaimed wood flooring. Not only does it help the environment, but it looks great. What is it?

Essentially it is wood that comes from a pre-existing structure and is given new life. It was logged a long time ago, sometimes 100 years or more, and has been salvaged from dismantled warehouses, old public buildings, lumber mills, wooden bridges, and even old barns.

Many people with environmental concerns use products like bamboo, which replenishes itself quickly. But if you want to be really "green", you can track down reclaimed wood flooring.

Easy to clean, good looking and hard wearing, wood is one of the dominant flooring materials of our age. Exotic woods, often from tropical zones, is in particular demand for its long-lasting beauty.

However, use of tropical hardwoods has become a controversial issue because the forests that they come from are such a vital part of the earth’s ecosystem. If you are concerned about using up our natural resources when opting for those handsome hardwoods, using reclaimed wood flooring can allow you all the beauty with none of the guilt.

Reclaimed wood is graded according to its condition and is priced accordingly. You might think "used wood" would be inferior in quality to something freshly logged, but in truth reclaimed wood is often of a quality that is difficult to match by new wood (from less mature new-growth trees).

Most reclaimed wood flooring comes from the heartwood of old growth trees. That means stronger wood, straighter lumber, tighter grains, and better looks.

Old wood has already gone through seasonal expansion and contraction for decades. That means your reclaimed wood flooring will hold its place much better than wood flooring cut from recently harvested trees.

In addition to these benefits, reclaimed products often come with a history. Most reclaimed lumber companies track where their wood comes from, and they pass that history onto their customers.

Your living room floor might come from an old mill in Pittsburgh, or a barn from the English countryside. Since everybody likes a good story, you'll be standing on a conversation starter every time a guest comes to visit.

What about the cons? Is there a down side to using reclaimed wood?

You might have to look a little longer and do a little more work, but as the quality is unusually high it would be worth your efforts. Generally speaking the second-hand wood might be more expensive because the timber must be reworked and prepared.

Also, reclaimed wood may require repair work such as removing nails, sanding, planing and re-varnishing but your finished product will be a thing of beauty.

There are a few things to look out for as you shop for this product. Because relaimed timber has been around for a while and is likely to have been exposed to some rough conditions, it's important that it's been kiln dried before you buy it. Kiln drying kills any dormant insects that may have taken up residence in the wood.

It also reduces the moisture content in the wood, which will minimize the movement of the wood in the future. It's also a good idea to discuss the origin of the wood with your supplier.

Try to ascertain where the wood came from, and if he's mixing new wood with the old. If this is the case, take your business somewhere else.

Don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions about reclaimed wood flooring by clicking here.

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