Reclaimed Wood

Reclaimed lumber and rustic wood provide a one of a kind material a unique architectural quality that new wood will never match. Finding this unique wood comes from reclaiming the massive wood beams and flooring from old barns and old warehouses before mother nature gets to them.

Much of this antique recycled wood contains varieties of pine, Douglas fir, white oak and many others that originally came from old growth forests harvested decades ago.  This old wood has a highly-sought after look with individual character with features from the color, size, strength and a dense, straight grain.

Old antique lumber is perfect for projects like architectural trusses, accent walls, exposed headers, wood ceilings, wide plank barn board flooring (antique wood flooring), millwork, sliding barn doors, barn wood tables, house doors and hand-hewn beams.  This old lumber also makes beautiful rustic furniture like antique wood tables cabinetry and benches.

Reclaimed wood is truly unrivaled in terms of its beauty, density and clarity and part of the charm of this wood come from the character marks from nail holes, notches and the seasoning from being air-dried for many years.  Then there is the historical significance because it is generally supplied from buildings built around the turn of the last century.

If the cost of reclaimed wood is over your budget, consider this tutorial on how to make wood look old using common household products. Another option is to find free pallets to upcycle.

After acquiring this reclaimed wood there are a few options before using it.

One is to pressure wash and brushing the wood to clean the surface and keep the original character and natural patina.

Another is to re-mill the lumber which has several advantages such as further exposing the underlying color and grain, making the surface more uniform and having more control over the dimensions.

In addition to its beauty, recycling reclaimed wood products reduces the need to harvest existing forests.