Reclaimed lumber is existing lumber salvaged from old buildings and warehouses that are being torn down, as well as old wine barrels and railroad boxcars. The wood is then reused as is, or milled into flooring, molding, siding, and other building materials.
Using reclaimed lumber is very eco-friendly, since it reduces the number of trees cut down – preserving a valuable natural resource – and uses less energy and waste than turning trees into lumber. Watch this video to find out more.
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What can be 100 years or older, you can sit on it, walk on it, or hang a light from it; and, oh yes, it’s green? I’m talking about reclaimed lumber. This is wood that’s salvaged from old buildings, like this rundown garage. Other wood can be harvested from boxcars and wine barrels.
All this lumber can be remilled into individual planks and used for antique wood flooring, moldings, stairs, and fine furniture. I’ve even seen old school bleachers used to create an amazing wood ceiling.
What makes it so green is obvious. You’re not cutting down a valuable resource that takes several years to replenish. And in some cases, reclaimed timber can already be in board form, which means energy is saved by not having to mill the wood. Best of all, in my opinion, it looks great, because even green things get better with age.
