Reclaimed Wood

What Is Reclaimed Wood?

Reclaimed wood is old wood that has been repurposed. For example, it can be old lumber wood from a factory that is transformed into a wine rack, bookshelf, or coffee table.

People go to great lengths to find reclaimed wood that makes a stylistic statement about themselves and their homes. As you enter homeowner George Mabry’s front door, your eyes are immediately drawn to the teak staircase crafted from wood reclaimed from a demolition site in Southeast Asia. Outside, the white stucco exterior is accented by a section of redwood siding made from California olive-oil barrels.

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Using reclaimed wood in a renovation requires more legwork than just stopping at a home center for lumber, but our Cambridge, Massachusetts, project house highlights the unique beauty that used timber can bring to a renovation.

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Why Choose Reclaimed Wood?

Chad Beatty, vice president of Elmwood Reclaimed Timber, which collects and sells used wood, says there are four strong reasons why you should get reclaimed wood.

4 Reasons Reclaimed Wood is Better

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1. It's environmentally friendly. Reclaimed wood isn't grown on farms, which often cultivate only trees that grow fast, but aren't supportive of an ecosystem. Yes, it represents a tree that's been cut down, but at least it's getting another life in your home.

2. It has an age and character that cannot be mimicked. Old wood likely grew in a natural environment where it had to fight for nutrients and sun, making the wood strong and durable. Aging also brings out the color in the wood.

3. Most old-growth wood is no longer available. Regulations prevent many species of tree from being harvested, so Mabry couldn't buy new redwood for his siding, for example.

4. It has its own history. How many people do you know who have olive-oil barrels on the outside of their houses?