Scale Lumber

The History Behind Reclaimed Wood Flooring|

What could be amazing about reclaimed wood flooring? Just get some old wood and lay it down, right? Everything between getting it and laying it is difficult, dangerous, and expensive. Old barn wood has long been used for interior walls in upscale homes. However, now, every old barn in the country is under siege from lumber dealers and it’s not only barns, but also old factories, mine buildings, silos, railroad stations and the like. .

Old barns usually come to mind first, but a bonanza of wood comes from dismantling old factories, railroad stations, silos or anything of wood still standing. The easiest part might be to just take some boards off a barn. After that comes taking apart a whole building, piece-by-piece wherein collapse is a real fear. Lumber dealers now search the whole world for old wood, and are even reclaiming it from the bottoms of lakes and rivers. The Eastern part of the US contains the biggest concentration of dealers and areas of old construction.

Disassembling an old barn may be one of the more familiar projects. Even these huge one-story plus loft buildings have to be very carefully taken apart piece by piece. The dangers of collapse are always present. These larger buildings also yield huge support beams, moldings, stairs and even paneling. Moving and stacking old wood, which usually has lots of old nails, bolts, screws and other fasteners requires precaution and attention. Holes from bolts and screws have to be filled. At the sawmill, a nail removing process must be done on every piece because any metal inside the wood will destroy the saw.

A very thin saw blade is used to cut the wood, preserving as much of it as possible, and avoiding lots of sawdust. Sometimes old paint must be removed, or evidence of decay or insect damages must be repaired. These processes are not required in new lumber. On the other hand, old beams sometimes show marks from the tools that created them. This makes them highly prized.

The only way you can get a floor made of chestnut is to use reclaimed wood. Chestnut no longer exists in this country because it was wiped out by a disease. Reclaimed wood itself is dense, tested, and stable. It will not twist or warp because it has very low moisture content, unlike greener wood. It’s been used for generations, proving its durability.

The use of reclaimed wood in flooring is an ultimate ‘green’ application. Obviously, no new trees are cut down. From nothing else can we make use of so old a product with so many beautiful uses in our homes.

Its most unusual property is its history. Many dealers can give the location and previous use of every reclaimed board. The past is very present in this wood, and owners are proud of their connection to history. The durability is not in question because the wood is old, strong, and proven.

Reclaimed wood flooring is presently used in a very small percentage of construction. It is much more expensive at this point than new wood. It is harder to obtain and prepare. The supply is limited, of course, but any use is held to be better than burning it, putting it in a landfill, or turning it into toothpicks or sawdust. This wood flooring has a rich history and a bright future. Visit http://crownwoodconservatories.com/ for more infomation.

Why Stick Built Scale Buildings

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