With it’s obvious ecological benefits, it seems that reclaimed wood furniture and other types of reclaimed wood products are becoming more popular than ever. Reclaimed wood furniture being “green” is not this product’s only advantages. These advantages can be both emotional, like knowing where your product is from and the story behind it. Another benefit being the functionality, there are great properties within reclaimed hardwood. It is important to point out that there are some problems with the process of reclaiming wood, which can be abused, but also be managed very responsibility, in which I will discuss in detail later in this article. I will go over in detail what is reclaimed wood furniture is, why it is important, what to look for and where to find it.
Characteristics and Advantages of Reclaimed Wood
To understand why the quality of reclaimed wood is so high and why it’s able to remain just as strong and beautiful as it was decades ago, we must look at the natural growth of the tree. When trees can successfully avoid things like deforestation and disease they reach their full maturity. This of course is no surprise, but what is the key to a mature tree is the actual chemical composition which gives the wood unique properties. When the tree reaches that mature height, the trunk and the major branches require a tremendous amount of strength to withstand the natural living condition in the environment in which the tree stands. The tree needs to withstand things like wind, snow, rain, drought and anything else mother nature throws at it. To combat the elements the tree slowly makes adjustments to its composition in two ways: the roots and the innermost wood of the tree called heartwood starts to develop.
The roots of old growth trees are very impressive indeed. For a fully mature tree, the roots grow down further into the soil and also outward. The roots can grow outward in excess of ten times the width of the tree’s canopy. The root structure gives the tree a solid platform to stand on as well as absorbing required moisture and nutrients. The actual roots of these trees can be a great source of wood, producing beautiful grain patterns and shapes for unique pieces of wood furniture.
Along with the root structure the other main adjustment a mature tree makes is the development of heartwood. Heartwood is the dark wood in the center portion of the tree. When the tree is in its growing stage in life, the center portion still functions in the life support of the tree. As the tree reaches maturity, the center of the tree slowly hardens and becomes darker in color. As this process happens, this portion of the wood no longer draws nutrients and water to the rest of the tree. Its sole purpose is now the structural integrity of the tree. The heartwood is the densest, strongest and most dry wood in the tree. In essence this is why heartwood from old growth trees is so perfect for things like furniture, hardwood flooring, beams and siding.
reclaimed wood bench
History of Reclaimed Wood Lumber
Clearly trees grow everywhere and hence there is a history of the lumber industry that spans around the globe. For this article, I will focus on the history of reclaimed hardwood lumber and how it relates specifically to North America.
When the Europeans first started settling in the North American continent, the woodlands and general landscape looked much different than it does today. This was a land void of any development full of virgin old growth tree forests. The trees that stood at that time were hundreds of years old, some were even thousands of years old. The trees became a major export industry for the settlers in the nineteenth century. Items included huge masts for the Royal Navy, lumber such as planks and boards and hand hewn beams. Back then many woods were used including Chestnut, White Oak, Ash, Elm, Hickory, Maple, Walnut and Longleaf Pine. Out of all these woods, the one that probably the most unfamiliar to the general public, the Longleaf Pine was by far and away the most popular in the 19th century. The longleaf Pine is also known as Heart Pine and was the king of the industrial tree species.
The Heart Pine was once a prolific species throughout the Northeast and all along the gulf coast of the North American continent. These trees were the source of many timber products mentioned above as well as turpentine and resin. Before the industrialization of this product the Longleaf pine was present from the Mid-Atlantic states down to Florida all the way to Louisiana and Texas. The Heart Pine was used for pretty much all development of the American civilization. This hardwood was used for factories, mills, warehouses, barns and other large industrial buildings of the time. As with many things through history, the development depleted this seemingly endless resource to near extinction.
Fast forward to present day, the only reliable way to obtain the mighty heart pine is not by harvesting live trees, but by reclaiming the wood from the buildings that were built from the very forests that were depleted. Some call this the industrial forest. The Heart Pine and other hardwood beams and supports are reclaimed from the old buildings and sawed into reclaimed wood beams, reclaimed hardwood flooring, reclaimed paneling and reclaimed wood furniture.
Starting in the 1970s many individuals recognized the quality of the wood in these old building greatly surpassed anything that can be found today. This was the start of the reclaimed wood business. The wood would be taken from building that were in disrepair and needed to come down. Since then the reclaimed wood found in these old building is highly sought after by architects and designers not only for its very high quality, but for it’s natural beauty and its minimalistic impact on our fragile ecology.
As described above, today some species of wood can only be obtained by reclaiming the wood from previously built structures. Reclaimed lumber is becoming a staple for many builders, woodworkers and craftsmen. Certain species of Chestnut and Walnut are examples of this. Back in the 19th century there was a blight that ran rampant among Chestnut trees killing billions of the trees. Reclaimed wormy chestnut flooring is highly prized today, which can only be produced from sources like old barns.
reclaimed wood flooring
Reclaimed Barn Wood
One of the most popular sources for reclaimed lumber in North America is barns. There are many reasons for this, first and foremost is the sheer quantity of wood needed to construct a large barn. One barn can yield many reclaimed wood beams, reclaimed barn wood furniture, reclaimed boards and reclaimed wood flooring.
Reclaimed Wood Furniture
Now you know why reclaimed wood is sought after, how it’s different then wood grown today and why it’s a very special and finite building material. All these qualities make this material ideal for wood furniture. Furniture reclaimed wood is here to stay and will become more important in the industry. The uses for this product in solid wood furniture are nearly limitless. Many different styles are available today from rustic wood furniture, to old wood furniture to modern reclaimed wood furniture. I fully suspect the assortment and variety of reclaimed wood furniture will increase as time goes on. Personally, if I could I would use reclaimed wood products exclusively, I can picture all reclaimed wood furniture on my reclaimed wood floor in my home with reclaimed beams and reclaimed siding!
Reclaimed wood tables seem to be the most popular of this type of furniture at the moment. The other day I saw a beautiful reclaimed wood dining table that used hand hewn beams from a factory and constructed with absolutely no hardware. All the joints were constructed with dovetails and dowels made on a wood lathe. Absolutely gorgeous! I have also seen a reclaimed wood table that looks completely modern. The wood has been finished in such a way that you would never no the wood was from a fallen barn in Pennsylvania. Reclaimed coffee tables are also quite popular and a good first item to buy when getting into this category because they tend to by cheaper. Well, actually I mean more inexpensive, because the quality is certainly not cheap! Nothing beats the durability and beauty of a reclaimed wood coffee table, as the wood is the best you can get.
Although tables are the most popular, any type of furniture you may want can be made with reclaimed wood. There is a selection of reclaimed wood beds that would fit right into any home. A reclaimed wood bed is a great item do to the structural demands of this type of furniture. How about for the office? No problem, there are an array of reclaimed wood desks, reclaimed wood shelves, reclaimed wood chairs and reclaimed wood bookcases. Along with every imaginable types of wooden furniture from this material, even the scrap pieces of reclaimed lumber are utilized. Reclaimed wood mirrors and reclaimed wood cutting boards are a good example of this.
Modern Reclaimed Wood Furniture
One misconception is that this material only produces rustic wood furniture. The reality is that it is a blank slate ready for the designer to truly create something special. I have seen many rustic pieces or even farm house furniture, but if you don’t need to by only these looks from barn wood furniture. I have see many designers that exclusively make contemporary reclaimed furniture.
reclaimed wood mirror
Reclaimed Wood Furniture For Sale
At this point, I’m sure you want to know where to buy reclaimed wood furniture or reclaimed wood flooring. There are many retailers out there that will offer a selection of reclaimed wood furniture. The following are cities with at least one retail source for reclaimed wood furniture: New York, Los Angeles ( LA ), Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, San Jose, Detroit, San Francisco, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Austin, Columbus, Fort Worth, Charlotte, Memphis, Boston, Baltimore, El Paso, Seattle, Denver, Nashville, Milwaukee, Washington DC, Las Vegas, Louisville, Portland, Oklahoma City, Tucson, Atlanta, Albuquerque, Kansas City, Fresno, Mesa, Sacramento, Long Beach, Omaha, Virginia Beach, Miami, Cleveland, Oakland, Raleigh, Colorado Springs, Tulsa, Minneapolis, Arlington, Honolulu, Wichita, St. Louis, New Orleans, Tampa, Santa Ana, Anaheim, Cincinnati, Bakersfield, Aurora, Toledo, Pittsburgh, Riverside, Lexington, Stockton, Corpus Christii, Anchorage, Saint Paul, Newark, Plano, Buffalo, Henderson, Fort Wayne, Greensboro, Lincoln, Glendale, Chandler, St. Petersburg, Jersey City, Scottsdale, Orlando, Madison, Norfolk, Birmingham, Boston, Winston-Salem, Durham. Laredo. Lubbock, Baton Rouge, Chula Vista, Reno, Irvine, Rochester, Akron, Boise, Irving, Spokane, Amsterdam, London, Berlin, Madrid, Rome, Paris, Bucharest, Hamburg, Budapest, Warsaw, Vienna, Barcelona, Milan, Munich, Lyon, Prague, Brussels, Sydney, Melbourne, Mumbai, Delhi, Cape Town, Tokyo, Mexico City and Bueno Aires. Along with all these cities, you can always find whatever type of solid wood furniture your heart may desire on line. Reclaimed furniture on line will give you by far the biggest selection,
International Reclaimed Wood Furniture Warning
You may have notices several international cities in the list above. This whole article has been based on the US or North American Market. Do to the unavailability of old grown wood, all nations have been getting into reclaiming wood. This is a good thing because it will take some pressure of depleting natural resources such as hardwoods in tropical rain forests. I guess it’s human nature, or maybe the ugly side of capitalism but reclaiming wood can be abused. When buying reclaimed wood furniture it’s good to know the whole story, as in where the product came from and how it was obtained. There have been situations where opportunistic businesses will go to developing countries and take advantage of the value of old hardwoods. Essentially they will offer a family a seemingly large sum of money to tear down their home. In reality, these families are getting pennies for what the home that has been in their family for generations. It can be like coercion. I have seen grad havalies of India and haciendas of Mexico be pillaged for the doors window and siding, when they were did not need to come down. Of course it just takes a few bad apples to ruin it for everyone. Of course there are many wood reclaimers that are very responsible and operate in a sustainable way. Typically if you ask about the product, the businesses who give you all the information and are knowledgeable about the products they are selling can generally be trusted. The businesses that avoid the questions or simply don’t know where their products are from are the ones to be weary of. Reclaimed wood doors, reclaimed wood windows and other pieces of old homes are gorgeous, but be sure to do your homework to promote a sustainable reclaimed wood industry. Also, reclaimed wood furniture doesn’t necessarily have to come from homes or even buildings. I have seen some unbelievable solid wood furniture made from reclaimed teak. Teak is a very slow growing wood, so finding vintage old growth teak wood is quite a find. This wood of course is very present in old Asian homes and buildings. The problem of taking down homes for teak wood in India, Thailand, Laos, Burma and Malaysia is present. There are now government sanctioned teak farms to reduce cutting down the few remaining old growth trees and also to reduce knocking down historical buildings. The best source for reclaimed teaks is actually boats. Boats no matter how good the wood only last for so long. There are many old boats in junk piles that are now being salvaged for their amazing teak wood. Reclaimed teak wood furniture made from boats can be a statement piece for any space.
There are also great alternatives to old growth wood found in reclaimed wood furniture. I have already mentioned the government sanctioned teak farms, but there is also Mango wood. The mango tree obviously produces a delicious fruit, but it only produces fruit for a portion of it’s life. Mango farmers are forced to cut down the tree and replant to produce fruit again. This type of tree is relatively fast growing and is considered a hardwood. The trees cut down are then used for the wood which makes beautiful furniture. Mango wood furniture is rapidly growing in popularity for it’s beauty and sustainability.
Recycled Wood Furniture
Just a quick note on what recycled wood furniture is. It can actually be several things. One being what we’ve been talking about here, salvaged wood furniture. It can also mean something completely different. Sometimes recycled wood is actually the by product of some other manufacturing process. Left over scraps and sawdust can actually be recycled to make boards and forms to create furniture.
Reclaimed Wood Table
Reclaimed Wood Furniture Summary
As you can see, reclaimed wood has quite a story behind it. There are many reasons why it’s cherished and why it is popular and will continue to grow in popularity. If done responsibly reclaimed wood furniture will be an industry for generations to come.
