Reclaimed wood is very popular in the building industry, whether its with home remodeling, furniture, or the deconstruction of an old building. The biggest step in obtaining reclaimed lumber is deconstructing old buildings that were once factories, and barns. These buildings are all around us but often we don’t look at them as the source of reclaimed wood. In attempting to hold on to the past of reclaimed wood, let’s talk about a few places across the United States that are ideal locations for sourcing reclaimed wood.
The Past of Reclaimed Wood
Brooklyn, New York – Tri-Lox
The utilization of wood from the craftsmen of Tri-Lox has been finding their way to hang out spots, homes, and commercial buildings throughout New York City. The Co-Founder and management partner of Tri –Lox stated, “We turn old factory beams into the floors of a new storefront, or maybe a water tower into the feature wall of a restaurant.” Their goal in this is taking something old and creating something new while showing the history behind it. The fact that Tri-Lox salvages water towers, make them unique in a sense. Over 10,000 buildings contain towers for water delivery in Tri-Lox. Once these water towers reach 30-50 years of age, they are salvaged, and you can guarantee than Tri-Lox is there.
Hoosier Reclaimed Timber – Bloomington, Indiana
Adam Dick, the owner of Hoosier Reclaimed Timber says they get most of their wood from old barns in the Midwest. Most of them were built between 1850 and 1900. They often receive the call to come to pull the wood because the insurance or city deems a barn unsafe. A lot of times while these barns are being deconstructed, the owners will become emotional. The great thing about reclaimed wood is that it is old wood given a new life. A tear down in Indiana can cost $3,000 – $5,000 and last a few weeks. Most of the species they see are oak, beech, and walnut. Once Adam and his team take down the barn, they use the materials they sourced to create flooring, ceilings, walls, staircases, and more.
Southern Pine Co. – Savannah, Georgia
The city of Savannah is very full of history, including a lot of reclaimed wood dating back to the 18th century. In addition to salvaging reclaimed wood, they also salvage Savannah’s gray brick that was made by slaves in the 1800s. Reclaimed wood is very easy to find in this town, due to the history that lies there. Just about anything found in Savannah could be a piece of history from the Native Americans from 11,000 years ago on the Savannah River, or from back in the early 1800s.
Reclaimed wood is so rich in history no matter where you source it from. That is what makes reclaimed wood so popular; the idea of bringing history into your project. Giving a past a future and an opportunity to relive in the present. Reclaimed wood can date back hundreds of years and will always be rich in vibrant beauty and rustic aesthetics. Interested in using reclaimed wood on your next project? Give us a call!
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