Wood is a natural product and it should not be overused to avoid danger to the environment. Therefore, it is best to reuse the old wooden products for fresh purposes. Many old wooden items are recycled to form new useful products. However, when the used wooden boards are recycled to construct the new items of same category, this process is termed as reclaiming. The reclaimed timber provides the same effects as the fresh wood when used for making the floors of new buildings. There are many benefits of using these wooden slabs of old floors, which encourages the homeowners to choose this option.
Prominent Reasons of Using Reclaimed Timber in Home Flooring
- Prevents Destruction of Trees – Many large trees are regularly cut off to supply wood for constructions and many other important industries. These rapid destructions of trees are leading to the elimination of greenery from the earth, which can be stopped only by saving the trees. Therefore, the use of reclaimed timber is the best option for saving the environment of our planet. As the trees absorb carbon dioxide and give out oxygen, the air becomes fresher and healthier. So, the carbon footprint is also decreased by the use of this recycled wood.
- Stops Air Pollution – If the used wooden boards of old floors are thrown away for decomposition, it produces large amounts of harmful gases and various microorganisms after getting rot. These gases, fungi and bacteria pollute the surrounding environment and cause diseases for the human beings inhaling that air. So, the reclaiming of the wood prevents this harmful effect of wood decomposition. Some modern builders use vinyl and other cheaper synthetic products for flooring, which may cause air pollution as well. So, the reclaimed timber is the best option to prevent the use of such materials in building construction.
- Has A Vintage Appearance – The wooden planks taken out from the ancient demolished buildings have a sophisticated look. It is seen that the reclaimed timber is much wider than the modern wood blocks. Moreover, this old timber is found to have glamorous color and texture that makes the new floors look classy. The flooring made of reclaimed lumber imparts a warm and rustic appearance to any ordinary home. The cheerful charm of vintage wood is incomparable to the new timber or any other flooring material.
- Has Better Durability – The old timber is much stronger than the woods derived from the new trees. In ancient days, only the fully developed trees were cut down for getting the timber, which had reached the maximum level of growth. Hence, the reclaimed timber has better longevity than the new wooden planks. Thus, the floors made of this recycled wood are more stable and surer to last for many years, like those ancient buildings from where these timbers are obtained.
- Easy Installation of Wider Blocks – It is generally seen that the reclaimed lumber planks are much wider than the new wood pieces. Actually, earlier woods were derived from much older trees with thicker trunks, which could yield much wide boards. But now the new woods are obtained from younger trees that are yet to be developed and thus, provide narrower planks. The flooring becomes much easier with the use of wider vintage wood blocks, as fewer planks are needed here.
The builders and house owners can obtain the reclaimed timber from many sources; namely the old farmhouses and barns, closed out factories and warehouses, discarded ships, as well as the ancient buildings that are demolished due to inevitable reasons. The sellers clean and dry these reclaimed lumber boards before putting them up for sale. The flooring made of these vintage wooden planks often remind of the glorious past of those timber boards.
