Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

If you like the idea of green building and prefer flooring with a bit of character to brand-spanking-new boards, then hardwoods sawn from reclaimed barns and other dilapidated structures may be a perfect fit.

Not only does using reclaimed wood mean no trees are cut down for your sake (these trees were cut a hundred and more years ago), but it also means you get high quality wood from old-growth trees, instead of wood from a tree farm.

That said, expect reclaimed or “antique” flooring to have signs of its previous life: worm holes, nail holes, knots, and weathered cracks. So, this might not be the choice for you if you want a flawless floor. Keep in mind, however, that these older woods have a rich patina that can only come from time. They’re full of warmth and character. Just look at the rustic pumpkin pine shown here. It’s just one of the types of reclaimed woods you can find.

Picture from Wide Plank Flooring, a company that specializes in reclaimed woods.