Reclaimed Wood Flooring Advantages and Disadvantages

Easy to clean, good looking and hard wearing, wood is one of the dominant flooring materials of our age. Exotic woods, often from tropical zones, is in particular demand for its long-lasting beauty. However, use of tropical hardwoods has become a controversial issue because the forests that they come from are such a vital part of the earth’s ecosystem. If you are concerned about using up our natural resources when opting for those handsome hardwoods, using reclaimed wood flooring can allow you all the beauty with non of the guilt.

If you are a conscientious consumer you already know about using wood that comes from a sustainable source. Sustainable means that the wood comes from a supplier who adheres to a comprehensive replanting program. Look at www.ficus.org for information about certified suppliers who sell wood from sustainable sources.

But if you want to be really green you can track down reclaimed wood flooring.

What is reclaimed wood? Essentially it is wood that comes from a pre-existing structure and is being given new life. It was logged a long time ago, sometimes 100 years or more, and has been salvaged from dismantled warehouses, old public buildings, lumber mills, wooden bridges, and even old barns.

Reclaimed wood is graded according to its condition and is priced accordingly. You might think "used wood" would be inferior in quality to something freshly logged, but in truth reclaimed wood is often of a quality that is difficult to match by new wood (from less mature new-growth trees). Another of the pros is that you can feel good about using a product that is environmentally friendly.

What about the cons? Is there a down side to using reclaimed wood?

You might have to look a little longer and do a little more work, but as the quality is unusually high it would be worth your efforts. Generally speaking the second-hand wood might be more expensive because the timber must be reworked and prepared. Also, reclaimed wood may require repair work such as removing nails, sanding, planing and revarnishing but your finished product will be a thing of beauty.

 

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