RECLAIMED
WOOD:WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
With the trend for an authentic look becoming increasingly popular, the demand for reclaimed wood flooring is on the rise. Here, Tony Morgan, of moisture meter specialist
Wagner Meters, outlines the main points you need to know about working with reclaimed wood.
Reclaimed. Repurposed. Recycled. No matter what you call old wood, it’s in high- demand these days for many reasons.
Weathered wood is economical, sustainable, and a distinctive alternative to fresh-sawn timber grown on farms.
Salvaged wood is often of a higher strength, durability and quality than today’s wood. Experts claim that the lack of air pollution before the 20th century enabled trees to grow stronger.
Reclaimed wood is steeped in character that cannot be mimicked and working with it even helps the environment. You can salvage naturally-aged wood that would otherwise be discarded and hauled to a landfill, therefore building a greener tomorrow. In addition, using reclaimed wood saves today’s trees from being cut for new use.
As beautiful and distinctive as reclaimed wood is, however, there are a number of concerns and potential problems flooring contractors must be aware of when working with it.
Those problems and concerns can include the simplest things, such as finding the specific type of wood they want or crafting a rough board into a beautiful finish.
SOURCING THE
RIGHT WOOD A contractor may also find it hard to find the right kind of wood they need or want.
38 | NATURAL MATERIALS Or, if they find it, it may not be enough.
There are also the issues of sizing and shape. Wood shrinks over time, but not consistently, so the boards can be warped. Of course, sawing can correct this, but that removes the patina and naturally-distressed character.
Some reclaimed wood is becoming difficult to source since it has become so popular. With such high demand, some sellers falsely present newer wood as reclaimed.
It’s also common, though not always done intentionally, for a seller to misidentify a species. That’s because it’s sometimes difficult to tell the difference in older wood unless it’s cut and examined. When that happens, the wood may not be as desirable.
TOXINS It often happens that suppliers of reclaimed wood cannot verify what it might have been treated with during its lifetime. Off-gassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is always possible if the wood was once exposed to lead paint or various stains and treatments. This can be a major concern if the wood is used for an interior application.
When ripping up old tiles to renovate a building and reveal the original flooring, be wary of lead and asbestos that may be in the floor. You can be exposed to lead through inhalation of lead- containing dust and fumes.
www.tomorrowscontractfloors.com
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