the story of reclaimed wood

Reclaimed Wood or Lumber has a past and has been used for buildings and structures from the 18th to the early 20th century – when wood was in abundance. As the industrial revolution took hold sawmills were often the core of many towns, providing employment and a plentiful supply of wood.

In recent years we’ve come to learn to protect our world and there is less wood available for construction, so we’ve looked to the ecological equivalent to newly harvested wood – reclaimed wood. The wood is recycled and reused to meet today’s ever-growing need for sustainable and eco-friendly homes and businesses.

Which woods are reclaimed? 

Any species of wood can be reclaimed, but some of the most common are Douglas fir, Pine and Oak.

A rare reclaimed wood species is longleaf (heart) pine, which can take up to 500 years to mature, as opposed to the more common yellow pine which only takes 50 years. In the past longleaf pine produced enormous trees, meaning long and sturdy planks, which were the mainstay of the wood industry hundreds of years ago.

Turning old planks of barn wood into reclaimed wood flooring and paneling is a delicate and intensive process. Wood used for old barns over 100 years ago provide lumber in dimensions that are hard to come by today. Acquiring old growth Douglas fir at 6” by 12” dimensions are almost impossible to come by today. Loggers at the time these barns were constructed had the ability and freedom to choose the cream of the crop for timber, often choosing large old growth trees to harvest, which is oftentimes illegal nowadays to help preserve these heritage forests.

Why use reclaimed wood?

Antique wood is unrivaled in terms of its beauty and coloration due to the natural aging process. As the wood dries and ages, the oxidation occurring on the surface creates the patina, which is very difficult to recreate in new lumber. Reclaimed and antique wood is growing in popularity and helping to preserve tidbits of our history that can continue to be admired and enjoyed well into the future.

Besides the beautifully rustic character reclaimed wood lends to any building, modern or traditional, commercial or private, its ecological benefit is clear. The environmental impact of mass forestation throughout the world has heightened our awareness of how using reclaimed wood can help protect our future.

Coupled with this social responsibility is the desire for the authenticity of reclaimed wood that tells a story and has a history. Your kitchen floor could have once been the walls of a French railway station or your office wall cladding the beams from a barn or warehouse.

Every reclaimed wooden furniture in your house can make a statement; as well as demonstrating immaculate taste and a love for the character and finish of reclaimed wood, it shows your commitment to environmental matters.

Old French Station

Trendworld Furniture

Seattle – Bedroom set

Sustainability Of Wood

All wood is considered to be sustainable as wood can be regrown and replaced. But some woods are more sustainable than other woods. For example, pine, which is a softwood is considered to be a very sustainable wood when it is cut down to be used as it grows faster than many other hardwoods.

Newyork Dining set used Reclaimed Pine (Trendworld)

Recycled (Sustainable) Pinewood

At Trendworld Furniture, we produce recycled (sustainable) pinewood. This wood is collected from a variety of sources and then clean and prepared so that it is ready to be manufactured into furniture pieces. The wood can be combined with metal or other material or also be a solid wood piece.

Here are some of the major furniture pieces that can be made out of recycled pinewood furniture.

  • Coffee and Side Tables – One of the major ways recycled pine is used for a variety of shapes and sizes of coffee and side tables.
  • Dressers and Cabinets – Many dressers and cabinets are made out of recycled wood furniture. For some of these, the drawer fronts can even have a pattern on them which is also made out of the recycled pinewood.
  • Sideboards and side tables – The recycled pine can be used for sideboards and side tables.
  • Bedroom sets – The recycled pine can also be used for bedroom sets.
  • Dining Tables and other sets – The recycled pine can be used for dining tables and other dining room furniture.

Trendworld Furniture

Toronto – Sideboard with winerack

You can choose the recycled pine as it is a wonderful way to not only get a great look for your furniture pieces but to also choose a material that is sustainable in every way.

Recycled and sustainable furniture is a great way to tell the world that you care about the environment. That you are choosing to have a product in your collection that is not only beautiful, but you are also willing to use wood that would have otherwise been discarded and not used.