5 inch reclaimed mixed oak flooring

Not everything or everybody gets a second chance but there are old buildings that are being re-purposed to grace the floors in peoples homes as a new product. It isn't only flooring but also cabinets, paneling and siding. We hope you will take a few moments to view this short slide show about part of the process of turning old barn lumber into a handsome flooring product.

Other parts of old buildings such as floor joists, framing, paneling, support timbers, etc., are now finding new uses and new homes, developing a much smaller carbon footprint as a part of the process.

For more information about how you can get this product, please click on the "Call Me" link on this page.

Sometimes "the best" is reclaimed flooring

As people have become more aware of environmental concerns such as deforestation, the practice of reclaiming wood has become more popular. Reclaiming hardwood flooring materials has many advantages such as : reusing old growth woods that are valuable and rare, reducing deforestation, reduce harm to environments from logging, reducing solid waste and offering economical alternatives to new wood materials. Perhaps the best reason to reuse wood is that it just doesn't make sense to throw away beautiful wood material that took so long to grow. Recycling wood just makes sense and people love it's appearance.

If you are looking into buying wood flooring, you probably have come across the term "reclaimed wood" and may be wondering what exactly does this mean? This simply means that the wood material has been used previously and was discarded or not needed anymore. These older woods many times can be reused by milling, refinishing or sanding.

Lumber dealers are constantly on the hunt for new sources and seek not only old barns but also areas across the globe, and even the bottom of lakes and rivers. Many of these dealers today are concentrated in the Eastern part of the US where wood was used in earlier days.Barn siding has long been used in upscale buildings, often pulled out and nailed up without much difficulty, but larger scale "harvesting" means the barn, factory, or silo must be disassembled with the collapse of the building always possible. The problems aren't over when the wood has been removed from its original location. Back at the sawmill, each piece must be gone over by hand to check for and remove any old metal nails, screws or bolts, which would destroy the saw if left in. Then, these holes must be filled.

Additionally painted wood, as in barns, must be taken off, and any damage from mold or insect must be repaired. Brand new, newly cut wood doesn't need these efforts. Very old beams can show the marks of the original adze that shaped them, which makes such beams highly coveted. The saws used to cut the wood are very thin in order to preserve more of the wood and to create less sawdust. The flooring finishes can range from mirror-smooth to very rough, with old saw marks and rust stains. The wood can also be used for any home application: cabinets, stairs, moldings and walls. This old wood has an enormous range of colors, unlike anything else on the market.

Using reclaimed wood for flooring is the perfect "green" use. It has no impact on existing forests. There isn't any other product of this age that has so many beautiful uses in homes. A bonus is the pride that most homeowners feel in the recycling of a useful product, and most importantly, in the notion of having part of the country's history close at hand. Also, they know this product has proved its durability before, and will certainly serve them.

Reclaimed wood flooring is currently used in only 1 to 3% of construction in the US. This is chiefly because of its higher cost due to how hard it is to prepare, and how relatively rare it is. It is a model of recycling. It doesn't go into a landfill, and carries its own history into the future! Read more at http://crownwoodconservatories.com/.  reclaimed hardwood flooring Article Sources: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ben_Pate  http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Phelan

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I. D. Wood - Just for the fun of it!

It is seldom that that we, in the hardwood lumber business get something that is both fun and useful on a daily basis but here is some thing to consider if you have an I Phone or I Touch.  I know that if I had one I'd definitely spend the $2.99 to have all of this information and visual references at my fingertips.

I.D. Wood is your Pocket Guide to Woods from around the world with full screen samples and detailed information for over 50 different woods. 

The standalone application will work with or without an Internet connection so that the samples and information are always at your fingertips. From the basic to the exotic, I.D. Wood turns your mobile device into a virtual guidebook for seasoned woodworkers, cabinet makers, designers, artists, architects, collectors, antique dealers, hobbyists, gunsmiths, musicians, homeowners, boat builders, carpenters and others.

I.D. Wood , a product of Double Dog Studios includes over 50 High Quality Full-Screen Wood Samples (raw cut and non-finished). If you have more interest in this product, contact the producer by clicking on the I.D.Wood link.

Note of disclosure: I have no connection with this company, assume no responsibility for its product functionality nor receive any commission for plugging their product.  Though it may be a good idea!

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Double Helix Tracking Technologies Uses DNA to Track Timber, Fight ...

Double Helix Tracking Technologies Uses DNA to Track Timber, Fight ...: "By some estimates, up to 30 percent of the hardwood lumber and plywood traded globally could be of suspicious origin. Third-party certification (from the Forest Stewardship Council ,e.g.) and legality verification programs are in place, ..."

Is the lumber market turning up?

Yesterday during an episode of "Power Lunch" on MSNBC it was noted that the 5 year decline in lumber futures had reached what was determined to be the "bottom" and was going back up slightly. You have to realize that these characterizations are a matter of perspective based on where you are in time but still, it could represent the beginning of a change for structural lumber. It should also be noted that of the 5 panelists there, two had never even looked at lumber futures and seemed to think they were being pranked just talking about it.

See this story: http://www.internationalforestindustries.com/2009/11/19/updated-softwood-lumber-market-outlook-for-the-us/

It should be noted that housing starts declined about 10% for the month of October but there may be good reason to believe that everyone was waiting on Congress to see if they were going to extend the benefits on tax credits for housing.

What are your impressions?