About Reclaimed Wood

About Reclaimed Wood

photo courtesy of Katie Bofshever

What is reclaimed wood?

Reclaimed wood, or repurposed wood, is any wood that is recycled from one use, like an apartment building, and turned into something different, like a dining table.

Where does reclaimed wood come from?

Reclaimed wood comes from everywhere!  Old barns, pallets, apartment buildings, dunnage, railroad ties; any and all of the above.  At Croft House we’re currently getting our material from barns in Wisconsin and Ohio, an apartment building in Gramercy Park, New York, and various local architectures here in Los Angeles.

How old is reclaimed wood?

It varies.  Since reclaimed wood is technically any wood that is reused, it can be relatively young.  Most the reclaimed wood Croft House uses is from Architecture erected prior to WWII, which means the age of the wood is estimated in the 100’s of years old.

Why use reclaimed wood?

Reclaimed wood can be useful for a number of reasons.  The wood that Croft House uses is all old growth wood, which is hard to access outside of reclaimed sources.  So in order to get beautiful old growth markings naturally, it has to be through reclaimed(or fallen) material.  Another great reason to use reclaimed wood is the sustainability of the material.  Instead of cutting down new trees, Croft House uses wood that was cut down hundreds of years ago.  This helps to keep our footprint very low, and preserve tens of thousands of board feet in lumber per year.

What is “Old Growth” wood?

Old growth wood is wood that contains certain markings that denote it is a specific number of years old.  Most new trees are grown sustainably and are chopped down at a younger age than was practiced in the past.  This causes the lumber to look different, and deprives it of some of the textures and characteristics that can only be found in older trees.   These older trees are protected, so one of the only ways to attain this look naturally is through reclaimed materials.

Why does reclaimed wood vary?

Reclaimed wood varies in both color and texture because each piece of wood has seen different elements than each of the others.  Some boards were sawn rougher, some were stained deeper, while others have bigger knots.  Each board has different defining characteristics, which makes every piece of furniture unique.

Can reclaimed wood look like new wood?

In short, yes.  Take any beam of reclaimed wood and you’re likely to find a chipped, painted, weather worn, rustic piece; if you were to split that board in half you’ll find something entirely different.  Beneath the rustic, what we call ,“skin” of the wood is essentially new wood. It’s never seen the elements or a paint brush.  The only distinguishing characteristics are the old growth markings, and possibly some of the deeper nail holes.  This material can be utilized to create sustainable pieces, without the rustic look!

Have more questions about Reclaimed Wood?  Feel free to ask!  Email us at info@crofthouse.com.