A GUIDE TO RECLAIMED AND RECYCLED WOOD FLOORING

What is reclaimed wood?

Reclaimed wood, also known as upcycled, recycled, re-worked or antique (in some cases) continues to grow in popularity for many reasons.

For sustainability reasons, reclaiming old material and turning it into something truly beautiful such as recycled flooring carries a unique legacy. Part of Woodworks and Ted Todd’s core values include bringing back to life to this wonderful, unique material.

In this guide, we will discuss reclaimed and recycled flooring, its history, materials, crafting process, and its many sustainable benefits.

WHAT IS RECLAIMED AND RECYCLED WOOD FLOORING?

Recycled and reclaimed wood flooring is created from wood that has been rescued from retrieved from its original application and repurposed as flooring. It is extremely characterful since it openly exhibits the marks it has accumulated over its lifespan.

We have spearheaded the quest for character-filled old wood and are now market leaders in this specialist industry. Whether it is reclaiming large beams from 17th century barns, historical monuments, colonial homes or simply reclaimed old oak vodka barrels we are always on the lookout to rescue these enigmatic materials for re-purposing and upcycling into magnificent reclaimed real wood flooring.

HOW IS RECLAIMED WOOD FLOOR MADE?

Unlike new wood floors, reclaimed wood has already seen many chapters in its lifecycle. Having already survived through decades or even centuries growing in the wild, the wood has also matured within the projects it has graced too.

This makes reclaimed wood flooring even more sustainable, as no extra trees need to be felled to create a beautiful old wood floor with style and purpose.

Step 1

After saving the wood from the demolition site we set about transforming the old wood planks into exceptional reclaimed flooring, by hand, in our English workshops.

Step 2

Here it undergoes a plethora of delicate restorative and innovative techniques which breathes new life into the wood, making it ready yet more decades of experience in the heart of your project.

Step 3

Throughout every stage, the recycled wood is retaining carbon, keeping the potentially harmful gas locked out of the atmosphere, which is exceptionally good news for our planet.

 

FACTS AND BENEFITS OF RECLAIMED SUSTAINABILITY

  • Reclaimed floors can last for hundreds of years, and some of our antique floor’s date back centuries.
  • Using reclaimed woods massively reduces the number of trees that need to be harvested to make new wood flooring. One tree provides enough oxygen for 4 people per day, so keeping as many rooted as possible is key to a healthy society.
  • In most cases, reclaimed wood is stronger and more durable than new wood, being up to 40 points harder on the Janka hardness scale. This makes it one of the most hard-wearing flooring materials available.
  • Woodworks’ reclaimed flooring is 100% natural, meaning no plastic or non-recyclable materials are used in the creation process.
  • The typical lifecycle of a reclaimed floor is: demolition, reclamation, restoration, innovation, repurposing and installation.

END OF LIFE

Reclaimed wood flooring can be used time and time again, continuing the circular economy of the material and breathing new life into the storied history behind the scenes.

We always look to repurpose our old wood and have 1000’s of tonnes of reclaimed material in our stockholding as avoiding landfill at all costs is deeply important to Woodworks and Ted Todd.

However, there may come a time where you can no longer use your reclaimed wood flooring successfully, bringing the timber to the end of its lifecycle. At this point though, the wood can all be recycled, so you are still able to avoid damaging the Earth, even in these extreme cases.

Reclaiming, recycling and repurposing old wood is vitally important in creating a healthier, more environmentally friendly planet.

By using the reclaimed and recycled wood, we are able to reduce future deforestation, trap more carbon in our projects and increase the lifecycle of one of the most durable building materials available to 100 years or even more.

You can learn more about our reclaimed sustainability here, and to find the perfect green flooring for your next project, view our Woodworks reclaimed flooring online.

To learn more about our wood flooring, visit our advice centre here.

A SELECTION OF OUR RECLAIMED FLOORS AND CLADDING

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