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 carries a unique legacy. Part of Woodworks and Ted Todd’s core values include bringing back to life to this wonderful, unique material.
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.
What goes into a reclaimed wood floor?
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.
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.
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.
Throughout every stage, the wood is retaining carbon, keeping the potentially harmful gas locked out of the atmosphere, which is exceptionally good news for our planet.
The 100-year floor
Wood floors are unique in their longevity.
Reclaimed wood has an entirely circular economy, being recycled between key stages of its lifecycle and all of our real wood flooring is designed to last generations whilst aging gracefully within your project.
These are not single-use options (none of our floors and cladding are) and are fully restorable whenever they require, with no built-it obsolescence. No other flooring material can be re-worked or re-finished in this way, which is why we particularly love working with old wood.
These factors mean that your floor, be it reclaimed now or reclaimed in the future, can be used for 100 years or more, meaning less manufacturing, less wastage and an overall happier, healthier planet.
Plus, if you can use you your floor for a century (or longer!), think of all the time the next generation of trees has to grow and mature, locking in CO2 all the while.
Facts about reclaimed sustainability
- Reclaimed floors can last for hundreds of years, and some of our antique floors 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.
Summary
Reclaiming, recycling and repurposing old wood is vitally important in creating a healthier, more environmentally friendly planet.
By using the reclaimed 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.