Using Reclaimed Timber in Home Renovations and Construction

Reclaimed timber can be the most beautiful wood to work with, giving off a look of other-worldly beauty. Logs that have been submerged under waters, frigidly cold and ice-covered for more than half of each year, for up to 150 years and longer can be purchased now. This reclaimed timber offers other-worldly beautiful designs and a mirror-like shine, and can be quite expensive. Pitfalls involved in using reclaimed timber include costly mistakes and having problems matching wood designs.

Buying timber for a larger project, like a deck with a large, wooden floor, it is rather easy to have the wood cut and prepared for you at your local timber supply store, like The Home Depot. Specifications can be met that the designs will match when the boards, planks or beams are installed, so that a fluid design in the wood's natural lines can be obtained. With reclaimed timber, this can be a problem, as most of the wood comes from different areas, at different times.

Another type of reclaimed timber, the greener choice for the rougher trim and frame work, as well as for floor boards and quarter round, is for wood that has been reclaimed from homes, farms and other buildings before being demolished. The better wood to be reclaimed is wood that was used indoors, as it was not subjected to the elements over it's lifespan as part of someone else's life.

This type of reclaimed timber is rather inexpensive, but can be a bit on the soft side at times, and even brittle, so care must be taken when cutting and installing it. Otherwise, the structural integrity of reclaimed timber from previous construction is fine, as long as it is not being used as a load-bearing beam. If it is used for a load-bearing beam, make sure that the wood is certified for such use before buying it.

There are not that many pratfalls associated with working with reclaimed timber in home renovations or constructions, as long as it is properly inspected first. Other than inspection seals, look for pressure marks and any other signs of visual damage before purchasing it. Due to it's lower price, most stores have a final sale disclaimer for reclaimed timber. If you are not using the wood with the bark attached for outdoors uses and designs, and other rustic-designed portions of the home, have the wood suppliers cut the bark off, and square-off the timber.

However, when using more expensive reclaimed timber in your home renovations or construction, any mistakes made when cutting or installing the wood could be very expensive. As you would need to order more of the beautiful wood, and pay shipping and handling of heavy, and heavily-taxed, natural resources, as well as any tariffs. Most of the pratfalls of working with reclaimed timber have to do with the cost and the need to get things right the first time.