Reclaimed wood tables are becoming more popular as the reuse/recycle trend spills over into the furniture industry. You’ll see reclaimed or salvaged wood furniture promoted in stores and DIY projects, such as building bed frames out of old wood pallets, all over the internet.
Here at Rustic + Modern, we offer reclaimed wood as an option when you’re ordering a customized table. But how, exactly, do we define reclaimed wood and does it work as well as other woods for making tables? Keep reading for answers.
What Is Reclaimed Wood?
Simply put, the term “reclaimed wood” refers to wood that was used for one purpose and is now used for something else. Reclaimed wood can come from a variety of sources, including everything from railway ties to wine barrels.
Here at Rustic + Modern, we typically use 100+ year old long leaf pine that we source from many deconstructed homes, barns and buildings in north central Texas. Other reclaimed wood options are also available upon request.
Is Reclaimed Wood Safe?
It depends. Using reclaimed wood from old pallets, railway ties, or buildings with an unknown history can result in wood that contains things you don’t want in your home. If you search for information about reclaimed wood, you’ll find warnings about insect infestations, unknown chemical wood treatments, and other potential dangers.
For a table made from reclaimed wood to be safe, the people working with the wood need to know its history and how to treat it. We’re familiar with where our wood comes from and are careful to offer reclaimed wood furniture that’s just as safe as the tables made from new woods.
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Are These Woods Environmentally Friendly?
Recycling is good for the environment. By using reclaimed wood, we can give new life to old woods and cut back on the demand for new trees being harvested. Reclaiming wood is much better than putting it in a landfill or simply burning it.
It’s rare that reclaiming wood has a negative impact on the environment. The only time reclaimed wood isn’t environmentally friendly is when the reclamation process eats up large amounts of fossil fuels. That can happen when reclaiming expensive, exotic woods and then shipping them thousands of miles before they’re processed. Our reclaimed wood is harvested locally, however, and it does qualify as environmentally friendly.
Is The Quality Good?
The quality of reclaimed wood varies. Some mass-market dealers will sell “reclaimed” wood furniture that is poor quality or isn’t really reclaimed at all. But if you’re buying from a reliable source, reclaimed wood can be even stronger than virgin wood. This is because the older woods often came from old-growth trees.
Most of our reclaimed wood is 100+ year old long leaf pine. This wood is vastly different than the pine you will find at your local home improvement store. Some also call it “Heartpine” because of its large heart center with minimal surrounding sapwood. This heart section is very dense and is unrivaled in beauty, strength, and durability.
We can use reclaimed woods in a variety of tables, so check out our different styles to see what’s available. For more information or to request a quote, call (469) 347-2484 or send us a message.
