The Environmental Impact of Reclaimed Wood in the Furniture Industry
Reclaimed wood is gaining popularity as today’s go-to furniture material, and with good reason. If you’re someone who likes the pieces in your home to have a history and be good for the planet, then keep reading.
So what is reclaimed wood, exactly? And moreso, what role does it play on the environmental impact of the furniture industry? Let’s get into it.
What is Reclaimed Wood?
First things first, let’s define what reclaimed wood actually is.
In a nutshell, reclaimed wood is simply wood that has been taken and repurposed from somewhere else. You might find reclaimed wood from old structures, roofs, or even old furniture.
Typically, reclaimed wood often ends up in landfills. At Parkman Woodworks, we see this material as a challenging opportunity to breathe new life into the wood, and repurpose it as a one-of-a-kind piece of furniture.
The gaining popularity behind reclaimed wood isn’t just about reducing waste, limiting deforestation, or working to lessen emissions. Reclaimed wood also provides a stronger durability than virgin wood. This is due to the age of the lumber. Older wood has already shrunk many times, leaving it to be a stronger, more weather resistant piece than its freshly cut counterparts.
The strength of the wood isn’t the only benefit of its age. There is also the promise of history. Reclaimed wood extends distinct characteristics that in turn, transform into one-of-a-kind pieces that belong only to you and your home.
Understanding Reclaimed Wood Projects
There are a number of ways that reclaimed wood can be derived, all of which reduce the production of new lumber.
A common area to find healthy, reclaimed wood are construction sites, where leftover materials would otherwise be taken to landfills. Other sources include fresh rivers, orchards, or even straight from the forest where trees have naturally fallen.
Whether using a tree that’s fallen or a roof that’s falling apart, using pre-existing materials helps preserve our forests, limit our carbon footprint, and gives us something beautiful in return.
Since reclaimed wood is friendlier to the Earth and is not, of course, new, you might be wondering if it’s more cost effective. Here’s the thing, reclaimed wood goes through an intensive process to treat and prepare the material for furniture. As a result, something to keep in mind if looking to purchase reclaimed wood or furniture derived from reclaimed wood, is that you can expect a higher price tag than regular or virgin wood.
