deep dive

Why Does Reclaimed Wood Cost More?

Reclaimed wood seems like an obvious choice in your quest to be eco-friendly and to reuse and reduce waste, but when you check the price you may be in for a surprise.  Unlike thrift store clothing, previously used wood is often more expensive than new.  Buying reclaimed wood is more like shopping vintage in that it holds its value or even appreciates in value. What is it about reclaimed wood that drives up the cost and what makes it better?

Four Advantages of Reclaimed Wood

1. Natural Character
2. More Stable
3. Stronger
4. More Rot Resistant

Where does “reclaimed wood” come from?  Often it is salvaged from old structures such as houses, barns, warehouses, factories, and railways that are being torn down or renovated.  Flooring, decks, and wall panels can all be successfully removed and resold as reclaimed. We get most of our reclaimed wood from Tucson and only bring in reclaimed redwood from California.  The most common reclaimed wood is Douglas fir, redwood, and oak, but any type of wood can be repurposed. 

Older wood has several advantages. Long ago trees grew slowly due to competition from other trees surrounding them. The slower a tree grows the more growth rings it has, which is what gives old wood all its superior qualities. The more growth rings the denser the wood. Denser wood is heavier and more resistant to rot.  This wood is also less likely to expand when it is wet and contract when it is dry so there is less movement.

Today most new wood is grown on tree farms. Pine is grown in open areas to promote fast growth, they can be harvested in just 10-20 years.  This is why when you go to a regular lumber yard you have a hard time finding straight pieces of new wood and generally have to look through the whole pile. Old-growth wood was able to grow slowly for 200-300 years – this time makes for strong, dense, and warp-resistant wood.

The older wood with tighter growth rings creates unusual grain patterns that are beautiful and sought after. This old-growth wood with its superior aesthetic and stability is worth more than new wood.  Using salvaged wood can give your project individuality and beauty not found in new wood.

Another advantage of reclaimed wood is its sustainability benefits. Building with reclaimed wood keeps this valuable resource out of landfill and helps to reduce deforestation. Using salvaged wood can also help to earn LEED points from the US Green Building Council. 

Here at Originate we often have Douglas fir, oak (white, red, and ebony), maple, redwood, and Mesquite in our reclaimed wood.