Using Reclaimed Wood in Home Construction

Frugal Yankees have been doing it for centuries-cannibalizing old buildings and incorporating the material into new ones. Wood from old barns has been used to build new barns; doors and windows have been taken out of demolished homes and recycled. Even once luxurious resort hotels in upstate New Hampshire and other New England states, long closed, have been torn down, the material finding its way into residential homes all over the Northeast.

What is different is that now architects and interior designers are purposely incorporating vintage building materials into their plans. Barn boards become wide plank flooring, intricately carved mantels add a focal point in the rooms of new homes, and architecturally interesting crown molding and windows are recycled into new construction.

The practice makes sense both aesthetically and environmentally. Traditional architectural details in mint condition reflect a workmanship unequalled in today's machine-tooled era, while every piece of fine hardwood salvaged from an old building means one less piece needs to be harvested from old-growth forests.

Contractors are finding that incorporating salvaged wood and other building materials into the homes they construct is actually a good business move; many environmentally conscious prospective homeowners who decide to build rather than buy a home look for help from professionals willing to consider working recycled materials into their plans.

With awareness about environmental concerns and possible solutions rising among the public, the use of building materials recycled from demolished structures will continue to be an accepted, and possibly preferred, practice for a long time into the future.