Great Ways to Use Reclaimed Wood in DIY Projects

Reclaimed Wood Makes for Great DIY Projects

Using reclaimed wood makes for great DIY projects and takes a good-looking project and lets your project have a unique designer look. Reclaimed wood gives your project a one-of-a-kind look while helping the environment with reusing wood. Reclaimed wood can be used in so many different ways in DIY projects, from framing to finish flooring.

Why Use Reclaimed Wood

Reclaimed wood is generally wood that has been salvaged and is ready to be reused. There is a difference between reclaimed wood and vintage wood. Vintage wood is from older structures and brings a higher price because it is many times from old-growth trees and has very unique features and grains compared to wood these days.

Wood salvaged from old structures may be the only way to find old-growth wood these days. Not only does old-growth wood have a unique look many times but it also generally stronger wood and more impervious to rot and infestation. Many of the homes built in early California were framed in redwood that is now well over a hundred years old and has no termites since the wood is first-growth and so strong

Where Is Reclaimed Wood Sourced?

Reclaimed wood comes from many sources. If you are thinking of old barns and older structures being torn down, this is what many people think of when thinking reclaimed wood. Wood sourced in this way is called post-consumer reclaimed wood. Reclaimed wood products range from beams and framing to beautiful plank flooring that has been rescued from a tear down project.

Is It Safe to Use Reclaimed Wood?

Buying reclaimed wood is generally very safe if you are buying form a reputable reclaimed wood company that focuses on quality, has good wood knowledge, great customer service, then your reclaimed wood should be a good investment. Reclaimed wood is unique in each piece, this can be seen as an issue in modern world where wood products are uniform. But reclaimed wood has character and that is one of its outstanding features. The wood’s character is its history and that is what gives reclaimed wood some of its unique patina and grain.

Is Reclaimed Wood Expensive?

Reclaimed wood cost depends on many factors, such as age, availability, sourcing, species of wood, amount needing to be purchased, and more. Prices to vary company to company and by region in the country. You will find that you generally spend more on reclaimed wood than a new wood product, but salvaging wood takes time and you are getting a unique product.

Why Is Reclaimed Wood Growing in Popularity?

Reclaimed wood has been around for decades, but there are many factors that are making reclaimed wood grow in popularity these days. The largest reason is the increased demand for using sustainable building materials and using unique building materials. Also, much of reclaimed wood is LEED complaint since solid wood inherently doesn’t emit VOCs.

The Art of Repurposing Wood

Using reclaimed wood is as much an art form as it is a building practice. Using reclaimed wood is also considered upcycling, taking a good material and reusing it for something than its original purpose and giving it new life. Using reclaimed wood in your DIY building project is a hybrid art project and building project since you are taking a unique product and using it probably not as it was originally intended. An example would be using old barn siding for a wall surface in your guest or office shed or using structural beams as tables, there are as many repurposing building ideas as you have imagination!

Great Project Ideas for Reclaimed Wood

Using your imagination, you can come up with so many ways to use reclaimed wood in building projects from small gifts to large scale building projects. We give you some ideas today to get your creative juices flowing and create and build some wonderfully unique projects that will enhance your home or backyard. Here is our list from small to large scale projects for your backyard to updating your home:

• Using reclaimed structural beams for outdoor tables
• Using reclaimed structural beams as part of a pergola
• Using reclaimed barn wood as fencing for your property
• Construct an arbor out of reclaimed wood
• Use reclaimed wood as an accent wall in your home, office shed or guest shed
• Build an entry gate for your home or garden from reclaimed wood
• Reclaimed wood makes for beautiful countertops when properly finished
• Reclaimed wood can make beautiful kitchen cabinets
• Use reclaimed wood to build a bar in your Man Cave and give it that old west look
• Use reclaimed structural beams as beams in your outdoor shed or when building an addition to your home
• Use reclaimed barn wood to make a sliding barn door in your outdoor shed or for your home
• You could make a beautiful headboard from reclaimed wood
• Create a reclaimed wood-framed mirror for your bathroom
• Create a beautiful bookshelf from reclaimed wood
• Reclaimed wood can be the focal point of a room as a mantel for your fireplace
• Reclaimed wood makes beautiful planter boxes

Finishing Touches for Reclaimed Wood Projects

At Shed Windows and More we have a great selection of hardware that would complement any of your reclaimed wood projects. We carry latches, hinges, and pulls that can be used internally and externally on doors, cabinets, gates, and more. Take a look at the full line of shed hardware and gate hardware we carry at Shed Windows and More to finish off your next DIY project using reclaimed wood.