What is Reclaimed Wood and Why is it so Expensive?

Reclaimed wood tables, accent walls, sliding barn doors....

By now you've probably heard the term, "Reclaimed Wood" but might not be exactally sure what that means. Here is a quick breakdown of the term and what it means in the custom furniture business. 

Reclaimed wood refers to wood that has been salvaged from a previous life. Most custom furniture companies, especially the ones around Kitchener Waterloo area that advertise reclaimed wood tables, accents walls, decor etc. are actually promoting only 1 kind of reclaimed wood and that's barn wood. This would be reclaimed barn board, both interior (Brown Board) and Exterior (Weathered Grey Board), Threshing Floor (Barn Floor) Reclaimed Barn Beams etc. but reclaimed wood can also be from an old house, wood fence, pallets, old scafolding and any other place you can find used wood. 

Typically the older the wood and the more exposed to the elements, the more character will be present in the wood. This can range from old milling marks caused by the large sawblades or a boadaxe, or the classic weathered grey and deep groves, nail holes and other beautiful characteristics. Wood with lot's of character may need to be leveled and sealed in order to use it as a suitable surface for most furniture, which is why many reclaimed wood companies will coat the finished product in a clear hard epoxy resin. This not only levels the surface but it also protects the product by incasing it in resin forever.

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Why is Reclaimed Wood so expensive?

Getting lumber to build your deck is easy, run to the hardware store and grab some 2x6's and your on your way. Buying reclaimed wood isn't quite so easy. It's getting harder and harder to find good quality reclaimed wood from salvage companies and the harder it becomes to find, the more expensive it gets. Like a chef protects his best recipies, custom furniture makers protect the source of their materials at all costs. Once they find a reliable source, it becomes the lifeblood of their business.

Most reclaimed wood suppliers store their wood outside and therfore it contains way too much moisture to work with and needs to be properly dried. Some companies will buy loads of the material and will store it for months in order to air dry it to the desired moisture levels. Others will send it to a kiln to be dried faster. This process is good because it also kills any bugs that might be (and probably are) hiding in the cracks of the wood.

Reclaimed wood has been used and abused for sometimes hundreds of years and requires a lot more work than new crisp and clean lumber from the mill. Barn wood especially, is full of nails and other forign objects that are a killer on saw blades and equipment and is usually covered in decades of dirt, bugs and other things I'd rather not identify and requires a lot of prep work before building can even begin. 

When you buy a piece of new wood from the mill, you usually don't have to worry too much about waste as the boards are typically fairly uniform and straight and have been kiln dried and therefore, you will get a pretty good yield out of it. Now go buy some reclaimed barn wood to build a table and you will find that much of the material is too far gone to be used for something such as a reclaimed wood table top and will need to be cut off. You might get some barn board that has had it's share of abuse and bugs that have nearly turned that old wooden plank into dust and it just falls apart in your hand.

Epoxy is expensive..... Have you ever bought a 2 part epoxy glue and the 2 oz tube cost you over $10? Imagine a few gallons of high quality clear epoxy and what that costs. An average reclaimed wood harvest table requires around 2 gallons of epoxy in order to level it. If you were to go to a craft store to buy the same type of epoxy we use, you would be spending around $300 per 2 gal kit. This can get expensive, especially when you factor in the waste and the fact that one mistake and your whole piece of furniture is ruined and you're buying more material.

​Now you have a bit more information about what the term "Reclaimed Wood Table" actually means and if you're looking to buy custom furniture and want the reclaimed wood look, expect to pay a premium and for good reason. If you're in the Kitchener Waterloo area and are looking for a reclaimed wood table, accent wall, sliding barn door, home decor or any other product, why not make an appointment at Grain and Burl, Urban Design and see the samples of wood in person.