Home Publisher's Point of View Interest in Reclaimed Wood Growing for Furniture, Flooring Applications

Interest in Reclaimed Wood Growing for Furniture, Flooring Applications

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Since first writing about the use of reclaimed wood in hospitality projects a couple of years ago, I have noticed a lot more suppliers offering this type of wood in furniture and flooring. At last month’s HD Expo, for example, I learned about a company from my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio (Rustbelt Reclamation) that makes furniture from wood harvested from old buildings prior to their demolition. A quick search of my database of companies revealed almost 20 companies offering reclaimed wood products.

In the coming week I will be revisiting reclaimed wood, chatting with suppliers, and writing a new article highlighting hospitality activity in this area. Be sure to watch for the article soon and contact me to let me know how you are using reclaimed wood at your property, or specifying it for projects.

Of course there are many environmental reasons for using reclaimed wood that otherwise would end up in a landfill. And, old wood can offer aesthetic and structural qualities that new wood cannot. According to the folks at Rustbelt Reclamation, wood cured over 100 years tends to be “denser with spectacular figuring and is more stable when compared to virgin lumber of the same species.”

Authentic or Not?

How do you know if reclaimed wood is authentic? Last year, Viridian Reclaimed Wood supplied an article to Building Moxie that I found to be particularly helpful. “To make sure lumber is truly reclaimed, purchase it from a reputable dealer with certifications from organizations such as the Forest Stewardship Council or the Rainforest Alliance,” the article said.

Still, there are definitely skeptics out there when it comes to proving reclaimed wood is what it is.

On its website, Parquet by Dian, a wood flooring manufacturer, states, “Reclaimed woods are constantly being marketed as sustainable. There is no certification program in place to monitor if lumber is reclaimed. The majority of the hardwood flooring that is marketed as reclaimed, is not. How many barns do you actually think are taken apart each year? Not nearly enough to supply the amount of flooring that is sold as reclaimed.”

This coming week I plan to explore the reclaimed wood certification question.

According to the aforementioned article, reclaimed wood can have its downside. You do not want old nails poking out of it, there can be toxins involved (chemicals or paint), and you want to make sure all insects are long gone.

Care to contribute to my article on reclaimed wood? I can be reached at editor@greenlodingnews.com, or by phone at (813) 510-3868.

GLN Adds Plus Manufacturing Case Study to Website

Green Lodging News has added a Plus Manufacturing case study to its website. The focus of the case study is the Enzian Inn in Leavenworth, Wash. The case study addresses how the Enzian Inn’s housekeeping staff uses Plus Manufacturing’s soap-free, residue-free Procyon to clean carpet in the inn’s nearly 100 guestrooms. Housekeepers at the inn apply Procyon in a Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI)-Certified extractor, the AquaClean FLX, from Advance. The combination of Green Seal GS-37-Certified and CRI-Certified, soap-free Procyon with the low-moisture extractor yields great results, fast dry times, and environmentally friendly, fragrance-free cleaning. Call Ivan Day at (800) 776-2966 for more information. You may also e-mail procyon_rx@msn.com or go to www.soapfreeprocyon.com. To access the case study, click here.

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