Reclaimed Teak – Two Questions to Ask Your Furniture/Flooring Dealer
Eco-friendly, sturdy and valuable, a lot of people agree that reclaimed teak is the most beautiful hardwood available to builders that was already part of an old building. The dense grain of the reclaimed wood is beautiful, as are its visual richness from natural weathering, and its stability. How can you choose the best source for your reclaimed teak? Follow these tips to avoid being ripped off by unscrupulous merchants.
Here Are the Top Two Questions to Ask Any Furniture or Flooring Dealer to Ensure You’re Getting the Best Reclaimed Teak for Your Money
- What is the source of your reclaimed teak? Common sources of reclamation include bridges, wharfs, jetties and structural beams used in housing. The wood is used for many reasons: for its distinctive look, its role in green building, the history of its origins, and its durability and stability. Another benefit of the reclaimed lumber is that it’s less likely to warp or twist than new timber, since it has been air-drying for decades.
- How is your reclaimed teak processed? The teak is often cleaned manually with a wire brush to get rid of the weathered oxidized coatings on the surface, and the old varnishes and paints. Nails and other hardware are removed and then it is planed square for production. Lumps of wood with the same grain orientation are used to fill larger holes left by previous fittings, joints or hardware; smaller nail holes are drilled and doweled.
Barns and other abandoned buildings and structures are being torn down like never before to produce reclaimed teak for recreation rooms, gazebos, and even bed room furniture. Dealers are venturing as far off as Southeast Asia to find sources of teak wood for reclamation. Teak is perfect for reclamation and reuse, because of its durability, and because it can last for centuries.