Your home is full of details, features, and possessions that make it truly your home. Not only this, but your home is full of memories. And you want to feel like your home is an accurate representation of your personality so that you can keep making those memories.
Take a look around your home when you get a chance. There are probably many elements that you really love. But, there are also some that maybe feel a little outdated or could use some upkeep.
Today, we’re going to be discussing an oft-neglected part of the interior—the walls. Whether it’s a new material or simply slapping on a new coat of paint or a different color altogether, changing up your walls is a great way to keep everything you love about your home while hitting the refresh button on the mood, tone, and feeling of your home.
If you may be thinking of changing things with your interior walls, then we have the perfect solution for you—reclaimed wood paneling.
Reclaimed Wood: 5 Top Benefits
Reclaimed wood provides many benefits to homes. Here are some of the top reasons why you should consider reclaimed wood paneling for your interior walls:
- Eco-friendly
- High-quality and durable
- Responsible exotic woods
- Adds warmth
- Own a piece of history
1) Environmentally Friendly
Sustainability is a hot topic these days—and for good reason. It stands to reason that by using reclaimed lumber—which has been sourced from old buildings, ships, factories, barns, and more—you can reduce the demand for newly sourced wood. As a result, you assist in cutting back on deforestation.
According to Elemental Green, reclaimed wood is a renewable resource “that reduces landfill waste, as well as the use of environmental hazards to manufacture new products.” They go on to cite how it’s better for the environment to install an engineered reclaimed wood floor than it is to install petroleum-based carpeting.
The same can be said of your wall, where you can substitute harmful paint toxins for beautiful and clean refurbished reclaimed wood.
2) Quality and Durability
You wouldn’t expect decades-old wood to be more durable than new wood, but that is the honest truth. Here’s why:
Reclaimed wood is from buildings, ships, and barns that were built 50 – 100 years ago. During this time, the trees had been slowly maturing in the forest for several hundred years before being harvested. Because they were given so much time to grow, they became very durable, and that durability still holds up today.
New wood, on the other hand, is often sourced from managed forests that are harvested and replanted at much younger ages.
Another reason for the additional stability of reclaimed wood is the fact this type of wood contains a low amount of moisture. While all wood naturally contains moisture, recycled wood has already had decades of exposure to temperature and moisture variation.
3) Responsible Exotic Woods
If you want exotic wood in your home but understand the environmental ramifications of sourcing new exotic wood, then reclaimed wood is for you. Reclaimed wood is a great way to achieve the wood walls you’ve always wanted without the guilt of sourcing new exotic wood.
4) Adds Warmth to the Home
You’d be hard-pressed to find a homeowner who doesn’t think that creating a sense of warmth is an important detail for their house.
If the rest of your interior is white, reclaimed wood paneling breathes life into the space by connecting it to nature. With the addition of wood paneling on your walls, your entire home suddenly feels more connected to nature and far less cold and detached.
5) History for the Modern Home
If the reasons listed above don’t convince you to invest in wood paneling for your home, then maybe this one will (at least for the history buffs reading this).
There is no denying the historical significance that reclaimed wood possesses, and you can bring home a piece of history and actually make it a permanent feature of your home.
Imagine being able to tell your guests that the beautiful wood paneling in your home dates back decades and may have been a part of an old ship or factory during the Industrial Revolution. Who needs dinner table small talk topics when you can just sit and stare in wonderment at your reclaimed wood wall all evening? We kid, of course. But the point remains—reclaimed wood is the ultimate detail to include in your home.
Complete Your Project With Beautiful Wood Wall & Ceiling Paneling
A feature wall or an entire room full of reclaimed wood paneling can transform a basic space into a remarkable and memorable showcase of beauty and character. With the addition of every piece of reclaimed lumber, the personality of your space will shine all the brighter with a unique history.
A well-placed accent wall with wood paneling can also bring a sense of warmth to any room, making it a phenomenal way to add texture and boldness to an otherwise bland area. Reclaimed wood paneling blends modern palettes and a unique story with a touch of rustic charm, creating a rugged yet polished look that enhances and inspires.
Also, bear in mind that reclaimed wood paneling isn’t just for walls! You can also outfit the ceilings of your space with these attractive wood timbers, bringing a soulful touch to all those expanses of boring white space and creating a distinctive, desirable look that’s uniquely you.
Your Guide to Finding Reclaimed Wood
Technically speaking, the word reclaim means to “retrieve or recover” something, so does that mean that you can retrieve wood from any old structure? Not exactly. There are many things you need to keep in mind when searching for reclaimed wood.
Can You Legally Take the Wood?
Even though a building may seem abandoned and in the middle of nowhere, the chances that that same building isn’t owned by someone are slim to none. Tearing apart an old building for reclaimed wood without the owner’s consent isn’t only illegal; it’s wrong. Most of the time, reclaiming wood is a business transaction and should be treated as such.
Manomin, for example, uses a dedicated team of restoration specialists to evaluate and source the wood we use in our designs. These experts have been doing this for a long time and know the ins and outs of the business.
Is Your Source Reliable?
If you do a quick Google search for “reclaimed wood,” you’ll quickly find hundreds of Etsy and eBay sellers claiming to have “authentic reclaimed wood.” But are they really? It’s best to be wary of sellers with nothing to lose.
Finding worn-down scrap wood that can be passed off as reclaimed wood is easy to do. Additionally, even if the wood has been sourced from a historic building, that doesn’t mean that it’s ready to be added to your home—which brings us to our next point: processing.
Is the Wood Installation Ready?
It may surprise you, but reclaimed wood needs to go through a treatment process before it can be safely added to your home. If the wood is sourced from an old factory or farm, it could be carrying harmful chemicals or bugs within its planks that need to be eradicated before it’s brought into your home.
Most people simply don’t have the equipment or skills necessary to properly process reclaimed wood. Now don’t let the term “process” scare you. While many companies use harsh chemicals to rid their reclaimed wood of imperfections, we use an all-natural means of processing reclaimed wood here at Manomin. This is a vital step to ensure your wood’s longevity and your family’s safety.
Is the Wood Free of Dangerous Imperfections?
Imperfections are part of what makes reclaimed wood so unique, and yet there are some imperfections that are better left in the past. Such imperfections could include:
- Sharp edges
- Staples
- Nails
- And more
A rusty nail could do a lot of damage, both to your home and your health. At Manomin, we use the same high-powered x-ray wands used by the TSA at airports to make sure that our reclaimed wood is safe for handling, and we mill every piece of wood by hand. By removing these dangerous imperfections, we are able to preserve the wood’s historical integrity while making the pieces safe for your home.
Get the Perfect Reclaimed Wood Wall Paneling for Your Home
Here at Manomin Resawn Timbers, we’re passionate about our work, and we want to bring the best product to your home. We recognize that reclaiming old lumber is about much more than tearing boards out of old buildings. That’s why we set high standards for ourselves to ensure the best result for you and your family.
Our diligence starts with sourcing the highest-quality wood and continues with precise milling that accentuates the best qualities and unique character of each and every board. From the first hello to the completion of your project, we can lead or follow. We’ll inspire you, or you can inspire us with your own vision or that of your architect or interior designer.
To get in touch or to request a free quote, contact us here!
