It can be tempting to jump right in when it comes to reclaimed wood. What’s not to love? You find a pile of wood that someone is about to throw out and think to yourself; I want that! Or, you find a really cheap seller on Etsy that promises reclaimed wood projects for a fraction of other, more legitimate, sellers.

So much effort needs to be put into reclaimed wood before it can enter a home. For example, properly treating wood prior to bringing it into your home is essential. Reclaimed wood can add immediate charm to your home, but when not processed correctly it can also potentially impart unsavory chemicals and critters. Simply washing and sanding reclaimed wood isn’t enough. The beauty of reclaimed wood is that it tells a story through its natural wear and tear; you want to keep the history of your wood alive while getting rid of any less than savory aspects of the piece. Below we’ve listed out three questions that you should ask yourself before investing in a reclaimed wood provider.

How Does Your Supplier De-Nail Their Wood?

At Manomin Resawn Timbers we give our reclaimed wood the time and care needed to ensure that you are only bringing the best into your home. All of the reclaimed wood that passes through our doors undergoes an intensive refining process. The first step in this process is de-nailing. After our team does an initial surface de-nailing, we then proceed to go in and carefully remove all nails and metal from our boards and timbers. To ensure the highest quality results we utilize the same metal detector wands used by security at airports as well as various other tools that we’ve come to value over the years.

How Does Your Supplier Process Their Wood?

One of the most effective ways of treating wood before installation is kiln drying. Kiln drying is a process in which large, powerful kilns are used to dry milled lumber until it reaches its ideal equilibrium moisture content (EMC). EMC is a balance of the moisture content (MC) of the wood and the relative humidity (RH) of its environment. It is this process that keeps the boards true and stable under inevitably changing environmental conditions. Kiln drying is especially important to help prevent shrinkage that can compromise the quality of the installation. This process will not only help protect your wood from future damage, but it will also destroy any bugs or larvae living in your wood. It’s essential to check that your potential reclaimed wood provider performs this step.

When kiln drying, we heat treat our barn boards to destroy any bugs and larvae in the wood – before they become unwelcome visitors in your home. Not all recovered wood companies perform this important step. At Manomin Resawn Timbers we run each piece of wood that comes our way through our Kilns.

And what about milling? Not just anyone can process and shape reclaimed wood. It takes the right person, using the right tools to make an antique board absolutely flat, straight, and square. Our dedicated artisans use special saws, planers, joiners, molders, and specialty tools along with their years of experience to create the best one-of-a-kind boards possible. With our attention to detail, you can rest assured that no two pieces of wood leave our facilities looking exactly the same, meaning that your flooring, accent piece, paneling, mantel, door, or any other feature will never be duplicated. By using our proprietary processing system, your statement piece will be 100% unique.

How Many Applications Does Your Supplier Offer?

The internet is filled with pictures and DIY instructions for everything from reclaimed headboards to flooring, so how many applications does your supplier offer? Most suppliers will only offer one or two compatible applications, such as flooring and paneling. But some, like Manomin, can offer multiple reclaimed wood applications.

At Manomin Resawn Timbers we take pride in providing flooring, paneling, mantels, timbers, doors, table tops, and more. We reclaim our wood carefully from old barns, outbuildings, and industrial spaces built between the 1820s and the turn of the century. Due to the versatility of the wood we source and the skills of our team, we are able to offer nearly any reclaimed wood service.

We offer today’s hottest trends in woodworking, including the popular Shou Sugi Ban style, which is a form of Japanese wood burning. This highly sought after trend requires a skilled hand to help with its creation. Luckily, our team is full of skilled and experienced professionals.

Find the Reclaimed Wood for Your Next Project With Manomin Resawn Timbers

Whether your project is big or small, at Manomin, we can craft a stunning focal feature for your home that will leave you and your guests speechless. With multiple awards and years of experience behind us, we can make the perfect reclaimed wood project that matches your vision. Send us a message to learn more about ho reclaimed wood can transform your home.