Since the 1980s, reclaimed wood has become an increasingly popular choice for flooring, furniture, and even building materials. People choose reclaimed wood for a variety of reasons, including aesthetics and versatility. This is especially true among those who are looking for a more natural and rustic style. But while this material can be beneficial for homes, restaurants, and other buildings, it’s also extremely beneficial for the environment.
“If you’re looking for a material
that can look good while being
good for the planet, then
consider reclaimed wood.”
In this article, we’re going to explore just a few of the many ways reclaimed wood is a sustainable and eco-friendly material.
Preserves More Trees
A big problem with using traditional wood is that it requires the demolition of trees and forests. Fortunately, reclaimed wood is not made by cutting down more trees — it actually often comes from sources like old barns and factories that aren’t being used anymore. These buildings are typically built very strong to withstand heavy-duty work. This means the wood used to create these buildings is durable and can easily be reclaimed. So, existing buildings and structures, like mills, train stations, and more, can be given new life by re-using the wood.
Uses Fewer Chemicals for Finishing
With traditional wood, whether it’s for flooring or furniture, most people use paints and stains to give it a desirable finish. Unfortunately, a lot of these materials can contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment. But because reclaimed wood was already used, it tends to be left as it is. This is especially true for people looking for a more “rustic” finish. So by using reclaimed wood, there is less harm to the environment because fewer chemicals are needed to refine the wood before it’s used.
Reduces Waste
Using traditional wood results in waste in a few different ways. First, there is a lot of lumber wasted during the process — whether it’s scrap wood that is simply thrown away without being used or it’s someone throwing away furniture once they no longer want it, wood actually accounts for quite a bit of landfill waste. There are plenty of materials that can be recycled, and wood is one of them — so instead of letting the wood sit in a landfill, it’s repurposed and used again.
And second, during the process of finishing wood flooring or furniture, there can be a lot of chemicals used to treat the wood, which can then become runoff waste and enter water systems. So by using wood that has already gone through the harvesting and finishing processes, less waste is produced.
Produces Less Pollution
Many wood furniture items are produced in factories. And unfortunately, these factories can end up producing a lot of CO2 when they’re running. Additionally, new wood may be transported by truck or boat to factories, which also results in pollution. One of the biggest threats to the environment is pollution and it’s important to do whatever is possible to reduce harmful emissions. So by avoiding the process of having to finish the wood altogether, less pollution is produced. Using materials that have already been harvested can significantly reduce the overall level of pollution produced by factories and even transportation.
In today’s society, there are a lot of different options for furniture, flooring, and building materials. And fortunately, many of these choices are becoming more eco-friendly as more and more companies put a heavier focus on doing their part to help the environment. Reclaimed wood not only looks great, but it’s great for the environment, too. And as you can see, there are several reasons choosing reclaimed wood is an eco-friendly decision. So if you’re looking for a material that can look good while being good for the planet, then consider reclaimed wood.
Have you used reclaiimed wood in your home?
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