Finding Used Lumber and Reclaimed Wood Furniture

Debris from demolition and construction makes up to 40% of landfill waste. Before the debris is entirely crushed, it often contains perfectly usable reclaimed timber. It's cheaper to buy reclaimed wood furniture, or use wood reclaimed from debris, plus you reduce landfill waste and deforestation.

You can use reclaimed materials for your own craft or construction projects, and give new life to treasures that have been trashed. The first step of a project using reclaimed timber is finding the materials. Here are a few places you might find reclaimed wood furniture and materials.

Abandoned Shipyards

Packing crates are used to transport heavy cargo across oceans and are usually made of exotic or high-quality timber. Usually, these materials are considered refuse and are burned or discarded into landfills. Wood reclaimed from ship yards means rummaging through heavy materials, which can be hard work, but the effort can result in fantastic reclaimed timber.

Yard or Garage Sales

A garage sale is another great place to find discounted reclaimed wood furniture. It's easy to turn old furniture into pieces that look new with a little sandpaper, stain or paint, and some new handles. You can repurpose wood from old tables, chairs, desks, bookshelves, mirrors, dressers, doors, picture frames, window frames, headboards, and cribs. Reuse the reclaimed wood furniture as it was originally intended, or give it a whole new life.

Homes Set for Demolition

House demolition is cheaper than deconstruction, but if you can get there in time, you could salvage reclaimed timber and other items, like windows or sinks. To find houses set for demolition, look around for homes that appear abandoned, look in the paper for stories about homes to be demolished, and ask construction firms or your city planner if they know of any homes with this status. If you learn about a house set for demolition, contact the property owners for permission to deconstruct the home and salvage its contents.

To deconstruct a house, begin with the doors and trim and remove windows and sills. Cut out the flooring and remove any appliances, like sinks, you may want. Move on to the siding next; clear the insulation and remove the back of the interior walls. Finally in this order, remove the roof, rafters, ceiling and beams. Take the wood reclaimed for your personal use and stack it neatly, so it is easy to pack and haul.

Retail Locations

Often, retail locations and thrift stores sell recycled, salvaged and reclaimed wood furniture or timber. Some items you can find at retail locations include doors, cabinets, shelves, tables, chairs, lighting fixtures, window frames, flooring, and trim.

Online Sources

For other opportunities to find reclaimed timber or furniture, check out classified ads online. Sites like Craigslist.org or Freecycle.org are good resources for finding reclaimed wood furniture that people near you are getting rid of. You usually have to act quickly if you see an item costing little to nothing. It is important, however, to exercise personal safety when meeting strangers.

When you repurpose reclaimed timber, you're taking a vital step in reducing waste and improving the health of the planet. Plus you don't usually have to go very far to find reusable furniture or reclaimed wood to update your home.