IS RECLAIMED WOOD REALLY AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY DESIGN CHOICE?
Today, reclaimed wood is a popular choice for building materials. Some may wonder, however, if it’s truly an environmentally beneficial choice or simply a design trend. From sourcing to installation, the data asserts the truth — reclaimed wood is an environmentally friendly design choice. That, in part, explains why it has become so popular and why it promises to have an enduring place in architecture and design.
One of the first considerations in analysing the environmental impact of reclaimed wood is the issue of sourcing. The accepted narrative is that reclaimed wood mostly comes from old houses and barns. While it’s true that this does happen, it’s only a small piece of the puzzle. As it turns out, there’s a large supply of reclaimed wood around the world, and it comes from all different kinds of places.
How Reclaimed Wood is Sourced
Reclaimed wood is special in that every piece has its own unique character. There’s a wide variety of reclaimed woods available, each with their own story and appearance. This is due in large part to the range of sourcing methods available. Reclaimed wood can be sourced from everywhere from the forest floor to factories that generate large amounts of scrap wood or in our case at PalletBoards.co.uk, Pallets!
How Reclaimed Wood Benefits the Environment
The main way in which reclaimed wood is environmentally beneficial is evident in the name––it salvages wood that would otherwise go to waste. However, this is just a big picture view, and there are many other environmental benefits to consider.
First, reclaimed wood directly benefits the environment from which it is sourced. Post-consumer, post-industrial, and orchard reclaimed wood helps to clean up buildings and natural spaces. If the wood isn’t reclaimed, it’s thrown into landfills. Reclaiming wood from these sources helps remove and reuse wood waste, benefitting both the wood source and the environment in general.
Second, many methods of sourcing reclaimed wood reduce the need to cut living trees to obtain wood. On a large scale, this contributes to the reduction of deforestation, preserving the health of existing forests and the habitats of many endangered species. This is a large reason why so many companies choose to use reclaimed wood. It prevents the unnecessary cutting of trees that, if left untouched, could contribute to the environment.
Third, milling reclaimed wood into flooring and panelling or making it into furniture requires fewer resources, and has less of an environmental impact than the manufacture of freshly cut trees into these products. Reclaimed wood has previously captured all of the steps required to grow, harvest and prepare new wood for milling into a finished product. For example, timber companies utilise large quantities of water to ‘irrigate’ or spray freshly cut logs so they stay wet prior to milling. That water and the subsequent waste water is not a factor with reclaimed wood.
The Benefits of Implementing Reclaimed Wood
Since reclaimed wood is particularly versatile, it can be used as a central unifying element or as an eye-catching focal point.
In small amounts, reclaimed wood is perfect for reception desks, furniture, and entryways. These are simple and straightforward ways to incorporate reclaimed wood into existing building design. It also doesn’t take much wood to see the benefits associated with the presence of wood. Even just a bit of reclaimed wood can have many positive effects on occupant well-being and happiness.
Larger amounts of reclaimed wood can be used for everything from flooring to innovative installations. Many businesses choose to create entire spaces centred around the inclusion of reclaimed wood. This benefits productivity and mood, which can contribute to increased brand visibility, brand engagement, and shaping overall brand identity, especially in a retail space
Conclusion
The verdict is in: Reclaimed wood is one of the most environmentally friendly design choices you can make. Both the sourcing and transportation of reclaimed wood are energy efficient and prevent unneeded deforestation from occurring. Using reclaimed wood also ensures that unused wood doesn’t end up in the landfill. It’s truly remarkable to take wood that would otherwise be wasted and make something beautiful out of it.