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What’s Old Is New Again

Seven reclaimed products that can add a unique, sustainable touch to your next project.

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What’s Old Is New Again

Seven reclaimed products that can add a unique, sustainable touch to your next project.

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    Trestlewood. Picklewood Siding is crafted from salvaged vat staves used to produce pickles, vinegar, and other foods around North America in the 1800s. These redwood, cypress, and Douglas fir vats are being phased out in favor of fiberglass and stainless steel. The siding is available with the weathered exterior faces of the vats or processed to expose the clear material, the company says. It can be installed in board-on-board, board-on-bat, board-to-board, shiplap, or wedge configurations. 877.375.2779. www.trestlewood.com.

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    Enviro Bath. All of the company’s products are made with salvaged brass, aluminum, and other alloys. The Ravine bath sink, shown, is available in ebony, biscuit, almond, mystique, pearl, carnival, or ivory. 866.701.2284. www.envirobath.com.

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    DeadHead Lumber Co. The company’s unique custom wide-plank flooring is milled from old-growth logs salvaged from Maine lake bottoms where they have cured for 200 years. The 3/4-inch-thick flooring comes in maple (shown), yellow birch, red birch, and spruce in widths from 4 inches to 10 inches and in lengths from 3 feet to 18 feet. The lumber is air dried to 16% to 20% and then kiln dried to 6% to 8%. 207.883.3009. www.deadheadlumbercompany.com.

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    Gavin Historical Bricks. The company’s bricks, pavers, and cobblestones originated in a variety of historical buildings and roads. The 150-plus-year-old European-blend cobblestones shown here, reclaimed from U.S. streets, offer a distinctive smooth surface look brought on by decades of wear. Other products include Old Chicago-style bricks, Antique Indiana Hard Reds, 100-plus-year-old Purington pavers, unique clinker bricks, and cobblestones reclaimed from the streets of Philadelphia, among others. 319.354.5251. www.historicalbricks.com.

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    Trout River Lumber. Martha Mills antique heart pine flooring is reclaimed from a textile mill in Thomaston, Ga., that once supplied cotton tire cord to B.F. Goodrich. The wood has a tight growth ring pattern and an amber color. It is available unfinished with a 6?1/4-inch face width or prefinished in a 5?1/8-inch face width. 434.645.2600. www.troutriverlumber.com.

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    Bristol and Bath. Part of the Second Chance collection, Kyle basins are made with oil drums reclaimed from scrap yards and then cleaned, refurbished, and decorated. The units measure 24 inches wide by 34 inches tall and come in a copper (shown) or pewter finish. The top of the drum, including the fixing clasp, is used to create a coordinating mirror. The collection also includes a wash basin made from wine barrels and sinks made from tires. 610.962.9329. www.bristolbath.com.

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    Pioneer Millworks. Reclaimed FSC-certified flooring (such as flat-sawn heart pine, shown) is now available in an engineered format, featuring a 4.8-mm reclaimed wood layer, FSC-certified domestic plywood, and formaldehyde-free glue. A range of recycled wood species is available, including ash, chestnut, oak, grey elm, maple, and jarrah. Fresh-sawn FSC-certified species also are available, along with siding reclaimed from old barns. 800.951.9663. www.pioneermillworks.com.

Even during tough economic times, home buyers want a wow factor in the home, an element that separates them from the neighbors. Reclaimed materials provide that one-of-a-kind feel consumers crave, whether their flooring’s first life was a pickle preserver or their driveway was worn down by horse and buggies near the Liberty Bell.

Of course, reclaimed materials aren’t just pretty to look at: Salvaged flooring, sinks, and siding offer a two-fold environmental benefit of reusing potential landfill-bound materials while saving the resources required for new products. What’s more, many of these materials are more durable than their modern counterparts. To maintain the most eco-friendly levels, look for local salvage companies or those that have multiple distribution points.

Most salvaged materials aren’t cheap. But the payback in aesthetics, durability, and sustainability are worth the price for many buyers. Here are seven options to wow your clients.