If somebody had told you twenty years ago that restaurants
would be lining up to serve their food on tables made from century old barn
wood, you probably would have thought they were crazy. Everything old is
new again. The trend toward modern
rustic decors in the restaurant industry means
that old reclaimed wood tables are more popular than ever.
It’s ironic that newer restaurants are turning to the past
for their inspiration. Given the relative scarcity of high-priced reclaimed
wood, many restaurant chains are turning to distressed new wood to meet their
needs. Below are the three main types of “old” wood (so that you can know
them the next time you make a décor decision):
Reclaimed
wood is old wood that has outlived its
intended use (as something like a barn, boat, flooring, or wine barrel), and is
repurposed for some other use. Technically reclaimed wood doesn’t have to
be old, but older wood is more highly sought after.
Wood from “old growth” trees such as those that were
abundant in the 19th and early 20th centuries has a
number of advantages over modern lumber like its unique character, resilience,
being environmentally friendly, and its history. It is denser than new wood and
less prone to warping.
Distressed wood is new wood that has been artificially distressed and/or weathered to make it appear old. Distressing techniques often include putting nail holes in the boards, creating circular saw marks to replicate vintage logging techniques, or adding a patina to the wood so that it looks like it has aged over decades of use.
Distressed wood is a more economical option. You can get distressed wood with various degrees of roughness and glaze depending on your style. When the wood is distressed by hand, you get a variance on each board giving your floors a more organic and natural look.
If the wood is machine-scraped, each board is a carbon copy of the next and won’t give you that same aged wood charm as hand-scraped distressed wood. The advantages include consistency, price, and the variety of colors it can be stained to fit.
Salvaged wood is new wood that has
been collecting dust in the back of warehouses and buildings. Often the wood is
uncut, just waiting for a purpose. Salvaged wood has not been previously cut
into lumber or used for construction. The wood is typically found in its
natural state. It could be from trees that are dead, have fallen, or need to be
removed for some reason. Trees are often removed to build a highway or
new housing. Salvaged
wood will look newer than reclaimed wood because it has never been used before.
Salvaged
wood is a great way to get new floors (without sourcing new materials) giving
it the same environmental benefits as reclaimed wood. Salvaged wood has a lot
of character. The color is often much deeper. It may have intricate grain
patterns, knots and worm tracks. Centuries of aging causes a wide range
of beautiful qualities that just cannot be found in younger tree growth. Centuries
of aging causes a wide range of beautiful qualities that just cannot be found
in younger tree growth.
“Woodworking is one third planning, one third execution, and one third figuring out how to change your plan to cover up that mistake that you just made during the execution.” (theartofwood.tumblr.com) [i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“Reclaimed vs. Salvaged Wood” by Barbara Goldstein
·
“Spot the Difference: Salvaged, Reclaimed or
Distressed Hardwood” By T&G Flooring
·
“What is the Difference
between Reclaimed and Distressed Wood Tables?” by Administrator
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