Feasibility of Reclaimed Lumber in Construction

As sustainable building becomes more and more prevalent in the construction industry, builders and homeowners are experimenting more with different kinds of building materials. The focus of this paper is on reclaimed wood. One can find reclaimed wood almost anywhere, in an old barn, lumber yards, basically any place that has valuable wood that is not being used. This wood is then taken to a mill and cleaned up. Imperfections are removed, nails are taken out, and any finish that will be used is applied. Reclaimed wood has grown in popularity in construction projects over the last few decades. The rustic, antique feel that the wood has draws in contractors and homeowners alike. This paper looks to explore the different ways to incorporate reclaimed wood into residential or small commercial construction projects, examining both the cost-effectiveness and the sustainability of different kinds of reclaimed wood projects. Having personally worked with reclaimed wood on different kinds of projects, I wanted to provide more information on how to best use this unique material