A lot of people think that reclaimed wood is just junk wood, full of nails and only good for firewood. This is not true. Reclaimed wood is now extremely popular for many reasons: The advantage of using reclaimed wood is that has a unique appearance, its contribution to green building, it has a unique history of origin and it has great physical characteristics, such as appearance, strength, stability and durability. Reclaimed seasoned wood has already been exposed to changes in humidity and is therefore more stable than new wood.

But not all reclaimed wood is old. Huge amounts of wood are used in construction and are then just thrown away despite the fact that it is still perfectly useable. This wood is mainly reclaimed from the construction industry and would otherwise go to a landfill, thus contributing to greenhouse gas production.

Reclaimed wood is often in excellent condition and can be re-used in many different areas such as making items for the garden such as trellis, plant boxes, fencing, bird boxes, and sheds. For inside the home, you can repair flooring, make wall paneling, ceilings, kitchen back splashes, trim, wainscoting, counter tops, partitions, shelving, and storage boxes. In short, it can just about be used for anything.

With reclaimed wood being so popular, it is becoming more difficult to locate it. With such a high demand, some sellers try to pass newer wood off as antique reclaimed wood. Reclaimed wood is also an environmentally-friendly option that keeps quality wood out of the wood chipper or landfills and brings depth and character from its previous life.

In most cases reclaimed wood cost only a fraction of the cost that you would normally pay in DIY supply centers for new wood. The cost of new wood is so expensive that it puts off many homeowners from DIY projects. I recommend that you seriously look for recycled or reclaimed wood anytime you are considering a DIY woodworking project. You just may save a lot of money.

See related DIY shop articles:

Pre-drilling Nail Holes

Refinishing Wood Bookcase Shelves

Repairing Furniture Nicks and Scratches

Pressure Treated Wood