When installing hardwood flooring in your home or business, there are a few things to consider. First, you must decide what style of wood you would like to use and how it will look next to the rest of your style choices. If your home or business has a rustic appeal to it, choosing floors that use antique wood can be a fantastic choice to accentuate the existing characteristics of your structure. 

‘Shabby chic’ style choices have become all the rage in recent years. This style is when items, whether furniture, flooring, or other interior decorations, are chosen for their antique appearance due to wear and tear or artificial distressing.

Environmentally Friendly Choices

If you are interested in a hardwood flooring style that fulfills the shabby chic aesthetic, using wood that has been reclaimed can be the perfect choice for your flooring project. Reclaimed wood is more environmentally conscious, as you are reusing wood from previously crafted structures, reducing the need for live tree harvesting. As deforestation becomes a more critical issue for society, the trend of reclaimed wood in hardwood flooring will likely continue to rise in popularity.

By utilizing reclaimed hardwood, you are also able to have it LEED certified, which can be useful in marketing and promotion material if you own a business. Recycled and reclaimed wood counts toward LEED certification, as you will be using wood that does not deplete a non-renewable resource. In general, using reclaimed wood is an eco-friendly choice that can let customers or guests know that you care deeply about your environmental impact.

Stylistic Choices

Reclaimed and antique wood flooring can have a classy appearance, as antique wood has a great deal of natural beauty in comparison to engineered products. Antique wood options also have several unique characteristics, as the texture and color of this wood choice tends to be much more diverse and dynamic than standard options. Because this wood has been used for other projects, the variation in texture and pattern will be unlike any other choice you can find. Each wood plank will have its own history and story behind it, which can add to the unique style and character of your home. Each board has a history that can be seen within the weathered and distressed appearance of the wood itself.

The vibrancy and depth of colors found in antique wood is unparalleled in comparison to newer choices. Reclaimed wood will stand out more due to the aged appearance of the wood itself. Age and exposure can add a new dimension to the color of the wood that often cannot be fully mimicked. This aspect of antique wood creates increased character and style for your flooring that will be sure to impress any guests.

Strength and Durability

Choosing reclaimed wood as your flooring can be a smart choice in terms of durability. Many reclaimed wood planks will have been exposed to outside elements, meaning that they will be less susceptible to warping and damage from other environmental factors. Additionally, species such as American chestnut and longleaf pine will likely only be found as a reclaimed wood product. 

Antique wood choices may be of an older growth variety, which is stronger and denser that most of the new wood choices available on the market today. As antique wood was often grown during times of decreased and minimal pollution, the strength of the wood itself can be much greater than that of contemporary counterparts. By opting for a reclaimed wood choice, you will know that your wood flooring will last for years to come. 

One of the biggest worries that can accompany the installation of a hardwood floor is the potential for scratches. With an antique flooring choice, the wood will already have a distressed appearance, making dirt and minor scratches less noticeable, the perfect choice for homeowners who have young children and pets.

Potential downsides of antique and reclaimed wood

Although antique wood flooring may be a fantastic option to consider when taking on a new project, it is also important to consider some of the potential downsides with such a choice. Increased price is one of the biggest downsides to opting for reclaimed wood, as this option has increased in popularity in recent years with aforementioned ‘shabby chic’ stylistic choice. 

This choice can also come with an increased cost due to additional manufacturing demands that can accompany antique wood flooring projects. Often reclaimed wood will have metal particles lodged in the wood, which will require additional labor to remove prior to the installation process. Dealers may misidentify wood due to a lack of experience with certain species, which further stresses the importance of choosing a hardwood flooring company that employs experienced and qualified professionals. Additionally, antique or reclaimed wood that is not kiln-dried or treated may contain pests that can lead to your wood slowly decaying and becoming damaged over the course of time. It is important to source your wood from reputable dealers who have taken the proper precautions to ensure the durability and appropriate conditions of the wood. 

If you are interested in having reclaimed or antique wood flooring installed in your home or business, contact Ward Hardwood Flooring today to speak with a qualified professional. They pride themselves on matching customer needs with the perfect wood flooring choice and are happy to walk you through the process.