Using reclaimed materials in your new construction or renovation project can add touches of authentic charm, regardless of your architectural style. As an added bonus, salvaged construction materials can save you money and contribute to a more environmentally-friendly build.
The warmth and character of wood is hard to beat, and reclaimed wood often tells the story of its previous life with every nick, scratch and nail hole—all of which add charm, character and authenticity to new builds. Wood flooring is especially popular and can come from any number of sources: barn demolitions, old homes and factory buildings – even shipping pallets. If you bought a piece of property to build on, you can even utilize any timber and rock you clear from your own land.
When considering reclaimed wood, don’t limit yourself to just floor boards. Think about repurposing old wainscoting, beams, handrails, crown molding, doors, and other materials that can find new uses as decorative features and accents. For some especially ornate or desirable antique pieces, the cost of the salvaged piece itself may be higher, but its architectural significance will add overall value to your home. Likewise, a salvaged piece can sometimes add so much character to a room that a more modest, less expensive design is best to complement the salvaged showpiece.
Using salvaged material is more an art than a science due to the unique ages, structures, sizes and shapes of the materials. Because no two boards, bricks, or metal pieces are ever identical, there are no standard practices when it comes to using salvaged materials, which is what makes working with them so exciting, as well as challenging. Using salvage requires planning, especially if the material will be used structurally and has to meet building code specifications.
A great example of how to work efficiently with salvaged materials was featured in an episode of PBS’s popular DIY program, This Old House, in which a centuries-old house was renovated using a significant amount of material salvaged from the original construction. Most of the old kitchen floor was pulled up and an exterior wall was taken down, resulting in a stack of pine floorboards, subflooring, and sheathing in various widths and lengths. The keepers were set aside so that nails can be removed and surface debris sloughed off with coarse sandpaper. A fireplace surround was built using brick from an 1800s chimney that was torn down in the kitchen, and a wood post from a demolished wall was repurposed for the mantel.
Feeling inspired to use reclaimed or salvaged materials in your next project? We’d be happy to help. Here at Bingham Lumber, we offer a wide range of reclaimed wood siding, flooring, and trim that has been carefully re-milled and renewed to make it easy to use in modern construction. Drop by or give us a call today!
Growing lifestyle and architectural design trends involve activities, materials, and visual effects that evoke simpler times in the late 19
While the pandemic has certainly curtailed many social activities and trapped people in their homes for weeks, even months, almost everyone has heard of the game of “cornhole.” Over the past few years it has taken backyards, playgrounds, recreation centers, campgrounds, and beaches by storm.
Here in New England weather is a serious factor that affects the exteriors of our homes, especially windows and doors – openings that, if not maintained, can allow water to infiltrate the structure. One key component of all exterior doors is the threshold. Now this may sound old-timey, but “threshold” is simply a term for the structural transition that is part of the doorway over which the door swings. It separates the interior floor from the outside and helps make entry smoother while keeping weather out. 
With so many of us spending more time at home these days, you might be looking for a fun, easy-to-do project for yourself that can even involve your kids and get you outdoors and growing things. A tiny, do-it-yourself greenhouse made from recycled windows will add some color and a little whimsy to your backyard while encouraging you to do some gardening that’s also fun and productive. 
There is an upside to having to spend time at home with kids during the current coronavirus pandemic – you have the opportunity to spend some quality time with them and help them learn new skills, such as woodworking. There are hundreds of simple, easy-to-do woodworking projects that kids can tackle mostly – if not entirely — by themselves. A few might require an adult to step in and provide some assistance, especially if there is a power tool involved. But for the most part, kids can get the chance to measure and cut wood; hammer, glue, or screw parts together; learn how to use paint or stain; and end up making a useful, even fun product for themselves or someone they love. 
With a history dating back over 400 years, New England has no shortage of old things, including many old buildings full of beautiful, high quality architectural items such as wide-plank flooring, wonderfully distressed barn siding, massive beams and other elements that can be put to good use in new, renovated, and restored homes. 
Renovating an older home can be a daunting task, but if you’ve been blessed with ownership of a house built in the late 19th or early 20th century – such as an old farmhouse or country home – you have the opportunity to update it while reinforcing the charm and old-timey look of wood that is no longer available in the modern lumber industry.
Floating wood shelves are a sleek, modern way to showcase beautiful wood while providing a very utilitarian way to display and store items. Featuring hidden shelf brackets that fit snugly and securely into a wall stud and holes drilled into the shelf, floating shelves are relatively easy to install with a few common tools and some accurate measuring.
Underfloor heating, known as radiant heating, is a type of heating system (as the name implies) that is installed under flooring, eliminating the need for unsightly radiators or warm air ducting that must be cut into ceilings, walls, and floors. Radiant heating may be either hydronic (water/fluid flowing through pipes) or electric (electric resistance heating elements).
Do It Yourself home improvement is a growing phenomenon these days as the internet abounds with do-it-yourself (DIY) websites, blogs, forums, social media and other ways for individuals to check out cool DIY projects such as handicrafts, woodworking, and even furniture-making.
A wood floor — especially one crafted from vintage, reclaimed, wide-plank lumber – is not only a thing of beauty, it’s one of durability when properly cared for. Wood flooring that has received a quality finish using an appropriate finishing product is relatively easy to care for and will provide many years of use and pleasure.
Throughout the Mid-West and up and down the eastern seaboard lives a deep rooted history in agriculture and farming that has existed since the arrival of the first American settlers. The result is a landscape that has been dotted with beautiful old barns steeped in American history and use that has imbued them with character, charm and unique features. These features are the reason for the recent increase in popularity of reclaimed barn siding, paneling, and the overall use of reclaimed materials in new construction.
Years ago, wall-to-wall carpeting was viewed by many as the ultimate flooring for new homes – a vast expanse of soft, warm, cushiony flooring that seemed ideal for young families moving into new homes in the suburbs.
