One of the ways to earn certification points within a green building program is to use reclaimed wood. Reclaimed wood is wood that has been removed from it's prior use such as: old buildings, barns, bridges, barrels, boxes and much more. Reclaimed wood products are very hot in the rustic look new homes and the projects being certified green. Reclaimed wood helps the environmentally conscious green building by not using new harvested wood. The coolest thing about using reclaimed wood is the story that is behind the product. A person may use a reclaimed wood flooring in their home and every time a friend visits they get to explain where this floor came from. (Friend) Wow I love your floor. (You) Isn't it cool, it came from a old cotton mill that was built over a 100 years ago and recently was torn down. They took the old timbers from the building and made flooring out of it and I am also helping the environment by using this.

Reclaimed wood comes from some very common place along with some unthought of places. The most common place reclaimed wood is found is old buildings and barn. Some companies will disassemble an old timber frame barn piece by piece, labeling every joint. You can then purchase the old barn to be reconstructed or you may only want to purchase parts of the barn. Reclaimed wood from old building seems to be the common products. But the uncommon products come from old railroad box car bottoms, pickling vats, whiskey vats, wine vats, mushroom boxes, railroad ties, bridges, trestles, snow fences or even old log cabins. The picture here are a snow fence from the plains of Wyoming. These snow fences are used to keep the snow from blowing across the roads. As these fences age the old portions are removed and reclaimed into siding.

Many old pickle plants have discontinued using the old wooden barrel and gone to newer fiberglass or other type of barrel. This has put a large amount of reclaimed wood on the market. The old vats have to be disassembled and then set out for up to two years to get the vinegar smell out of the wood. The wood is then cut and planned into flooring, siding, molding, furniture or doors. The vinegar again creates a unique character like no other.

Mushroom Wood siding is a very unique product and creates an old weathered look like no other product can. Mushrooms are grown in wood boxes filled with a very high fertilizer composted. I won't explain this compost, you may not eat mushrooms again. These boxes are begin to rot from the compost and moisture. These boxes have to be replaced regularly. The wood boxes are reclaimed, steam cleaned to remove the compost. A beautiful aged siding emerges from a product that would normally go to a landfill or burned.