Recycling old barn wood is an environmentally friendly use of existing resources and a true sustainable practice.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a century ago, more than 50 percent of the U.S. population lived in rural areas, and 30 percent of the workforce was engaged in farming. Today, fewer than 2 percent of Americans farm for a living, and only 17 percent
of Americans now live in rural areas.
The result of this shift in our culture is that vast numbers of old barn structures have been left behind. Some old barns are repaired and reused, but many more are crumbling and in significant disrepair
For some time now, there has been an effort to recycle the lumber, reclaimed wood beams and barn boards salvaged from the old barns scattered across the United States. Nobody knows whether this came about for purely economic reasons re-selling an old resource for a new use and a profit, or it was intended as a great sustainability practice, making good use of a valuable and plentiful resource. Either way, it makes good sense.
Much of this vintage barn wood comes from original stands of old growth virgin forests, hundreds of years old, felled during the days of vast clear-cut logging and the expansion of the U.S. This wood has unmatched architectural quality and character, and is prized for its beauty and its dry, stable and dense nature. It is perfect for applications such as in timber frame homes, exposed wood beams, wood flooring, cabinetry and furniture.
This special lumber is sought after by architects, craftsmen, builders and even those who appreciate the American past.