FAQ reclaimed antique timber

Frequently Asked Questions

Why recycled lumber?
Are recycled timbers more expensive than green lumber?
What are the Price Ranges?
What are the Terms and Conditions
How do I buy it?
What about nails, bolts, and the like?
Can you resurface and or re-saw the wood to my specs.?
What About Meeting Building Codes?

Why Recycled Lumber?

Different people are motivated by different issues. The obvious answer is that it's the right thing to do. Reusing the lumber from old buildings keeps this valuable commodity in circulation where it would otherwise wind up in a burn pile or landfill. Reuse softens the demand for high-quality wood that can only be had by logging our remaining old-growth forests, thus helping to conserve ancient forests and reducing impacts on the fish and wildlife that depend on them. In regard to redwood, commercial logging of old growth trees has ended. The best way to secure remnants of this precious resource is to re-use what a previous generation removed from the forest.

Here are some other very good reasons to choose recycled lumber.

All of our lumber is old growth lumber, sawn from some of the first forests to be harvested in the late 1800's and early part of the 1900's. The grain is closely spaced and, since it is air dried (as opposed to kiln dried), the natural resins of the tree and the cell structure of the wood are still intact. This leads to a harder product and one which has an internally glowing patina when finished. For exposed woodwork, be it massive timber frame or subtle, fine crafted woodwork, there is nothing like it.

If you want to give a project both elegance and rustic charm the "distressed" nature of some recycled timbers, with their nail and bolt holes and various splits, cracks and notches from aging and construction, lend a unique character to the wood.

Wood like this speaks to those people who care to listen. A chorus of voices, fixed in time for the eye to admire and the hand to touch, resonate with the labor of hard-won human endeavor and the whisper of wind high in the tree tops.

Are recycled timbers more expensive than green lumber?

Apples to apples, no. Our reclaimed redwood lumber is from 100% old growth stock that has been air dried slowly over a long period of time. There is a great difference between what we offer and what is commercially available from green lumber. Still, recycled lumber is priced competitively with green lumber of the same species, grade and dimension. Where reclaimed timber prices diverge from green lumber is in high grade and the large dimension pieces. The fact is many of the larger dimension timbers from 6x12 on up, commonly used in construction 50 or 100 years ago simply do not exist in today's lumber market. Glue-laminated wood, Steel, or reinforced concrete beams have taken their place.

While large dimension lumber can be had on a custom cut basis, the process is problematic. A query of redwood mills up and down the California coast for dry, 7 grain per inch, clear heart 12x 12's yielded this response: "$12.00 a board foot. Green. Two year wait... If we can get it." Hence the larger dimension timbers, either reclaimed or green, carry their own intrinsic value above and beyond the market price of common dimensional lumber.

Regarding value, reclaimed, air dried lumber is superior in every way to kiln dried lumber. Kiln drying speeds up the process by subjecting the wood to heat and pressure. This weakens the cell walls as the moisture is rapidly drawn away. The wood fibers are also stressed by the heat. They no longer have "life." Air dried wood has more resistance to scratches and dings. In addition, its color and appearance is distinctive. Some say that it projects a glow from its depth. With practice, you can distinguish the old from the new. Once it is in your home, you will certainly feel the difference.

Price Ranges

Douglas-fir timber prices range from $0.85 to $2.00 per board foot.

Redwood timber prices are from $2.25 to $10.00 per board foot.

Western Red Cedar timber prices are from $1.00 to $3.00 per board foot.

Prices are dependent upon specie, dimension, length, condition and grade. There is a wide variety of all these qualities in the inventory and we are unable to put a fixed price on each stick of wood on this website. A 12" x 12" timber will cost less than a 16" x 16" one. A 12' length less than a 20' length. Also, for example, in pricing 3" x 14" Douglas-fir joists, some units will cost $1.50/BF while those that are extra clean or contain clear lumber will cost $2.50/BF. See our current price page

Clear all heart lumber is priced at the top of the range.

We do not sell rotten, split or defective lumber unless it is noted by the buyer who plans to re-mill the stock or use it in an application where that is not a consideration. The price will reflect any defect.

How do I buy it?

We will do our best to accurately describe the lumber, its physical condition, or to supply photographs of the lumber prior to shipping. It is the Buyer's responsibility to inspect the material or to have an agent inspect the material prior to purchase. There will be no refunds once the lumber is shipped.

Terms and Condition

All orders are considered custom orders. All lumber is sold as is where is, with no guarantees implied or stated. The lumber is in banded units. All prices are Freight On Board: Arcata, California, 95521. A deposit of 50% of the purchase price initiates an order. Twenty percent of the deposit is non-refundable. The balance of the purchase price is due and payable prior to shipping. We will provide shipping options and arrange shipping as per buyer's instructions. Payment for shipping will be the responsibility of the buyer unless other arrangements have been made. We accept credit card payments through PayPal.

What about nails, bolts, and the like?

We make a determined effort to remove any and all metal from the lumber based on visual inspection at the time of deconstruction. We do miss some nails and lumber may still contain nails and other metal, paint or finishes upon delivery.

We will gladly arrange to have lumber electronically scanned and denailed. Electronically scanning and removal of metal: $50 to $100 per thousand board feet (MBF).

Can you resurface and or re-saw the wood to my specs?

Yes! We can re-mill or surface to a buyer's specifications. Approximate costs for the above services are as follows:

Re-milling: $250 to $500/MBF, Surfacing $100 to$200/MBF.
Costs tend to vary with the number of cuts made or surfaces treated

All costs associated with de-nailing and electronically scanning, milling and surfacing, freight to and from the mill are assumed by the buyer. Should the buyer not purchase the finished material, the 50% deposit will not be refunded.

Meeting Building Codes

Our structural old growth timbers often exceed qualities necessary to meet local building codes because codes now are based on wider grain, second- and third-growth stock. However, not all reclaimed timbers can be grade-stamped at their original grade level due to bolt holes or other conditions. We advise that your architect or structural engineer perform load and bearing calculations that takes the unique characteristics of this material into account. Generally, building designers "over build" with these timbers. That is, they specify timbers that are larger than those required by the codes. An architect's or structural engineer's stamp of approval will satisfy the building inspector's need for claim of responsibility to meet code structural requirements.