In this day and age when consumerism is at an all-time high, it’s no wonder sustainability has turned into such a trend. After all, it’s meant to improve our lives for the better, teaching us the importance of being more prudent with the choices we make when it comes to shopping, while at the same time it shows us the necessity to be more mindful with protecting the environment.
It may not be easy to transform one’s lifestyle completely into that of sustainability, but when you take it step by step and then reap the benefits of the new choices you make shopping-wise, you get motivated to continue adopting more and more sustainable habits, like reducing, reusing and recycling. For instance, even furniture shopping can turn sustainable if you know what to look for; recycled timber furniture is a great example of what you should be after.
Why buy reclaimed timber?
Environment – Reclaimed, also known as recycled furniture makes a nice option given the eco-friendly advantages it provides. For start, timber salvaged from old warehouses, boats, trucks, bridges, and mills used to create furniture pieces means there’s no deforestation thus the chance to conserve old growth forests; the more forests saved, the bigger the carbon storage.
Source: medium.com
Additionally, there’s also the prevention of unnecessary waste that ends up on landfills which when mixed up with other types of waste, think non-recycled, could turn dangerous because it slows down the decomposing process and in turn generates the production of methane, a greenhouse gas potentially causing global warming.
In other words, the practice of reclaiming timber leads to less greenhouse gas emissions, which is at the benefit of the environment and human health in general. And then, there’s the aspect of animals, especially those that depend on trees either for food or shelter – so by choosing to buy recycled timber furniture, you make the right decision at the benefit of animals as well.
Aesthetics –What’s particularly striking with reclaimed wood is that every piece is unique with its raw beauty (translation: no two pieces are the same!), even when it’s got some wear and tear signs in the form of cracks, splits, dents and chips as they provide the furniture with a special charm; the more signs of ageing it has, the more history!
Décor – Wood is always trendy, especially nowadays that natural materials are so popular in the interior décors, whether it’s minimalist homes, homes in traditional, industrial or Hamptons style. The unique beauty allows you to have freedom with how you wish to style reclaimed furniture pieces, i.e. what you want to combine them with.
Source: pinterest.com
For instance, you can go as far as combining them with wood furniture that’s not reclaimed since old and new can be an ideal match. Moreover, other natural materials in the likes of wool also happen to be a great option; an example for this would be a table set with chairs dressed with wool covers, or if you’re no fan of wool, imagine them with faux fur instead.
Cost – Popular as the wooden pieces are, you might be discouraged to incorporate them in your home when you look at their prices. Well, fret not because the recycled timber furniture is much more cost efficient and offers the same quality!
Durability – Wood furniture is famous for its durability, along with its stylishness, which is what you can also expect from that made from reclaimed timber. With a little bit of maintenance, you can be sure of making use of this type of furniture for about a decade (if not more with your care), so it’s quite the investment to make.
Source: ecooutdoor.com.au
In terms of maintenance, all you’d have to do is wipe the dust with a clean and slightly damp soft cloth every week or so, and keep it away from humidity as well as too much exposure to direct sunlight or heat source like radiators to prevent warping and help it age gracefully; When you have some spill accident, remember to clean immediately so as to avoid any stains, though stay away from certain cleaning products that have harsh chemicals in them as they can damage the wood.
When it’s the case with tables, there’s the danger of getting marks from hot plates, pots and mugs so don’t place them directly on the wood but on coasters and placemats. As for the extra dose of care, when the wood is unfinished you can add protection in the form of special wood conditioner, whereas with finished timber if you want to provide it with some nourishment, consider waxing.
Not only does waxing help with increasing the wood’s resistance, it also makes it look as good as new, especially when done regularly. Still, to make the most of this special care, it’s important to remember you ought to choose the wax based on the type of finish the furniture has.
Industrial Updating 