A Hunt for Reclaimed Lumber

On a recent business trip to Ashland, Ohio, John acquired a truckload of reclaimed and antique hardwood 2×12’s, beech and elm as well as white oak granary board. These hardwoods have a dark, natural patina. He also picked up some beautifully weathered gray barn board for a residential customer in Maine. John finally found a truck big enough and hauled it all back to the Rousseau Reclaimed shop in South Portland.

But wait, there’s more!

During the Ohio shopping adventure, John also acquired a trailer-load of resawn reclaimed and antique hickory, ash, walnut, cherry and maple. These beautiful hardwoods were delivered to the shop last week. What makes this wood unique is that the original builder, a 19th-century Ohio farmer, attempted to resaw the beech on his old circular sawmill. The rickety old mill left deep saw marks, or kerf marks. The natural beauty of the wood combined with the kerf marks has inspired John and his crew to find equally unique applications.

These hardwoods, elm, beech, and maple, were not commonly used in New England construction a hundred or two hundred years ago. Oak and pine were abundant and staples in residential, educational and agricultural structures. In the Midwest, however, and in the Ohio River Valley specifically, softwoods such as pine were not as common as in the Northeast. Typically, barns were constructed from hardwoods such as oak and maple and sheathed with softwoods.

These new hardwood acquisitions contain golden and apricot tones that create a warmer, brighter look and feel. The reclaimed beech is wormy by nature and contains a circular sawn pattern. Features from both nature and American history combine to create a cozy, rustic wood that is perfect for flooring, paneling, accents or shelves.

These beautiful hardwoods are perfect for that uniquely Maine lifestyle, goin’ up to camp.

Contact John today for a quote or appointment at (207) 749-3831.

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