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At the end of the trail there is a new beginning.
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For many of us, the Bicentennial of Lewis & Clark awakens the desire to rediscover our roots. There
is a certain fascination associated with delving into hostile undiscovered country with little more
than the bare necessities. The marks left in the wake of these journeys can give the homeowner a creative
perspective that is unique to the Northwest.
In a typical Northwest style home there might by anything from large exposed fir beams to custom wood
siding and trim work. In the absence of paint, the true colors of the wood are left to preserve a
natural look. Part of achieving that rustic appearance is understanding what materials are available
and how close they can resemble the wood products used in early historical homes.
The materials available are endless when looked for in the right place. Reclaimed wood products can
be an excellent resource. Reclaimed wood is anything from a tree salvaged from a river bottom to a beam
removed from a demolished building. On the outside, this material may not look like much. When milled,
however, the wood is often found to be of superior quality.
What makes reclaimed wood so appealing? The first thing to consider is the age of the material. Much of
the wood salvaged from older buildings comes from trees that grew to five hundred or more years before
being felled. Old growth, as it is often referred to, is far superior then the second or third growth
that is routinely logged today. As a tree is allowed to age longer, its growth pattern slows, causing
the rings toward the outside of the trunk to grow closer together. This gives wood milled from old growth
timber tight grain patterns and less knots.
A great deal of the wood milled in the past was also quarter sawn, or free of heart. That is lumber that
does not contain any portion of the center of the tree, which is void of rings. The more rings, the less
likely the piece warp as it dries and shrinks. Large support beams that are salvaged from older buildings
are usually found to be quarter sawn, taken from trees that have aged 400 years or more.
When considering the use of reclaimed wood, don’t be turned off by occasional nail holes or water stains.
Instead, look for ways to show them off. This adds character to the piece being displayed as well as preserves
the history behind it, Maybe the guests wonder why that unsightly gash was included in the table top, they may
be shocked to know that it was the original feller’s notch when the tree was cut down over ninety years ago.
Perhaps the picture of the building a beam was taken from hangs on the very nail that was placed in it eighty
years before.
With reclaimed wood, there really is no limit to creativity. In fact, this opens another point of discussion.
Maybe the project is a historical home. Trying to find new material that matches what needs replacing is difficult.
That is where custom mills that deal in reclaimed wood really shine. Siding, flooring, support beams, name it.
Anything can be produced to match the existing material by a custom mill. This option doesn’t lower the value of
the home either, because the wood that is being used in the reproductions is relatively the same age as the original
stock. It is also noteworthy to mention that certified reclaimed wood is tracked and can carry its own historical
significance.
Located not far from the Fort Clatsop National Memorial is the home of Trails End Timbers, a local custom mill that
has been able to preserve the history of this area in a unique way, It is also home of a material recovery and recycling
facility, or M.R.R.F. called Custom Excavating where all of the incoming material is tracked to its source, yielding a
wealth of information for both the builder and the homeowner. It is worth a visit and may certainly offer ideas on how
to add that special touch to a project. At Trails End Timbers, it’s not just the wood – it’s the history that is passed
down to you.
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The proceeding article, provided by Trails End Recovery, appeared in the Winter, 2004 edition of North Coast Living.
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