Reclaimed Boards & Planks
Versatile, character-rich lumber sourced from barns, factories, and historic structures. Available in a range of species, widths, and surface finishes.
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The Beauty of Reclaimed Boards
Reclaimed boards and planks are the most versatile products in our inventory. From wide-plank barn siding with a century of weathered patina to tight-grained factory flooring that has been polished smooth by decades of foot traffic, every piece carries a unique history and visual character that no newly milled board can replicate.
Our team carefully de-nails, inspects, and grades each board. We offer them in their original rough-sawn state or re-milled to your specifications through our custom milling service.
Board Types & Finishes
Barn Siding
Weathered exterior boards with natural grey or brown patina. Nail holes and saw marks add authentic character. Ideal for accent walls, cladding, and furniture.
Tongue & Groove
Interlocking boards originally used for flooring, ceiling, and wall paneling. Available in original profile or re-milled to modern T&G standards.
Shiplap
Overlapping-joint boards salvaged from old exterior cladding and interior walls. A popular choice for farmhouse and modern rustic designs.
Rough-Sawn Planks
Thick, unfinished boards with original saw marks intact. Perfect for shelving, table tops, and structural applications where texture matters.
Re-Surfaced Boards
Reclaimed boards planed on one or both faces to reveal fresh grain while preserving the original edges and character. A balance of old and new.
Wide Planks
Boards 10″ and wider, increasingly rare in modern lumber. Sourced from old-growth trees with impressive grain width. Prized for flooring and table tops.
Available Widths & Thicknesses
Reclaimed boards vary in size based on their original use and source. We sort and inventory our stock by nominal dimensions. Custom widths and thicknesses are available through re-milling.
| Thickness | Width Range | Common Lengths | Typical Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2″ | 4″ – 8″ | 3′ – 8′ | Wall paneling, craft projects |
| 3/4″ | 3″ – 12″ | 4′ – 12′ | Flooring, shelving, wainscoting |
| 1″ | 4″ – 14″ | 4′ – 16′ | Siding, fencing, general construction |
| 1-1/2″ | 6″ – 12″ | 4′ – 16′ | Table tops, benches, countertops |
| 2″ | 4″ – 12″ | 4′ – 20′ | Decking, structural planking, treads |
Available Species
The species mix changes with our sourcing pipeline, but we consistently carry the following. Contact us for current availability and pricing.
White Oak
Dense and durable with prominent grain. Excellent for flooring, furniture, and any application where hardness and moisture resistance matter.
Heart Pine
Old-growth longleaf pine with rich amber tones. Exceptionally hard for a softwood. The gold standard for reclaimed flooring.
Douglas Fir
Warm reddish-brown color with straight, even grain. Versatile for structural and decorative applications. Most common in our western-sourced inventory.
American Chestnut
Extremely rare — the chestnut blight wiped out virtually all standing trees by 1950. Reclaimed chestnut boards are a prized, irreplaceable material.
Redwood
Naturally decay-resistant with a distinctive burgundy color. Reclaimed redwood is an eco-friendly alternative to harvesting living old-growth trees.
Mixed Hardwoods
Maple, ash, hickory, poplar, and other hardwoods available in varying quantities. Great for projects that embrace species variety and visual contrast.
Common Uses
- Wide-plank flooring with authentic character and patina
- Accent walls and feature walls in residential and commercial spaces
- Exterior cladding and rain screen siding
- Shelving, mantels, and built-in cabinetry
- Custom furniture: dining tables, desks, headboards, benches
- Ceiling paneling and coffered ceiling details
- Fencing, pergolas, and outdoor structures
- Retail and restaurant interior design
Custom orders welcome: Need a specific species, width, or surface finish? We can source and mill to your exact requirements. Email us at info@ca-lumber-recycling.com with your project details.
Reclaimed Boards for Flooring
Wide-plank reclaimed flooring is the single most popular use for our boards inventory. Architects specify it for high-end residential, hospitality, and retail projects because nothing else looks quite like a 100-year-old Heart Pine or Douglas Fir floor. The combination of old-growth density, natural patina, and authentic aging creates a material that connects modern interiors to American architectural history in a way new wood simply cannot.
Reclaimed flooring boards are typically supplied in random widths (3 to 12 inches) and random lengths (2 to 14 feet). Most customers prefer the random-width approach because it produces a floor that reads as more authentically old. For projects that require uniform widths, we can sort our inventory by width or mill all boards to a consistent dimension through our custom milling service.
Strip Flooring
2-1/4" to 3" wide. Traditional narrow-strip flooring. Best for hallways, smaller rooms, and Craftsman-era restorations.
Plank Flooring
4" to 6" wide. The most popular width range. Versatile for living rooms, bedrooms, and general residential.
Wide Plank
7" to 12" wide. Statement flooring for great rooms, lofts, and historic restorations. Glue-down or glue-and-nail installation.
Extra-Wide Plank
12"+ wide. Rare and impressive — sourced from old-growth trees that no longer exist. For showcase rooms and statement spaces.
Random Width Mix
Mixed widths (3-7" or 4-10") installed in pre-sorted patterns. Looks the most like a salvaged historic floor. Most popular for restorations.
End-Grain Pavers
Reclaimed end-grain blocks installed like cobblestones. Extremely durable. Best for industrial-aesthetic interiors and high-traffic commercial spaces.
Reclaimed Boards for Furniture & Casework
Independent furniture makers and millwork shops are among our most loyal customers for reclaimed boards. The combination of old-growth density, dimensional stability, and unique grain character makes reclaimed material ideal for fine furniture and built-in cabinetry. Below are the applications we supply most often.
Dining Tables & Conference Tables
Wide-plank reclaimed boards are particularly valuable for tabletops because they minimize the number of glue lines required. A single 8-foot dining table top can sometimes be made from just two or three wide reclaimed planks instead of the four to six narrow boards needed with new lumber.
Desks & Workstations
Custom desks for home offices and creative workspaces. Reclaimed Douglas Fir and Heart Pine are popular because they pair well with steel hairpin legs and modern industrial design vocabulary.
Built-in Bookcases & Shelving
Reclaimed boards used as shelving in built-in bookcases and library walls. Stable moisture content prevents the deflection problems common with new wood under heavy book loads.
Kitchen Islands & Vanities
Reclaimed boards as the base structure or as the visible cladding on kitchen islands and bathroom vanities. Pair with stone or solid-surface countertops for a striking material contrast.
Beds & Headboards
Custom platform beds and headboards. Wide-plank reclaimed Oak or Walnut creates statement pieces that anchor master bedroom designs. Tongue-and-groove cleats and steel L-brackets simplify installation.
Bench Seating & Benches
Mudroom benches, dining benches, and entry benches. The dense old-growth wood holds up to daily use better than most new hardwoods. Often paired with steel legs or built-in storage cubbies.
Accent Walls & Wall Cladding
Accent wall applications are the second-most-common use for reclaimed boards (after flooring). Whether it is a feature wall behind a fireplace, a textured surface behind a reception desk, or full-room cladding in a wine cellar or restaurant, the visual impact of authentic old wood is unmatched. The notes below cover the most common installation approaches and their pros and cons.
| Method | Best For | Fastener | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Face Nailing | Rustic accent walls | Cut nails, ring-shank | Authentic look, fast install | Visible nail heads |
| Blind Nailing (T&G) | Refined paneling | 18g brads through tongue | No visible fasteners | Requires T&G profile |
| Construction Adhesive | Smooth walls, no nails | Liquid Nails or PL Premium | Zero visible fasteners | Permanent, hard to remove |
| Hidden Clip System | Premium installations | Stainless clip system | Removable, no face fasteners | More expensive, slower install |
| French Cleat | Heavy single-piece panels | Beveled cleat strips | Strong, removable | Best for individual panels |
Where Our Boards Come From
Reclaimed boards come from a wider range of source structures than reclaimed beams, because almost every old building had board-and-plank components in its construction. The list below covers the source categories we work with most regularly. Provenance documentation is available on request for any major purchase.
Barn Siding & Roof Boards
The most abundant source. Exterior siding boards from West Coast and Mountain West barns built between 1880 and 1950. Weathered grey or brown patina, original nail holes, and occasional original paint residue all preserved.
Factory & Warehouse Flooring
2x6 and 2x8 flooring planks salvaged from heavy-timber factory buildings, canneries, and warehouses. Decades of foot traffic produced a smoothly worn surface unique to these source structures.
School Gymnasium Floors
Hard Maple flooring from decommissioned school gyms across the Midwest and Northeast. Unique because these floors were maintained to a high standard for decades and arrive in excellent condition.
Wine Tank Staves
Old-growth Redwood and White Oak staves from decommissioned California wine tanks. Inside surfaces carry deep wine staining; outside surfaces show original cooperage marks.
Bowling Alley Lanes
Hard Maple bowling lane segments from closed alleys. Extremely dense, perfectly flat, and ideal for bar tops and butcher blocks. Limited supply but consistently in demand.
Train Boxcars
Tongue-and-groove Doug Fir flooring from retired railroad boxcars. Built to handle heavy industrial loads and now repurposed for residential and commercial flooring.
Grading System for Boards & Planks
Our internal grading system for reclaimed boards balances structural soundness with aesthetic character. Unlike new-lumber grading rules (which penalize patina and nail holes), our grades acknowledge that some "defects" are actually desirable features in reclaimed material.
Architectural Select
Clean faces with minimal character marks. Tight knots only, no nail holes, no checks longer than 4 inches. Best for premium flooring and furniture where a refined appearance is required. About 15% of our annual board yield.
Character Grade
Sound knots up to 2 inches, occasional nail holes, light checking, and visible patina permitted. The most popular grade for residential flooring and accent walls. About 50% of our yield.
Rustic Grade
Open knots, unfilled nail holes, surface checks, and weathering retained. Wane and bark inclusion permitted on edges. Ideal for rustic accent walls and ranch projects. About 25% of our yield.
Salvage Grade
Heavy weathering, paint residue, large checks, and significant defects retained. Sold at a discount for projects that will be processed further. About 10% of our yield.
Installation Tips for Reclaimed Boards
- Acclimate before installing: Even kiln-dried reclaimed boards need 5-7 days to reach equilibrium with the installation space. Stack with stickers in the room before nailing down.
- Pre-sort by color and character: Open all bundles and sort boards into 3-5 piles by color and character. Mix from each pile during installation for an even distribution across the finished surface.
- Use carbide tooling: Even after our metal scanning, occasional embedded staples or wire fragments can damage non-carbide blades. Always use carbide saw blades and bits.
- Pre-drill near edges and ends: Old-growth wood is dense and prone to splitting at fastener locations. Pre-drill at 75-85% of the screw shank diameter within 2 inches of any edge or end.
- Stagger end joints: Random-length boards should be installed with at least 6 inches of stagger between adjacent rows. Avoid creating "H" patterns.
- Plan for waste: Order 12-15% more material than your finished area to account for cutting waste, end trim, and selection. Wider planks have higher waste factors.
- Apply finish on all sides: For flooring and tabletops, apply your chosen finish to the back and edges as well as the show face. This balances moisture exchange and prevents cupping.
- Use stainless or ceramic-coated fasteners: Especially for tannin-rich species like Oak, Redwood, and Cedar. Galvanized fasteners will produce permanent iron stains around every nail head.
Boards & Planks FAQ
Can reclaimed boards be used outdoors?
Naturally rot-resistant species (Redwood, Cedar, White Oak) work well outdoors with appropriate UV-resistant sealers. Doug Fir and Pine should be limited to sheltered exterior applications or treated with preservatives.
How wide are your widest planks?
We regularly stock boards up to 12 inches wide, and occasionally have 14-16 inch wide planks from particularly old source structures. Anything wider is special order.
Do the boards have nail holes?
Most do — that is part of the character. We grade based on the size, frequency, and location of nail holes. Architectural Select grade has minimal holes; Rustic grade has them in abundance. Choose the grade that matches your aesthetic.
Can I get all the same width?
Yes, we can sort our inventory by width or mill boards to a consistent dimension through our custom milling service. Custom-milled boards are sized to within 1/64 inch tolerance.
How much do reclaimed boards cost?
Pricing varies by species, grade, width, and processing. Common Doug Fir character-grade boards start around $4 per board foot. Heart Pine and rare hardwoods can reach $15-$18 per board foot for premium grades.
Can I see samples before ordering?
Yes. We provide free 6"x6" samples for any species and grade combination. For commercial projects over $5,000, we provide free 12-inch samples representing actual production lots.