Flooring with a Story

All dwellings, even new ones, can have a fascinating history, if you incorporate a bit of the past into the structure. And whether a home, office or retail space, one of the most dramatic and eco-friendly ways to do that is with reclaimed, custom flooring made from wooden structures from around the world.

Among the compelling forces behind the increasing popularity of reclaimed vintage floors are the stories behind them. Some of the most beautiful and interesting wood is made from historic structures such as buildings from heroic Civil War venues and antiquated factories. Others are composed of restored lumber salvaged from sites in Europe and Asia, including an 800-year-old temple from the time of the Ming Dynasty in China.

“You could say that all reclaimed wood has an intriguing history,” says Ron Sauer of Excelsior Wood Products, Kingston, N.Y., a wood reclaiming specialist who creates millwork masterpieces from vintage wood of all types. “Whether it is removed from an old mansion, public building or even an old industrial facility, there is a story to it that adds an unexpected value to the wood when it’s reclaimed.”

“People really love the history behind their reclaimed flooring, and often collect pictures of the original sites and structures they came from,” explains Joe Walsh, president of Walsh Flooring, Ridgefield, N.J., a specialist in the finishing and installation of vintage wood.

“What is interesting about reclaimed wood is that there is usually a story behind it, and our customers are delighted with that,” says Hany Gerges, Senior Designer at Manhattan Center for Kitchen and Bath in New York City, a design firm and showroom that offers a wide variety of high-end products and services. “It makes a good conversation piece for guests, plus you get the unique look of the wood and the beauty of the application, whether flooring or paneling or other uses.”

Kevin Conklin, project manager for a New York-based architect and construction manager at Wright Builders, adds, “One of the major influences in some designs and motifs that we’ve undertaken was the travel that the client had done. For instance, they may have gone to Europe and seen a magnificent building or even a room such as a library and decided that the weathered, aged wood was a look they wanted to replicate in their home.”

Wright Builders specializes in high-end residential projects in the New York and New Jersey areas, and in a recent Manhattan brownstone project the company used hand-hewn barn beams throughout the 12,000-square-foot house, as well as walls, floors and ceilings finished in reclaimed wood.

Fulfilling the Possibilities
Walsh, a master at wood finishing, says that the many amazing style possibilities of reclaimed wood include species, width and length, texture, pattern and finish. His firm and Wright Builders often work with Excelsior Wood Products. From moldings to flooring, Excelsior offers customers what it says are the highest quality antique and vintage wood products. The company can either source the wood or provide milling services to designers and suppliers who already have their material.

“Excelsior is quite capable of producing reclaimed flooring and other wood products a wide variety of species, dimensions and textures,” Walsh says. “And that is important, because some customers prefer a rough texture or dull finish, while others prefer smooth planks with a gleaming high-gloss finish.”

Ron Sauer, Excelsior founder and president, says he takes great pride in his firm’s high standards and meticulous attention to customer preferences.

“Our wood products are about quality, we don’t mass-produce our lumber,” Sauer says. “Each floor board has been individually hand-picked and milled to the customer's specifications. We also offer a complementary line that includes antique wooden stair treads and moldings to match your floors. Plus, we offer furniture-grade antique lumber for other woodworking projects.”

Achieving that quality and flexibility requires a lot of specialized equipment, Sauer says. Excelsior not only has that equipment, but has also had equipment custom built to suit his operation.

“In some cases we use wood that is not vintage, but we want it to look that way,” Conklin says. “Excelsior can do that for us by using the species of choice and then milling and distressing the wood so that it looks exactly the way we want it. They have the equipment to do just about anything you can ever imagine.”
 

Beyond Millwork
In many instances, when locating an unusual or historic supply of wood, or matching the customer’s desires in terms of species and style, Excelsior says it will scour many countries and warehouses.

Getting the designer’s or customer’s preference in species is another challenge that Sauer has accepted. Whether antique heart pine, American and European chestnut, mixed antique oak, or even rare species, he has sourced throughout the world to find the needed wood.

“In some instances we purchase large volumes of salvaged wood from historic sites and then warehouse them for future orders,” Sauer explains. “Examples of that include old factories, sections of boardwalk, tobacco barns, and stables.”
 

The Green Side
Reclaiming wood for flooring is a recycling procedure; hence, there is a significant green side to the process.

“One of the surprising benefits of using reclaimed wood is the ‘green’ appeal,” says Hany Gerges. “This wood is so beautiful and unique, yet some people attach much importance to the green factor. They are delighted that this fine wood is being reused and not destroyed. And it is treated, making it 100 percent biologically clean, which is also a benefit.”

Also significant, whereas new construction typically uses wood from immature trees, which can limit species selection and offer less size latitude, salvaging wood from magnificent large growth trees allows much greater species and size latitude, and makes use of a valuable resource that might otherwise be used for firewood.

Another green-related benefit of reclaimed wood flooring is that it is very easy to take care of. Many customers simply have the wood oiled, so it is actually much easier to maintain than other exposed flooring, which may require frequent cleaning and refinishing.
 

Affordable Artwork
While using reclaimed vintage wood is more expensive than everyday commercial flooring, homeowners and designers feel strongly that this beautiful flooring is a worthwhile investment. The cost difference depends on several factors, including expenses incurred in procuring the salvaged wood as well as the extent of the reclaiming, finishing and installation processes.

“The cost difference probably isn’t as much as many people would imagine,” Sauer says. “In some cases it’s 30 percent higher than everyday wood, but our customers believe it’s very much worth it. Not only do they feel that the flooring or paneling has an added monetary and vintage quality that will quite possibly appreciate in value, but it’s an investment they can enjoy every day...that also tells a pretty good story.”

This article was submitted on behalf of Excelsior Wood Products LLC, Kingston, N.Y. The company can be reached at admin@excelsiorwood.com. More information also is available at www.excelsiorwood.com.