A growing trend toward using reclaimed barn wood for new construction projects is becoming more common in 2016. Private contractors have begun renovating both residences and public spaces with wood reclaimed from old barns, houses, commercial buildings, and factories across America.
Ross Guest House
A 714 square foot guest cabin recently featured on Tiny House Talk is just one example of how wood from old barns is being utilized to breathe new life into construction projects, whether close to home or far away from the site of the original structures.
The rustic, rural setting of Ross, California is the site of the Ross Guest House, designed by Dotter & Solfjeld Architects as part of an eco-conscious remodeling project on site. During work at a client’s property, the contractors noticed a dilapidated old barn and paddock on an adjacent lot owned by their client.
Though the barn itself was beyond repair, workers used wood reclaimed from the decaying structure to build a unique 714 square foot guest house in a style that mimicked the original barn.
Making the most of the interior space and adding locally-sourced sustainable harvested wood, the company built a quaint dwelling that includes a small living room, galley kitchen, dining room, bedroom, and bathroom. It even has a one-car garage and additional room for another vehicle.
Designing Interior Spaces With Salvaged Wood
A number of architects are now specializing in similar designs using reclaimed wood to provide their clients with handsome prefab cabins made from salvaged lumber. Others are crafting beautiful custom barn doors and barn wood paneling to add an authentic look to rustic log homes and rooms made more beautiful by the natural wood that’s used to build them.
Using reclaimed wood to build new structures like these is also great for the environment, since it limits the amount of new lumber that has to be harvested to satisfy the demand for new home construction in rural areas. Preserving the world’s forestry and limiting the amount of wood waste that ends up in landfills is now part of a global conservation effort to recycle materials and preserve and protect our environment.
By utilizing existing wood from barns and farm houses that are no longer useful, less natural habitat is disturbed, and the reclaimed wood can experience new life in modern dwellings that have a bit of history built right into their foundations.
We’ve even seen antique beams used as accent pieces and roof decking in restaurants, hotels, and lodges, as well as salvaged wood siding that looks more natural in areas where woodlands dominate the local landscape.
Natural Wood Alternatives for Log Homes
Of course, wood structures like these require lots of hard work and maintenance to preserve their beauty and life span over time. More importantly, custom builds like these are more costly than the average consumer can afford.
While we salute the efforts of master craftsmen who work hard to bring log homes like this to life, TruLog’s low-maintenance steel log siding gives homeowners a more affordable option when deciding on which materials to use to design a custom log home.
Our prefabricated siding is a superior, long-lasting product that withstands harsh weather better than authentic wood siding or traditional cabin logs, for less money. Our siding’s range of colors give you an authentic log cabin look you won’t have to spend a fortune to maintain.
Talk to one of our associates today to learn more about our products and give your new log home the look it deserves.
