Flooring made out of wood that has been found or recovered from just about anywhere is called reclaimed hardwood flooring. Many a time this hardwood is what has been deserted, located in landfills, floors that have been torn out of old buildings, fished out from river beds, etc. Logging in the rainforests for tropical hardwoods like teak, mahogany, and rosewood is rampant and it is predicted that the tropical rainforest cover in the world is fast disappearing. This excessive desire for hardwood is also upsetting the ecological, biological, and social balance of tropical lands and is plainly unsustainable. This is why it makes perfect sense to opt for reclaimed hardwood flooring and make an attempt to save what remains of the rainforests.
Reclaimed hardwood flooring has a unique different appearance when compared to traditional hardwood flooring. This flooring has its own flaws like nail marks, dents and pits. They are more richly colored and have their own distinctive look. Nonetheless, they are long-lasting and tough. The extra work done to reclaim them and transform their appearance makes them more expensive. There are many suppliers available who supply reclaimed and re-milled hardwood. It can be used for the flooring of an entire house to just where you need it. make certain that you do not use it in areas with too much moisture. It is a good idea to heat up the house for at least a week before installation. The relative humidity levels that lead to least damage to such floors is about 35 percent to 50 percent.
Professional help is available to install such floors. Pre-finished reclaimed hardwood flooring needs no sanding or polishing. A moisture-free sub-floor made of external plywood is recommended. The floor needs to be vacuumed regularly and wet-mopped once in a way. Spraying with a mixture of water and bright white vinegar and mopping is an inexpensive way to maintain a shining floor. Reclaimed hardwood flooring fits in perfectly with your ‘build a green home’ initiative!