With reclaimed wood flooring, you have a chance to reuse old materials to create a more authentic, almost rustic look in your home.
Understanding what this wood is, and the pros and cons of having it installed, can help you to choose between it and your other flooring options.
What Is Reclaimed Wood Flooring?
Reclaimed wooden flooring is exactly what it sounds like – flooring that uses wood reclaimed from past projects.
The wood may come from old buildings, for instance, where it was previously used as flooring, or from sources as diverse as abandoned railway trestles or factories.
Thus, reclaimed wood has a history and character.
When touched up to modern standards, it lends a uniqueness to your interior design that few other options offer.
Average Cost Of Reclaimed Wood Flooring
Prices vary depending on several factors, meaning you could pay anywhere between $4.50 and $19 per square foot.
This works out to an average of $11.75 per square foot, which compares favorably to more traditional types of wooden flooring.
For example, a solid hardwood floor can cost between $7 and $16 per square foot, with genuine parquet often pushing you closer to the $15 or $20 per square foot region.
You can use our Flooring Cost Calculator to estimate the cost of installing new floors in your home.
Did you know? Parquet flooring comes at a premium because it uses small wooden slats to create a distinctive pattern on your floor. Installers may charge a higher price per square foot, or charge an hourly rate, because of the intricacy of this type of wooden flooring.
You also have to factor installation and finishing costs into the equation.
In addition to buying the flooring, expect to pay between $1.50 and $7.50 per square foot for installation, creating an average of $4.50 per square foot.
So, combining the two averages gives a total cost of $16.25 per square foot installed.
Most homeowners don’t use reclaimed wood for their entire flooring, instead preferring to use it as a feature for one or two rooms to keep costs down.
However, let’s assume you want to use reclaimed wood floors throughout your home.
According to Statista, the average single-family home built in America in 2022 had 2,522 square feet of floor space.
Multiply 2,522 by $16.25 and you get a total installation cost of $40,982.50.
A large figure, for sure, but once that you’re unlikely to encounter assuming you only wish to use reclaimed wood for one or two rooms.
| Material | Cost of Material Per Square Foot | Cost of Installation Per Square Foot | Total Cost for a 2,522-Square-Foot Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reclaimed Wood | $4.50-$19 | $1.50-$7.50 | $15,132-$66,833 |
| Hardwood | $7-$16 | $1.50-$7.50 | $21,437-$59,267 |
| Parquet | $15-$20 | $6.50-$19 | $54,223-$98,358 |
| Laminate Wood | $1-$4 | $1.50-$7.50 | $6,305-$29,003 |
| Tile | $1-$14 | $5-$25 | $15,132-$98,358 |
Reclaimed Wood Flooring Cost Breakdown
You’ve noticed the square footage variance between different types of reclaimed wood is high ($14.50 difference between the low and top ends), and you may wonder why.
The following explains why you’ll pay so much more for some types of reclaimed wooden flooring than you would for others.
Is the Wood Texture Original or Smooth?
You might assume that reclaimed wood with a smooth face would cost more than that with an original face.
After all, the wood has to be milled in a factory, requiring labor and thus creating a cost.
But that assumes “original” means you’re getting the reclaimed wooden flooring “as-is.”
That’s not the case.
Original reclaimed wood requires more work because the manufacturer has to carefully texture the wood’s face so it’s safe to walk on without losing any of its original look. As a result, original reclaimed wooden flooring actually costs more than the smooth variant.
The Wood Type
As you’ll see with regular hardwood flooring, the type of wood used has a drastic impact on your square-foot cost.
The rule of thumb is that rare wood costs more.
If you’re reclaiming standard pine, you can expect to land at the lower end of the cost spectrum.
But if you want something fairly unique, such as heart pine or chestnut, expect to pay a premium because those types of wood are more difficult to source.
Wood Board Size
The size of the wood impacts the cost in several ways.
First, wider or longer boards cost more than shorter boards.
That higher cost comes because wider and longer boards offer greater uniformity, creating a more cohesive look for which you’ll pay a premium.
Speaking of uniformity, you can keep your costs low by purchasing irregularly-sized boards.
Yes, with irregularly sized reclaimed wood flooring you get a more “random” look, but it can be argued that this feeds into the reclaimed look, lending the floor an authenticity that fades if there is uniformity across the board.
Wood Grade
Grading comes down to the quality of the reclaimed wood used in your flooring, and it’s something you’ll see in all types of wooden flooring.
Simply put – wood is graded based on its appearance and the presence of defects. The fewer aesthetic and structural issues the wood has, the better the grade.
Reclaimed wood that has defects gets a lower grade, and the price goes up along with the grade of the wood.
Did you know? The Wood Recyclers Association (WRA) uses a four-grade rating system for reclaimed wood. Grade A means the wood is clean and comes from sources such as secondary manufacture and pallets. Grade B adds demolition waste to the mix, with Grade C means the wood is only usable as a food source. No reclaimed flooring is made using Grade D wood because this is classified as hazardous waste.
Additional Reclaimed Wooden Flooring Cost Factors
Besides the cost factors associated with the specific type of reclaimed wooden flooring you choose, several other issues may raise (or lower) your spending.
Factor 1 – Flooring Square Footage
The most obvious additional factor is the square footage you wish to cover with reclaimed wood flooring.
You’ll spend more if you choose to deck out your entire home, and it also costs more (both for the wood and installation costs) if you have a larger home.
Factor 2 – Removal of Existing Flooring
Your contractors will likely have to remove your existing flooring before they can install your reclaimed wooden planks.
Thankfully, these costs aren’t as high as the cost of installation, with contractors typically charging between $1.80 and $3.50 per square foot, which should include labor, materials, and disposal of the old flooring.
If your contractor quotes at the lower end of that spectrum (or below), enquire about disposal.
You may find that a lower quote means you have to dispose of the old flooring yourself, which ultimately adds more to the overall cost.
Factor 3 – Irregular Floor Layouts
In a perfect world, you can order reclaimed wooden boards and install them directly without worrying about cutting to fit.
But most houses aren’t located in a perfect world.
Every alcove, corner, or irregularly shaped room forces your installers to cut boards down to unique sizes to ensure the best fit possible. That’s all labor, and the more your installers have to alter the boards you buy, the more you’ll pay.
Reclaimed Wood Floors Maintenance Costs
There are a few costs to consider when it comes to maintaining reclaimed wood, though most don’t stretch beyond what you have to consider for other types of flooring.
For instance, you’ll use a combination of a vacuum cleaner and a lightly dampened mop (with no bleach or harsh cleaning products) to clean the floor every week.
That’s not so different from the maintenance a tile or laminated floor requires.
However, you may have to spend extra for specific wood cleaner products if you want to ensure the floor sparkles.
Speak to the flooring manufacturer to discover what they recommend, and avoid cleaning with harsh chemicals or scouring pads.
Unfortunately, there is an aspect of maintenance that costs substantially more than the others – re-sanding and refinishing the wood. Constant footfall on the flooring creates wear and tear, for which you have to compensate by re-sanding and refinishing every 10 to 20 years.
Currently, that costs between $1.50 and $4.50 per square foot, creating a total cost between $3,783 and $11,349 in a 2,522-square-foot house.
Pro Tip: If you want to sand down your reclaimed wood flooring yourself, use 100-grit sandpaper and always sand in a circular motion. However, it’s often best to call the professionals, especially if the manufacturer used polyurethane or similar materials to finish the wood. Sanding in those instances might just cause damage to the finish, for which you have to pay to get restored.
Reclaimed Wood Floor Pros And Cons
By now, you likely have a question – why use reclaimed wood flooring when there are so many other, often cheaper, options?
The wood comes with several benefits, though it’s also true that there are several downsides to going down the reclaimed road.
What Are the Advantages of Reclaimed Wood Flooring?
Reclaimed wood comes with several upsides that make some people happy enough to pay a slightly higher price compared to other options:
- Authenticity – Reclaimed wood has a character that you don’t find in other types of flooring. In a world where everything else is made to measure up to specific aesthetic characteristics, reclaimed wood breathes a touch of history into your home.
- Sustainability – Reusing older wood means that manufacturers don’t have to chop down trees to make new wood. For those concerned about the environmental impact of using wood, reclaimed wood is a way to use what already exists rather than destroying something to create materials.
- Strength – Mass manufacturing has an impact on the quality of wood that many manufacturers use for flooring. Reclaimed wood often had industrial purposes, meaning it’s often of higher quality (and stronger) than regular wood flooring.
What Are the Disadvantages of Reclaimed Wood Floors?
- The Cost Variance – You’ll often pay more for reclaimed wood than you will for engineered hardwood flooring, especially if you opt for a rarer type of wood. Worse yet, the increasing popularity of reclaiming wood means some manufacturers skimp on standards to produce wood that’s cheaper and won’t last as long in your home.
- Pest and Rot Problems – Without regular maintenance, the defects in reclaimed wood can attract pests, which nest in holes, or create the possibility of rotting. As such, reclaimed wood often requires more regular maintenance than standard hardwood flooring.
- Toxin Issues – It’s crucial that you know exactly where the reclaimed wooden flooring you install came from. Remember – a lot of reclaimed wood has an industrial history. If you don’t know where it came from, the wood may contain toxins, such as lead or old chemicals, that you don’t want to introduce into your home.
Where Is Reclaimed Wood Flooring Used?
Let’s start with the obvious – many people use reclaimed wood to lend more character to their homes.
As a result, it’s often used to deck out entire floors in homes, much the same way as any other type of flooring.
Furthermore, reclaimed wood can be used in commercial premises, though it’s more common in offices that want to create a certain vibe than it is in industrial facilities.
Interestingly, some used reclaimed wooden flooring on their walls, rather than their floors. Think of people who might create pieces of art or interesting patterns using irregular boards and you have the idea.
Pro Tip: Using reclaimed wood for walls comes with a big issue – wood is heavy. Often, it’s too heavy to hang on a wall as-is, meaning you have to build supports at regular intervals to stop the wood from tearing down the rest of the wall due to its weight. Use 2 x 4 or 2 x 6 supports, spaced at regular intervals across the wall, to support the wood.
Why Use Reclaimed Wood Flooring?
The reasons for using reclaimed wood flooring usually boil down to reducing your environmental impact and creating a unique aesthetic.
Beyond that, the wood offers few advantages over regular hardwood flooring, as it often costs more and can be more difficult to maintain if you have to deal with defects in the lumber.
Where To Buy Reclaimed Wood Floors
Unfortunately, you’re unlikely to find reclaimed wooden flooring in large home hardware stores, like Lowes and Home Depot. They tend to focus on more modern products.
Instead, you must look for stores that specialize in reclaimed lumber and can deliver throughout the United States.
Examples include Appalachian Wood, Aged Woods, and Elmwood Reclaimed Timber.
Regardless of who you buy from, always check to confirm the source of the wood, as well as any measures the supplier takes to ensure the wood is non-toxic and to finish it so it’s suitable for flooring.
What Is The Best Reclaimed Wood Flooring?
The easy answer is that the best reclaimed wooden flooring is whatever appeals to your eye.
But if you dig down to the material level, oak is an excellent choice for this type of flooring.
It’s tougher than standard pine and often features detailed graining and knots that accentuate the aesthetic you wish to achieve. Plus, it’s not as rare as materials like chestnut, so you won’t pay exorbitant prices per square foot.
Is Reclaimed Wood Cheaper Than New Hardwood Flooring?
It can be, though it all comes down to the materials.
You’ll see from the figures near the beginning of the article that a solid hardwood floor can cost between $7 and $16 per square inch.
Reclaimed wood can be cheaper ($4.50 per square foot at the low end), but it can also cost more as you may have to pay up to $19 per square foot for reclaimed wood.
Why Is Reclaimed Wood Flooring So Expensive?
Think of the cost factors associated with reclaimed wooden flooring and you have your answer.
First, there are the materials to consider, with the more expensive types of reclaimed flooring costing more simply because it’s difficult to source enough of the same type of wood to create a cohesive look for the floor.
That’s especially the case with something like chestnut, which only has specific uses and is thus harder to reclaim.
Did you know? American chestnut was rarely used in houses. Instead, it was often used on the railways for poles, posts, fences, and railroad ties. That’s one of the reasons it’s so rare, as this wood was often poorly maintained and subject to enormous amounts of wear, tear, and pollution.
Second, reclaimed wood requires treatment before installation.
Manufacturers spend a lot of resources on this treatment, especially if they’re creating “original” wood flooring, with those costs passed on to the consumer.
Is Reclaimed Wood Good For Flooring?
There’s little to suggest that reclaimed wood is better, at least on the durability level, than regular high-quality hardwood flooring.
But note the use of the words “high-quality” there.
That goes both ways, with the quality of the flooring you purchase, reclaimed or otherwise, coming down to the manufacturer’s processes and selectiveness when it comes to choosing the wood.
Where reclaimed wooden flooring excels is in creating a certain type of atmosphere in your home. It’s imperfect and natural.
The authenticity that comes from this is one of the main reasons why many use reclaimed wood for flooring.
(Re)claim A More Authentic Look
Authenticity is the key to reclaimed wood flooring.
It won’t give you a perfectly cohesive floor, even if you manage to secure boards of equal sizes, but it will breathe character into a room that might otherwise seem neutral or boring.
Assuming you buy the flooring from a reputable manufacturer, you may also find that it stands up to heavy footfall better than some cheaper wood flooring options, though regular maintenance is crucial.
The one major downside is the cost, which can become prohibitive if you have a specific (and rare) type of wood in mind.
But if you can handle those costs, and don’t mind keeping up with maintenance, reclaimed wood flooring can last a lifetime in your home.
