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From a niche product, reclaimed hardwood floorings have evolved to become the choice of many homeowners, becoming one of the most popular choices in almost every kind of home. Reclaimed wooden flooring, unlike what most people think, is quite a quality option provided you get it from a reputed manufacturer and install it well. As it is with every flooring product, having a thorough knowledge of it before making a choice is a step in the right direction, ensuring that your money is well spent.
Not every product is the same though- and knowing what to expect from your reclaimed flooring will help you make a better decision regarding what to expect. Here is a short guide that you can use to help you choose the right reclaimed wood flooring options.
The important things to look at before buying
Before you rush into purchasing reclaimed hardwood floorings, ensure that you are dealing with an experienced dealer who has a good reputation in the market. In addition, you need to know as to what you will get when you get reclaimed flooring. The source of the material used and if it was harvested from some old-growth forest are important things that you should be aware of. A better way to know these is to get written and verbal descriptions, along with samples and images of the floors, for these will better substantiate as to what you can expect from the finished product.
Installation of reclaimed products
If you have a contractor who claims that the installation of these products needs more hard work, then either he is not aware of the product, or has had a negative experience with a shady manufacturer. A quality manufacturer can get reclaimed flooring with a waste factor not greater than 5-6%. The labor that a reclaimed floor requires is as much as that required for any other kind of floor. This should help you in case you find reclaimed hardwood floorings at a very low price, which also takes us to the next most important factor.
The expected cost
Contrary to what many believe, the price of reclaimed wood is quite comparable to many other wood flooring options that are custom produced, including imported and specialty wooden floorings. In fact, reclaimed flooring has entered the mainstream market only in the last 15 years, which is why you may find a variety of ‘spin-offs’ in the market, resembling reclaimed products to quite a large extent.
