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Reclaimed Wood Flooring is such a unique style, one that’s all on its own. It epitomizes the rustic approach and is perfect for cottage settings, or even the traditional style kitchen. Today, I’m going to discuss on how you can achieve this look by doing-it-yourself and using unfinished wood flooring.
Reclaimed Wood Flooring – Using Unfinished Wood
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The first step to this process would be, of course, to get your primary material, unfinished wood. Think of these pieces as a clean slate, an empty canvas just waiting to be drawn upon. It provides an opportunity for limitless creativity, and allows you to create the style you have in mind. In the reclaimed look. Lucky for you, we have what you need at Builders Surplus, with plenty of unfinished wood in-stock for your choosing!
Reclaimed Wood Flooring – Roughing It Up!
Some of these methods I gained from the people at younghouselove.com – they have brilliant ideas for stuff like this, and I definitely took note!
Sanding: After you purchase your unfinished woods, it’s time to start roughing it up a bit. First, sand the surface, making it smooth. Getting rid of the initial texture will already make the wood look a bit aged! Next, it’s time to start roughing up the wood!
Bag of Screws: I’ve seen plenty of techniques on distressing wood, and this one right here, although peculiar, results in an excellent effect. Smack a bag of screws across your sanded surface and notice the little dimples it creates! Just enough to set off the texture, and for it to look weathered.
Hammer it!: Now don’t pick up a hammer and go Thor on your unfinished wood, now. Instead, place small dents across each board. Scatter them out, and don’t make it look like a hammer was there. Remember, the key to pulling off this look is for it look like time/weather created it, not you.
Groove it!: Use a long screw with threading and press down, using the threads to groove the soft wood. You can switch it up, too! Perform all of these techniques on the board – OR – make it a variety and distress each one differently. It’s up to you!
Screw Small Holes: Ever looked at a piece of old wood and noticed all the small holes from insects and bugs? Pretty cool, right? Achieve this look by piloting small holes with a drill bit across the tops of the board!
Sand It Again: Now that you’ve beat it up a bit, sand it to give it the smooth texture. Not too much or you’ll end up undoing what you just did. Press down lightly in circular motions, and that should do the trick.!
Reclaimed Wood Flooring – It’s Stain Time
Alright, now this another choice that is solely yours, but I’m here to tell you that the darker the stain the better. Of course, you can mix it up with some lighter stains, for sure. All of it doesn’t have to be dark, and to be honest, it shouldn’t be if you’re trying to get the true reclaimed wood flooring look. To name some off the top of my head, Dark Cherry, Red Oak, Maple, Red Mahogany, and Dark Walnut are just some of the choices you have. Pair those with lighter stains like Pickled Oak, Pickled White, Honeytone, and Winter White, and you’ll achieve the look. Trust me. As for the brand, I highly suggest Rust-Oleum. They have the best stain, hands down, everything from deck stain to distressed look. They’re excellent.
Now, mind you, these are just some ideas for you. There are a plethora of methods you can do to distress wood and create a variety for your reclaimed wood flooring. This post is just for you to gain inspiration and ensure you that it’s actually an easier process than it looks. And it’s really, really fun. Hope this inspired you even in the slightest, and that you think about this idea during your next remodel! Take care and stay blessed!
Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We are the leading provider of Ledge Stone, wall tile and backsplash tile in Louisville, Newport, and Cincinnati. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation!
Written by: Chris Chamberlain
