Frequently Asked Questions

Reclaimed lumber is wood salvaged from existing structures — barns, warehouses, factories, bridges, and other buildings — before they are demolished or during renovation. Instead of ending up in a landfill, the wood is carefully removed, de-nailed, cleaned, and processed for reuse. Reclaimed lumber includes dimensional boards, beams, timbers, flooring, and siding sourced from structures often 50-150+ years old.

Yes, when properly processed. At Lumber Portland, every piece of reclaimed lumber goes through a rigorous process: metal detection and de-nailing, inspection for chemical treatment or contamination, kiln drying to 6-8% moisture content (which also kills any insects, larvae, or mold), and grading for structural integrity. We reject any material that shows signs of chemical treatment, lead paint, or hazardous contamination. Our kiln-drying process meets ISPM-15 heat treatment standards.

Reclaimed lumber offers several advantages: (1) Superior material quality — old-growth wood has tighter grain, higher density, and greater hardness than modern plantation lumber. (2) Unique character — patina, nail holes, and aging marks that cannot be replicated. (3) Environmental impact — zero new trees harvested, waste diverted from landfills, 80% less processing energy. (4) Historical significance — every piece has a story. (5) Dimensional bonuses — many reclaimed boards are full nominal dimensions, giving you more wood per piece.

In many cases, yes. Most reclaimed lumber comes from old-growth trees that grew for 100-300+ years before being harvested. These trees developed extremely tight growth rings — often 20-40 rings per inch compared to 4-8 rings per inch in modern plantation timber. Tighter rings mean higher density, greater hardness, and superior structural performance. Additionally, reclaimed wood has already been "stress-tested" through decades of service, proving its durability.

Our regular inventory includes Douglas Fir, White Oak, Red Oak, Heart Pine, Redwood, Western Red Cedar, American Chestnut, Hard Maple, Black Walnut, and Cherry. We also frequently receive Yellow Pine, White Pine, Hemlock, and other regional species. Availability varies by season and salvage sources. Check our species guide for detailed profiles of each wood type.

Yes. Our custom milling service can rip, resaw, plane, profile, and sand reclaimed lumber to virtually any dimension. We can produce custom tongue-and-groove profiles, shiplap, bevel siding, and specialty moldings from reclaimed stock. Custom milling typically adds 3-5 business days to order fulfillment. See our milling services page for full details.

We use a five-tier grading system tailored for reclaimed wood: Premium Select (clean faces, minimal character), #1 Reclaimed (minor character marks), #2 Reclaimed (moderate character), Rustic/Character (heavy patina and character), and Structural Reclaimed (engineer-verified for load-bearing). See our lumber grading guide for detailed descriptions of each grade.

We regularly carry beams from 4x4 through 12x12 in Douglas Fir, White Oak, and Heart Pine. Lengths typically range from 8' to 20'. Larger or longer timbers can often be sourced with 2-4 weeks lead time. Reclaimed beams are available in both structural and decorative grades. We can also face-nail multiple timbers together for oversized decorative beams.

We offer reclaimed flooring in multiple species, widths (3" to 12"+), and finishes. Options include: pre-finished tongue-and-groove, unfinished tongue-and-groove, wide-plank (8"+), mixed-width bundles, and end-matched flooring. All flooring is kiln-dried to 6-8% MC, de-nailed, and milled to consistent thickness. We recommend Heart Pine and White Oak for the most popular reclaimed flooring installations.

Reclaimed lumber provides multiple environmental benefits: (1) Zero new trees harvested. (2) Diverts wood waste from landfills, preventing methane emissions from decomposition. (3) Requires approximately 80% less energy to process than virgin timber. (4) Preserves embodied carbon — the CO₂ stored in the wood during its lifetime remains locked away. (5) Reduces transportation emissions compared to importing virgin timber. (6) Supports a local circular economy.

We provide chain-of-custody documentation for all reclaimed material, including source identification, species verification, and processing records. Our kiln-drying process meets ISPM-15 standards. Reclaimed lumber can contribute to LEED credits in categories including Materials & Resources (MR), Regional Materials, and Innovation in Design. We provide documentation to support LEED submissions for qualifying projects.

Wood stores carbon throughout its useful life. When wood decomposes in a landfill, that stored carbon is released as CO₂ and methane. By reclaiming and reusing wood, we extend its carbon storage indefinitely. A single 8x8x10' reclaimed beam keeps approximately 200 lbs of CO₂-equivalent out of the atmosphere. Across our annual volume of 500,000+ board feet, that adds up to significant climate impact.

Yes. Reclaimed lumber can contribute to several LEED v4.1 credits: MR Credit — Building Product Disclosure & Optimization (sourcing of raw materials), MR Credit — Construction & Demolition Waste Management, and potentially Regional Priority credits. We provide material provenance documentation, chain-of-custody records, and salvage source information to support your LEED submission. Contact us for project-specific guidance.