James Dulley
Columbus Post-Dispatch

Q: We’re planning an addition to our house and want it to be efficient and green. I heard that using reclaimed lumber makes sense. Is it more efficient and as strong as new lumber? Where do you get it?

A: Reclaimed (recycled) lumber is popular for many reasons.

Most reclaimed lumber salvaged from old buildings was made from old-growth trees. This wood is typically strong compared with fresh lumber; it’s denser, and the grains are straighter.

A couple of years ago, I was with a Pennsylvania hardwood lumbering crew through all the stages: selecting, cutting, transporting, milling and drying. Converting trees into usable lumber is a complicated, energy-intensive process.

Reclaiming old lumber, instead of discarding it, reduces the amount of carbon dioxide released into the air.

Using reclaimed lumber for your room addition won’t dramatically improve the energy-efficiency of your house compared with new lumber. The only time it might help is if timber beams are used to support the structure. One-hundred-year-old reclaimed old-growth wood is stable, and beams made with it should remain true. Any shrinkage or warping happened decades ago.

Some energy-intensive handling and milling is required to make reclaimed lumber usable, but it’s significantly less than starting from standing trees. This doesn’t mean it’s less expensive than new lumber. Much hand labor is involved with deconstructing the old building, removing screws and nails, storing and milling it into shape.

The best way to select the proper types of reclaimed wood for each area of your addition is to work with a reputable reclaimed-lumber dealer or directly with the mill.

To the experienced eye, picking out reclaimed lumber is easy. To most homeowners, though, someone might be able to pass off low-cost new lumber as the pricier reclaimed variety.

Much of the reclaimed lumber used for timber-frame construction comes from old factories, barns, water towers or warehouses.

These stable timbers often have nail and screw holes, metal rust stains and the like, which give them character for indoor exposed timbers.

Combining this type of house construction with foam-core exterior panels is extremely energy-efficient.