Do you love the idea of salvaged timber, but you aren't sure where to integrate it into your home's design? There are a surprising amount of options. Consider the following ideas.

Historic Flooring

Consider extending the life of some old timber flooring by turning it into flooring for your home. If you can find flooring from an old church, a school, a pub or any other type of building, you can use it as flooring in your home. Keep in mind that the wood won't fit together as tightly as contemporary machined flooring, so you may need to put down an extra underlayment under the floor to keep moisture away from the subfloor.

Additionally, you may need to add extra sealant to protect the wood. Once that's done, however, thick pieces of salvaged timber arguably make a sturdier floor than you would get with contemporary supplies, so with the right maintenance, it can last a long time.  

Wall Siding

If you have planks of salvaged timber, for example from an old barn, they can make great siding for a wall. The knots and stains make the wood look interesting, and because the timber isn't supporting anything, it doesn't have to be structurally sound. It can simply be attached to the wall.

Tables

Coffee tables, dining tables and end tables all look great when made of salvaged timber. You can create tables that match your floor or siding, or just design a table with a little bit of timber. It's up to you.

Retaining Walls

You don't just have to use salvaged timber inside your home. You can also use it outside in your landscaping. Have an uneven yard? Consider leveling the slope so that you have several flat areas with retaining walls in between them, and use the salvaged timber to create the retaining wall. This is a perfect application for wood from old jetties or even old railroad ties.

Pergolas

A pergola is basically a cube-shaped wood frame that you put outside over a patio or even just over grass. You can make this out of old salvaged posts or complete pieces of timber that have been salvaged from a burnt area of the bush. To create shade, you should run several pieces of salvaged timber vertically over the top of the pergola, and then you can wind fabric, twinkling lights or vining plants over those bits of timber.

For additional information or for assistance, contact a timber salvage company in your area.