The 2011 Tsunami in Japan. Superstorm Sandy. These recent natural disasters have planted unforgettable images in our minds; we remember seeing news footage of whole houses, docks and towns being swept away. But just what happens to all of the debris following such a disaster? Thousands of board feet of wood, for instance, must be processed and removed from seaside communities hit by Sandy.

Communities all along the East Coast continue to sort and recycle storm debris. Sorting mixed debris is an early step. In places such as Patchogue, NY, FEMA and EPA officials are on hand to ensure clean sorting. Wood debris, for example, should not include any plastic materials. But some residents feel the municipal and federal cleanup efforts are missing out on an opportunity to sell the debris to specialists in salvaged wood, thereby earning much-needed funds for storm-ravaged communities.

For a deeper appreciation of post-storm debris politics, let’s examine how the Rockaway Beach Boardwalk is being salvaged. You may remember Rockaway Beach as one of areas hardest hit by Sandy. The Queens community lies on a long, skinny peninsula directly facing the Atlantic. It took the brunt of the storm head-on. Now the community is trying to figure out what to do with its demolished boardwalk.

The boardwalk was a Rockaway jewel, composed of gorgeous hardwoods including teak, Ipe, Angelique and others. But now, what was once a five-and-a-half mile stretch of boardwalk is a huge pile of wood debris. And some local citizens are concerned that the government is throwing away salvageable, and indeed quite lucrative, wood. One reclaimed wood specialist estimated that a single block of the Rockaway boardwalk debris could be worth $250,000.

Many Brooklyn and Queens companies have offered to buy the wood in order to transform it into new products. And they point out that Rockaway Beach’s charities and city coffers could certainly use the funds for rebuilding efforts. But the Queens parks department is sitting on the boardwalk wood – storing some of it, with the hope to reuse some of it later, perhaps even in a new boardwalk. Piles of boardwalk wood still sit in the open, as well, awaiting cleanup.

Many Rockaway Beach residents hope some of the wood will eventually be sold to companies specializing in salvaged wood, as we do here at Viridian Wood. Wood salvaging firms like ours can remove nails and other metal; mill the wood; and create floors, paneling, decks and more. That’s what happened to lumber from the old Coney Island boardwalk – or at least, that’s where the wood ended up. In that case, the parks department simply discarded the wood, which was then fished out of dumpsters and salvage piles by all kinds of groups. One unlikely place for Coney Island boardwalk wood: reclaimed flooring in Philadelphia’s Barnes Foundation art museum.

The provenance of salvaged wood reborn after Sandy’s destruction will likely boost the appeal and price of reclaimed wood products. Knowing this, many companies are eager to buy up lots of wood from storm-struck communities. Ultimately, we hope the storm’s wood debris will be reused and repurposed in unique, beautiful ways that will benefit local residents.

[ Photo by: Be The Change You Want To See, on Flickr, via CC License ]

The green building movement is on the rise in New York. The state recently won the #7 slot in the U.S. Green Building Council’s list of the top 10 states for 2012 LEED building certifications. For every resident in New York State, 1.77 square feet of new LEED space were built last year. That’s just behind Maryland, at 1.9 square feet per capita.

More and more New York developers are building green. Why, even the iconic Empire State Building has been “greened up.” In a single day, the Empire State Building once used as much power as 40,000 single-family homes. The eco-renovation shaved $4.4 million off the building’s annual energy costs while eliminating thousands of tons of greenhouse gas emissions that would otherwise clog the air.

From Manhattan to Syracuse and all over New York, residents and developers are adding green building elements such as sustainably made materials. Reclaimed wood flooring and paneling, for instance, is a green building material as it’s recycled, biodegradable and VOC-free. Curbed has an excellent list of green features popping up across New York City and state. In addition to LEED certifications, more and more passive houses are cropping up. And one firm is pursuing the Living Building Challenge by constructing the first living building in New York City, a composting restroom.

The future is bright for green building in New York, as state political leaders are eager to lend their support. On May 7, the New York senate passed a pair of bills to ensure the continuing flourishing of green construction projects in the Empire State. The first extends a grant program to fund residential green building projects. The second extends laws allowing net metering – i.e., selling solar power back to utilities. The bills go to the state assembly next, but it’s fairly certain that these popular laws will be renewed.  We can expect New York State to continue to set the bar high for green building.

[ Photo by: wwarby, on Flickr, via CC License ]

You’ve probably already figured out that we’re a tad obsessed with reclaimed wood. We love turning wood otherwise destined for the landfill into gorgeous flooring, paneling and reclaimed wood table products. So it shouldn’t surprise you to learn that our top Mother’s Day gift ideas are all composed of recycled timber.

Mom will love that upcycled wood products are eco-friendly and unique – and you’ll love that they’re available in a wide range of prices. Plus, wood is sturdy enough to provide years of dependable use. Below, we outline different reclaimed wood gift ideas for all kinds of moms, from green thumb types to kitchen divas.

For the Gardener Mom:

Compost bin. Recycled wood composting bins are attractive, eco-friendly and pretty easy to build. Since it’s for a large farm, this example project is probably much larger than the one your mother will need, but it will give you the basic steps.

Flower boxes and raised beds. Most moms we talk to are keen on spending time with their kids on Mother’s Day. Turn the construction of garden boxes into a weekend project you work on together. Then Mom will have the chance to enjoy your handiwork for years to come as her garden grows.

For the Kitchen Goddess Mom:

Cutting board. Reclaimed wood cutting boards are available online and at unique retail outlets. Or, if you’re truly handy with the power tools, you could make one yourself out of any untreated, hard timber. (Soft timbers won’t stand up to the beating a cutting board regularly takes, and the wood must be untreated since Mom will use these for food preparation.)

Wood salad tongs and bowl. A stunning salad set can become a family heirloom. Companies like Domestic Asthetic are making gorgeous reclaimed wood housewares Mom will want to pass on – after years of enjoyment, of course!

For the Crafty Mom: 

Birdhouse. If you and your mother are DIY enthusiasts, reclaimed wood birdhouses make fantastic weekend projects. Begin with sourcing your wood (think remodeling projects, garage sales, and Craigslist) and end with a completed project that will bring new opportunities for connecting with nature.

Wood flowers. For the true carpenters among us, old wooden pallets can easily become a set of wood flowers. Or you could just buy a set of hand-crafted, organically dyed wooden flowers from an artist like Tim Sway (on Etsy). Unlike the traditional (and pricey) Mother’s Day bouquet, these charming wood blossoms will last a lifetime.

Wood frames. If you know how to clean, stain and paint wood, previously used wood from construction projects can easily be transformed into picture frames. Again, if you’re not up for doing the work yourself, there are plenty of craftspeople online, such as Margaret Taylor, who would be happy to make a beautiful Mother’s Day gift for you. 

We sincerely wish every mother a very happy Mother’s Day!

[ Photo by: clevercupcakes, on Flickr, via CC License ]

Are you looking for truly rustic reclaimed wood products that can stand up to almost anything? Our newest reclaimed wood flooring and paneling will fit the bill perfectly! We’re happy to introduce our Truck Deck reclaimed wood paneling and flooring.

We created our Truck Deck line to reduce waste in the national trucking industry. Here’s the deal: Semi tractor-trailer trucks sport wood truck beds. The timber used in these beds is extremely strong – it must stand up to the roughness of the road, after all – but industry standards require regular replacement. Before we came along, this perfectly usable, robust oak was discarded or reused piecemeal. Our goal: to create a product that would reuse this wood, thereby lessening the amount of materials going to landfills.

Truck Deck is by far our most rustic reclaimed wood flooring and paneling. Its surface is rife with signs of its past life on the road – you’ll notice gouges, a deep patina and even jet-black indents where the bolts were literally torched out of their holes. The backside of this timber is equally fascinating, sporting unusual rust bands where the planks rested against the trucks’ metal frames.

Whether you use the rougher front side or the underside, Viridian squares the edges and brushes the surface to eliminate dirt and major catches. Truck Deck does take some finessing and additional sanding at the time of installation if the wood is intended to be touched, but we think you’ll agree that this timber’s incredible character makes the extra effort worth it. Truck Deck is 1¼ inches or ¾ inch thick, 5 inches wide and 3 to 6 feet long. It earns LEED points for MR 3: Materials Reuse, MR 4: Recycled Content and MR 7: Certified.

Join us in minimizing cross-country trucking waste. Install Truck Deck paneling or flooring in your home or business and you can anticipate visitors’ amazement at this timber’s life story, from the road to your room.

[ Photo by: Mispahn, on Flickr, via CC License ]

Who doesn’t love springtime? It’s the time of year when all of us have a little extra bounce in our step – and hopefully a little more energy to tackle our endless lists of home projects. Below, we offer some suggestions for spring maintenance tasks to take on this spring to make for a truly relaxing summer season.

Ready outdoor furniture for the lazy days of summer. Give your outdoor furniture a facelift. After adding a fresh coat of paint, invest in some new cushions. If you don’t already have a set of sturdy outdoor furniture, may we recommend reclaimed wood tables and chairs? These options are both comfortable and friendly for the planet.

Prepare for summer lounging. Look around your outdoor living area with a designer’s eye. Consider this space as a separate room – are there barriers acting as walls? Trellises, fences, hedges and grasses can serve this purpose while providing the summer lounger with a visual sense of privacy. You can also add outdoor rugs and drapes to further define the space. For those whose outdoor spaces are dismally lacking in usable space, consider adding a new reclaimed wood deck.

Spruce up your home’s exterior.  Clear gutters, sweep away spider webs and egg sacks from eaves, repair cracks in outdoor concrete, and inspect faucets for any freeze damage. Spring is the ideal time to check your drainage, roofing and HVAC setups for winter damage.

Nourish reclaimed wood inside and outside the home. Rather than putting off wood repair projects, take care of them now, while the weather is still cool and inviting. This is the perfect time for repair projects on wood floors, such as scratch removal, gap filling with fillets and repairing dry rot. Once repairs are complete, lightly sand any area you’ve updated. (We offer more detailed instructions in our blog post, “How to Mend Damaged Reclaimed Wood Flooring.”)

Reclaimed wood furniture can also benefit from some TLC. Begin with cleaning to remove any detritus in seams of your wood tables and chairs. If you plan to paint or re-stain wood furniture, it’s smart to lightly sand dirtier areas – this will not only make for a clean finish, but it will also allow paint and stain to sink into the wood grain more deeply.  Finally, remember that wood’s tendency is to dry out in the winter months, so an application of high-quality wood oil or wood finisher will help restore its natural gleam.

With these to-dos checked off your list, you can kick back and relax into the dog days of summer.

[ Photo by: Quiltsalad, on Flickr, via CC License ]

Our premade reclaimed wood panels are available in two forms: as solid reclaimed wood, or as 3-ply engineered wood. Commercial buyers will love to learn that we can apply custom graphics and CNC designs for the ultimate in eco-friendly customization. Our premade panels are durable and quick to install, for a seamless effect.

Of course, the most stunning aspect of our premade architectural panels is the timber itself. We’ve created premade reclaimed wood paneling in four woods: Jakarta Market Blend (a tropical mix of timbers reclaimed from international shipping crates), Doug fir Glam (a sleek, dark wood with vertical glue lines), Circle Sawn Antique Oak (a blend of oak and hickory that brings to mind the rustic look of an antique barn) and Siberian Spruce (a blonde pine mix from subarctic Russia that’s easy to stain to your perfect tone).

Finally, as with our other reclaimed wood products, our newest line of premade reclaimed wood panels contributes to LEED points for materials reuse, recycled content, regional materials and FSC certified wood.

We unveiled this exciting new line at GlobalShop, the visual merchandising and shopper marketing expo. Considering the enthusiastic response these panels garnered from expo attendees (we were awarded a Top 5 Outstanding Booth award!), we’re confident you’ll love this newest addition to the Viridian reclaimed wood family.

The District of Columbia has long led the nation in its green building approach. There 349 certified projects and about 69.8 million square feet of LEED-certified space in the capital city, and lawmakers there are taking courageous steps to make earth-friendly construction the norm – indeed, the law – within the district. The Green Building Act of 2006 was a significant legislative milestone in standardizing green construction in Washington, D.C. Let’s examine this landmark law’s requirements and how it could impact the future of construction across these United States.

What is D.C.’s Green Building Act?

The Green Building Act is a local Washington, D.C. building ordinance that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2012. The basic requirement of the law is that all non-residential buildings larger than 50,000 square feet must meet LEED certification standards. As you are probably aware, the LEED standards are a set of eco-friendly construction guidelines that contractors and designers may follow to earn certification for building projects. The Green Building Act is the first law of its kind to require LEED certification for privately funding building projects as well as public building developments.

Contractors who fail to meet LEED standards will face financial and other consequences. The Daily Journal of Commerce has a good summary of how the GBA will be enforced – through escrow accounts, letters of credit, surety bonds and binding pledges.

Why is the Green Building Act Important?

The Green Building Act is a model for how green building laws could work in other cities. In effect, the act is an opportunity to work out program kinks prior to broader adoption in cities across the U.S.

It was anything but a smooth road to adoption for the GBA building standards. While the law originally passed in 2006, it took 6 years for implementation – the government had to be sure all involved parties (contractors, architects, financers, insurance companies, etc.) understood how to comply with the law. Even with that time lapse, an emergency addendum had to be added at the last minute to alter the original bill’s financial components.

The fact that the law has been successful at enforcing LEED construction in D.C. shows that it is practical for government agencies to preserve the environment through building construction codes. The capital city isn’t stopping with the GBA, though. This year, the city is rolling out adoption of the more stringent 2012 International Green Construction Code.

Here are a few tips to help you emulate the capital city’s green building leadership in your own DIY projects:

1. Choose reclaimed products whenever possible. Portlanders are already leagues ahead of citizens in many other towns, thanks to local stalwarts such as The Rebuilding Center. These resources make it easy to find reclaimed wood, windows, hardware and much more that may be put to good use in home improvement projects. However, what many Stumptown DIY conservationists may not recognize is that many local companies (such as our own) are now offering upcycled building products. Here at Viridian, we’re doing out part to green the construction industry by recycling shipping crates and other wood that would otherwise be clogging up our landfills. Our reclaimed wood flooring, paneling and tables are stunning, strong and super eco-friendly.

2. Buy only what you need. Detail-oriented purchasing reduces construction waste.

3. Create with end life in mind. Our engineered reclaimed wood flooring is made to quickly clip together at installation – and to be easy to disassemble and repurpose at the end of its lifecycle. As you build your own home improvement projects, keep in mind that one day your project will need to be taken apart and ideally recycled into something new.

[ Photo by: paularps, on Flickr, via CC License ]

We build reclaimed wood tables, paneling and flooring using wood from all kinds of sources. Old buildings are one of our favorite places to look for pioneer-era old-growth timber. And yes, these old barns and other structures are not known for their lack of vermin. But we make sure our reclaimed wood products are entirely free of insect pests. How? By heating all wood we handle to 130 degrees – hot enough to kill all insects as well as their eggs. This is the approach required by International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures. To further discourage insect growth, we also kiln dry all imported and most domestic lumber.

Not only do we hope to operate free of insects for our customers’ sake – we also recognize the havoc invasive species can wreak upon local ecosystems. To this end, we also work closely with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to keep foreign pests out of the country.

Our traditional and engineered reclaimed wood flooring is also free from potentially noxious chemicals – we can be confident in this assertion, as we do not accept (and are not licensed to process) any wood that has been treated with chemicals.

When you buy our reclaimed wood flooring, you can rest assured you’ll enjoy a strong, insect-free, gorgeous natural floor for years to come.

[ Photo by: dok1, on Flickr, via CC License ]

And so, without further ado, we provide the following tips for those who have debated using a diluted vinegar solution to clean wood floors.

Never use on an unfinished floor. Especially if you wipe them up quickly, vinegar solutions are not generally acidic enough to eat into the finish of a wood floor. However, unfinished floors may be damaged by vinegar, which tends to eat through porous materials. We caution consumers against cleaning unfinished wood floors with vinegar, as doing so could raise the grain of the wood and leave lasting damage.

Clean according to manufacturer’s instructions. Cleaning a finished wood floor once or twice a year with a vinegar-based solution probably won’t cause much damage. However, before applying any cleaning solution, you should be well-versed in the manufacturer’s instructions regarding cleaning your wood floors. For instance, we recommend regular sweeping and the occasional soap-and-water mopping for our reclaimed hardwood floors. However, it should be perfectly fine to clean our new line of engineered flooring with vinegar. Our engineered floors are protected with a UV-cured finish, which is strong enough to resist vinegar’s acidity.

Limit contact and dry immediately. In her book Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House, Cheryl Mendelson highlights the National Wood Flooring Association’s take on cleaning wood floors with a white vinegar solution – namely that the finish on wood floors will naturally dull over time. Sunlight and air are enough to cause a finish to dull, so an occasional cleaning with a vinegar solution probably won’t take a large toll. However, whenever cleaning wood floors with a liquid, it is imperative to wipe away all moisture as quickly as possible. Water or vinegar that seeps into a wood floor may cause structural weakness down the road.

Don’t expect grease-busting results. Bacteria typically have a limited pH range of 6 to 8, so vinegar (at 4.7 on the pH scale) is acidic enough to kill most strains. This may explain its popularity as a kitchen cleaner. However, what vinegar isn’t particularly good at is removing dirt and grease. Whereas soap’s affinity for water pulls apart grease via polarity, vinegar has no molecular mechanism for dismantling dirt and grease. (Learn more about how soap works here.)

In the end, if you clean your reclaimed or traditional wood flooring with vinegar, be aware that you do so at your own peril. Overzealous, repetitive cleaning with vinegar may wear away your floor’s finish and eventually cause damage. It makes sense to use vinegar as a replacement for anti-bacterial sprays, but it can’t challenge good ol’ soap and water as far as cleaning a wood floor is concerned.

[ Photo by: homespot hq, on Flickr, via CC License ]

True environmental stewards don’t care for the environment only one day of the year. Still, it’s fun to celebrate our amazing planet on these special days. Installing new reclaimed wood floors would be a phenomenal way to celebrate Earth Day and World Forestry Day. Reclaimed engineered and traditional hardwood floors benefit the environment in several important ways.

Reclaimed Wood & the Environment

Trade associations, including the National Wood Flooring Association, tout wood as a “green” option since it is renewable. True, our forests can continue to be harvested and replanted. But we believe it’s even greener to thoroughly use the timber that has already been chopped down first. Many different industries use wood once and then toss it into a landfill. For instance, thousands of tons of strong wood shipping crates are thrown away every year. Seeing this opportunity to upcycle while visiting the Port of Portland, we developed innovative processes to repurpose these shipping crates into stunning wood paneling and flooring.

We salvage wood from all kinds of sources, from barns to old gymnasiums. In addition to our traditional reclaimed wood floors, we also offer engineered reclaimed wood flooring. The environmental benefits of reclaimed wood floors are multifold. First, when you buy “recycled” wood products, you lessen the demand for virgin wood. Additionally, reclaimed wood upcyclers remove thousands of tons of perfectly usable wood from landfill streams every year. The more we can reuse what we already have, the lighter the burden we place on the planet.

Once your gorgeous new reclaimed solid or engineered wood floor is in place, here are a few fun, kid-friendly activities you can do as a family to celebrate Earth Day and World Forestry Day:

• On a reclaimed wood table, bake Earth Day cupcakes (with blue and green frosting for the oceans and continents) and World Forestry Day cookies (in the shape of trees).
• Assuming your reclaimed wood flooring or engineered flooring is clean, pile up some pillows and blankets and enjoy an environment-related picture book, such as The Lorax by Dr. Seuss.
• Make a birdfeeder on your reclaimed wood table. Smearing peanut butter on pinecones is a messy but fun and functional approach.

Happy Earth Day and World Forestry Day everyone! We wish you a spring equinox filled with wonder and gratitude.

[ Photo by: katerha, on Flickr, via CC License ]