Most antique or reclaimed wood beams come with an interesting story of life before your specific application. Visiting the lumberyard at International Flooring is like taking a trip back in time. The knowledgeable staff can take you on a tour, talk about the species of wood in the beams, and answer your questions.
Rough, unique reclaimed wood is finding its way into commercial and residential new construction and remodels. Prized for the uncommon patina and finish, antique woods are used for mantels, floating shelves, tables, desks, architectural features, benches, countertops, lamps, chandeliers, and bed frames just to name a few applications.
The salvaged beams are generally 200 – 300 years old and could come from cabins in West Virginia, an old courthouse in Pennsylvania, abandoned barns in Arkansas, the tear-down of an old church in South Carolina, hand hewn support beams in an East Texas barn, or an old tobacco barn in Kentucky and that’s just a few of the sources for reclaiming lumber.
Choosing the type or cut of the beams depends on your application and the desired “look.”
Here are the most popular types of beams:
Joists
Used as support below the flooring. Long and straight with a few peg holes.
Sawn Beams
Smoother finish with marks from hand sawing.
Sleepers
Floor joists primarily in a barn. Hewn on top and bottom of the log with a natural finish on the sides.
Four Sided Hewn
Round logs hewn to make a square beam.
Joists antique wood beam detail
Antique beams in entry way.
Antique beams in a bedroom
International Flooring in Houston is the local source for quality antique reclaimed wood. We invite you to contact us for more details and some intriguing history on our woods.
