One of the most challenging requests that we get from customers is for a product that has a worn smooth surface and dark aged patina. While its easy to provide reclaimed products that are rough and retain indicators of their past life, like nail holes and saw marks, finding a material with that authentic time worn look can be a struggle.

In the past few years our finishing department has gotten quite talented at simulating decades of wear with artistic techniques. Like bizarro-land alchemists, they transform clean freshly milled product into old antiqued floor boards.  These techniques usually combine texturing processes like wire-brushing and hand sanding with multi-step custom stains and finishes. The results are always stunning but man does a lot of work go into it.

Now we have a limited edition product that has the look everyone is clamoring for with none of that fuss: COLD STORAGE OAK!

Our acquisition crew spent the sweet month of September dismantling the interior of a local cold storage facility. This facility boasted over 25,000 board feet of White Oak flooring that measured 3″ thick and up to 15″ wide. Best of all, this floor has suffered the abuse of forklifts since before the age of Iphones, or color TV for that matter.

Though some boards have worn more beautifully than others this stuff is the Holy Grail of reclaimed wood.

The process of dismantling this floor was not complicated (each board was attached to a supporting I-beam with a mere two lag bolts) but elbow grease was used aplenty. Lifting and lugging these boards for three weeks was some workout. Here are some photos of our efforts.

The ride home was pretty quiet each day.

One day we caught this dude peeking out at us from a horse trailer that we passed on the Thruway.

Maybe he was admiring the graphics on our truck.

Anyhow, the material is now safely back in our yard and we are admiring it while we can because there certainly won’t be any left by the end of winter. Call for availability!