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GOATs have suddenly become trendy. Not the hoofed, horned, iron-gutted variety but the Greatest of All Time variety.

This type of GOAT is popping up all over the place, most notably in sports (e.g. Michael Jordan) but also literature (Shakespeare), singers (Aretha Franklin), conquerors (Genghis Khan), ice cream flavors (Vanilla), rappers (Vanilla Ice…..). OK, there can be some questionable choices. But when it comes to design materials, one material reigns supreme, above all others, one true GOAT that bleats alone astride the mountaintop = Wood.

Debatable? Hardly. Wood stands alone in the power and versatility it offers designers compared to other materials like concrete, metal, plastics and textiles. The unique design benefits of wood can be defined across four key categories – Beauty, Versatility, Durability, Sustainability.

Beauty

Ah, where better to start than with beauty? True, timeless, universal beauty is ultimately ephemeral and undefinable, but also undeniable. And in this simple yet profound attribute, wood holds ultimate power for designers.

Humans are innately attracted to wood. It’s in our DNA. Whether you believe we descended from the trees (Darwin fans), got our start at the base of a tree (Adam & Eve fans) or were literally created from trees (Norse mythology fans) wood is fundamental to the human experience – for shelter, food, fuel, tools and uses too numerous and varied to ever hope to list.

Pause to gaze about – most likely there is wood all around you, in many shapes and forms, and most likely these objects and surfaces are all lovely to gaze upon, especially once attentively noticed and appreciated.

Most of us also carry deep emotional associations with wood that add to its power and appeal. This might take the from of a family dinner table, a beloved childhood possession (any Citizen Kane fans out there….?), a cherished heirloom or memento, a wood box holding treasured items, a hand-me-down wood kitchen utensil or tool worn smooth with expert use and long service and so on, different for each of us. These deep emotional associations with wood are part of our innate human attraction to wood’s beauty.

These emotional connections also help explain the magical way wood can instantly add warmth and soul to a space. This unique ability enables designers to make otherwise sterile spaces feel warm and welcoming in a way no other material can accomplish. This is especially important when considering healthcare spaces and learning spaces but also civic spaces, corporate environments and also commercial spaces like restaurants, stores and hotels.

Science shows patients heal more quickly in facilities that feature wood, students learn more effectively in classrooms that feature wood, workers perform better and are more creative in work environments that feature wood and patrons stay longer and spend more money in stores, restaurants and hotels that feature real wood. (See reference notes below.)

At some point, beauty transcends rational understanding. Much of wood’s special allure comes from its unique ability to appeal to all five human senses, an ability no other design material possesses. This means we experience wood not just on a surface, conscious level but also on a cellular, subconscious level through all of our senses.

1. Sight – wood is beautiful to the human eye
2. Sound – wood is naturally sound absorbing and softening
3. Touch – wood is naturally warm to the touch and tactile
4. Taste – wood naturally flavors foods and beverages like wine, spirits, grilled meats and vegetables
5. Smell – wood provides aromatic scents like pine, cedar and sandalwood

No other material offers the range and power to move us in a way we call “beautiful” like wood. Not concrete. Not metal. Certainly not plastic or vinyl. We could rest our case for wood based on beauty alone. But the design benefits of wood go so much further.

Versatility

While wood is unique in its beauty it is also unique in its versatility, in terms of color, texture, pattern, and range of interior and exterior applications.

Color: Wood offers designers a vast array of diverse natural color tones – from rich, dense reds, browns and blacks to naturally weathered patinas, to more subtle and neutral hues. Natural wood tones can also be selected to compliment any color scheme. Add the ability to stain and color wood and the color options become limitless.

Texture: Wood offers a full spectrum of textures, from smooth and supple to weathered, rough-sawn, skip-planed, brushed, sculpted and more. These textures can be used in combination with other materials such as glass, steel, concrete and textiles – either in harmony or juxtaposition – to create infinite interplays of texture in a space. Wood is also naturally warm to touch, as we’ve already noted.

Line & Pattern: The human eye loves pattern and wood provides endless opportunities to introduce line and pattern into a space. Natural wood grains can add either subtle or bold organic lines and pattern to an interior. Wood can also be installed horizontally to make a space feel more grounded and expansive, or vertically to make a space feel more elongated, lofty and even soaring. Wood can also be installed diagonally and in angled patterns to add a sense of energy and movement to a space – either with subtle patterns or more bold, dynamic arrangements such as chevrons, herringbones and other patterns. Whether on the floor, walls or ceiling, wood provides infinite options and opportunities to add line and pattern to a space.

Acoustics: Wood also helps designers control the acoustic characteristics of a space. Wood is naturally sound absorbing, as noted, which helps create spaces that feel good to the ear as well as beautiful to the eye. The role of acoustics in how a space feels and is experienced can often be under-appreciated. Spaces with hard, reflective surfaces that ricochet sound can be jarring to the human ear and nervous system, causing discomfort, unease and the overwhelming urge to escape the space, whether a work place, restaurant, store, school or other environment. While hard, reflective surfaces may help create an “edgy” aesthetic, they also create “edgy” people.

Applications: Wood is suited to virtually any and all interior applications – from floors to walls to ceilings, to cabinets, furnishings and virtually everything in between – as well as exterior applications. Wood can help tie inside and outside spaces together and help create a sense of flow between indoors and the natural world outside. Wood exteriors are also simply beautiful in their own right. All the features and advantages discussed that make wood a beautiful interior material are also true for exterior applications.

Durability

Wood is a material with timeless appeal and endurance. With reasonable care, wood can perform aesthetically and functionally for decades, even centuries. The older the wood in a space, the richer it feels. To stroll through an old library, university or country inn with original wood floors and surfaces, featuring patina acquired over generations of use and care, is invariably a gorgeous experience. While so many other materials are transitory and disposable, wood lives on in a space. Wood endures not only through use and service but also through style trends and fashions. Wood’s timeless appeal and durability also expresses a commitment to quality by those who created and invested in the space. This can be especially impactful in public spaces such as classrooms and civic buildings, where the use of real wood makes a statement about the care and commitment of those who built the space.

Sustainability

Unlike most other design materials, wood is a renewable resource. Wood also requires low energy to produce compared to other materials like metals, vinyl, glass and plastics. Wood is carbon sequestering. Roughly 50% of wood by weight is carbon. This carbon will remain sequestered for the life of the wood product. Wood is also recyclable. Carbon from wood is released only if the material decomposes or is burned. Reclaiming wood ensures the carbon will remain sequestered. It takes only 1/13th the energy to produce wood flooring and cladding from reclaimed wood versus new wood.

The Lone GOAT

For all these reasons, wood bleats alone as the designers lone GOAT. Beauty, versatility, durability and sustainability – wood does it all. No other design material can compare. When it comes to wood as a design material, there is no LeBron to Michael, no Stones to Beatles, no DaVinci to Michelangelo, no chocolate to vanilla, no Notorious B.I.G. to Vanilla Ice…..and here we are, full circle.

For design materials there is one that reigns above all others in its power and versatility, one true and undisputed GOAT = Wood.

Matt Nichols, TerraMai VP of National Accounts – Western U.S.

Stairs afford architects and designers innovative design opportunities and are an ideal vehicle to enhance the experience of being in a space. With stairs now highlighted for prominent placement so as to encourage short bouts of exercise throughout the day and viewed as places to facilitate unexpected coworker social ‘collisions’, stair design has become an even larger opportunity for making a statement. In particular, stair treads offer a unique design canvas with some design elements doing double duty to improve safety as well. When stairs stand out, passersby instantly take notice.

Once again, reclaimed wood proves to be an incredibly useful and versatile stair tread material choice.

Here are 8 examples of reclaimed wood stair treads for inspiration.

1. Reclaimed teak stair treads make this staircase picturesque

From TerraMai: These teak stair treads increase the enjoyment of using the stairs

There is something a little thrilling about standing on the upper landing and looking down upon a winding multi-flight stairwell. The height coupled with the spiralling pattern captivates and provides a sense of risk giving an adrenaline rush. As explained by Terrapin Bright Green, design elements with the right risk/peril mix can provide a positive dose of dopamine.

This stairwell is an intentional design element to keep students and staff at UC Berkeley Energy BioSciences building literally on their toes. The Institute was created to find technological solutions to the problems associated with climate change, global warming and the rising price and diminishing supplies of fossil fuels.

Reclaimed teak is a wood that draws the eye and warms and nurtures any space. Its natural oils give the wood a luster and richness that gets better over time. Paired with the grey and orange elements, the teak treads in the BioSciences building help balance out the design palette and create a stronger visual presence. Reclaimed teak is well-placed here as a stair tread. This hearty wood is rugged enough to withstand years of many feet traversing up and down the multi-story building.

2. Beefy reclaimed wood stair treads appear to float

From TerraMai: These rich stair treads create a strong biophilic connection

Large, beefy, floating wood stair treads make a powerful statement. Woods like teak, douglas fir, and oak are perfect choices here. The glass baluster used with the stair treads pictured above ensures an open view of the ultra thick reclaimed wood treads and add to the floating on air illusion. Coupled with natural river rock, the wood treads provide an organic, biophilic element to the space, while the glass reflects natural light and opens up the design.

Old growth teak is the most durable and has the best aesthetic as compared to plantation grown teak. An ethical method to source old growth teak is to seek out reclaimed teak since harvesting the remaining supply of old-growth trees is not a viable option. TerraMai’s reclaimed teak is salvaged from vintage buildings and other structures slotted for deconstruction in Southeast Asia.

3. REI leverages reclaimed wood for an immersive shopping experience

From TerraMai: REI in SoHo uses simple yet evocative reclaimed stair treads

REI is passionate about having “our roots remain firmly planted in the outdoors.” That ethos extends to their retail interiors, which resemble the outdoors with their aesthetic and design. Reclaimed wood is a large part of their store design, and their stairs are no exception. Their SoHo location uses reclaimed oak for both the flooring and stair treads to give shoppers the feeling of being in a space dominated by nature. Juxtaposed with elements like exposed piping, the wood goes a long way to foster a biophilic connection and helps warm the store’s industrial design components. The solid oak stair treads are a prominent feature that are both highly functional and make a brand statement.

From TerraMai: The reclaimed wood treads are a central design component of REI SoHo

4. These Doug Fir reclaimed stair treads get a boost from the risers for added eye-catching results

From TerraMai: These reclaimed Douglas fir stair treads stand out thanks to the dark risers

It’s easy to spice up stair treads and reinforce your brand with a little imagination. While reclaimed wood is already a perfect match to emphasize a sustainable, eco-conscience culture, there are even more possibilities. Consider the stairs pictured above that add text on the risers in a very on-brand manner to further emphasis what the space is all about. These treads are sure to add an element of delight to museum visitors while also keeping their eyes and attention on navigating the stairs.

5. East meets West in these reclaimed wood stair treads

From TerraMai: The Seattle Center stairs are comprised of both oak and teak stair treads

The stairs at the Seattle Center accomplish many things as they welcome visitors to the center. First, they are beautifully designed and aesthetically pleasing with their gentle curve and well lit risers that help people of all ages and abilities safely navigate the stairs. But they also help represent the organization’s core cultural values some of which are to manage their business with accountability, integrity and commitment to race and social justice while also fostering a collaborative and trusting community.

The stairs are comprised of two reclaimed wood materials, reclaimed oak and reclaimed teak. The choosing of these two woods symbolizes the harmonious meeting of cultures with an east meets west theme. The oak and teak treads alternate every other tread. Stadium style seating accompanies the steps allowing for resting and seating areas that can be used to collaborate or just hang out.

6. These reclaimed wood stairs use clever and powerful lighting

Another example of lighting turning stairs into attention-grabbing design pieces are these stairs in Lincoln Square. The stained oak treads are illuminated from underneath to cast a band of light on the back portion of each tread. It’s both an attractive design concept and a practical addition, as it helps people safely ascend and descend the stairs. Clear visual cues for surface changes help avoid trip hazards and this is especially true for stairs.

7. Keeping it light and open, especially in smaller spaces

From TerraMai: Reclaimed wood treads utilize the back wall to add interest and safety

The contrasting lighter stone wall allows each of the reclaimed teak treads to stand out so users can truly appreciate them. Eliminating the risers keeps this staircase from feeling too closed in and dark and the stone wall serves as a backdrop to visually separate the treads for safer navigation. As a whole, the staircase is warm, airy and inviting providing a calming space.

8. This modern staircase uses reclaimed basketball court wood

Software company Tableau worked with renowned architect and design firm Gensler for their Seattle office, which required the demolition of a three story athletic club. Instead of hauling all of the demo materials to the landfill, Gensler repurposed them, which resulted in an aesthetic that honored the space’s previous life. Especially eye-catching is this staircase that’s made of wood reclaimed from the club’s basketball court. Columnal balusters and a view of the original court lines make this staircase a one-of-a-kind installation.

Using reclaimed wood for stair treads makes a powerful statement

Well-designed stairs can boost the appeal of any built environment. Reclaimed wood stair treads present an elegant solution to reinforce brand messaging, provides biophilic benefits and powerful aesthetics. No longer out-of-sight, out-of-mind and relegated to an enclosed sterile stairwell, stairs are now being designed to make brand statements, facilitate interactions, get people moving and become a central design element––it’s all about creating a better experience for occupants.

If you would like to talk to us about using reclaimed wood stair treads in your next project, click here to contact us.