Sustainability & Reclaimed Wood

TerraMai was founded in 1991 with a commitment to providing materials that look terrific, perform like none other, and have the absolute best pedigrees, since they are all reclaimed.

Think of "reclaimed wood" as an umbrella that includes the following:

Post-Consumer Reclaimed - factory and commercial buildings, houses, tanks, barns, bleacher seats, etc.

Water Reclaimed - standing forests submerged decades ago as well as sinker logs.

Post-Industrial Reclaimed - off-cuts from an industrial process, such as veneer or furniture making, that typically are thrown away or burned.

Orchard Salvage Reclaimed - acacia, walnut and other trees that are no longer productive and need to be replaced.

Each of these sources provides great material while being highly responsible to the environment.

By reclaiming old wood, especially old-growth tropical hardwoods, TerraMai helps offset the demand for new lumber. The use of reclaimed wood helps preserve the world's remaining forests. The reclamation of old wood also helps divert millions of tons of wood from the world’s waste streams, landfills and burn piles.

The environmental advantages of reclaimed wood, combined with the structural and aesthetic advantages, make it a unique and precious resource. TerraMai is dedicated to promoting and preserving this resource.

 

Advantages of Reclaimed Wood

Beauty – dense grain, all-heart, old-growth reclaimed wood possesses a luster and refinement not available in most new lumber. 

History & Character – nail holes, bolt holes, weathering and other character enhance the natural beauty of wood. They also offer visual testimony of the wood's unique history. These qualities are not available with new wood.   

Stability & Durability – because it was typically harvested and milled decades ago, reclaimed wood offers a stability unavailable in new, even kiln-dried, wood. Because it is mostly dense-grain, old-growth material, reclaimed wood is harder and more durable than new lumber.

Sustainability – as outlined above, reclaimed wood offers a wide range of sustainability advantages over new wood. 

 

Sourcing, Milling, & Shipping

Whenever possible, the woods we reclaim are remilled as close to the source as possible, both domestically and overseas.

TerraMai continues to develop a network of sources, mills and shops throughout the U.S. and abroad. This network is unmatched in the reclaimed wood industry. 

This network allows TerraMai to reduce shipping and to supply LEED-eligible regional wood products to virtually anywhere in the U.S. This practice also allows TerraMai to take advantage of local and regional knowledge and expertise and to support local communities both in the U.S. and overseas.  

We only work with overseas operations that meet our high standards for workplace conditions and technical excellence. We personally, and repeatedly, visit every facility we work with overseas. 

Furthermore, any FSC Certified products have a requirement for fair labor practices throughout the supply chain.  

FSC certificate holders must demonstrate conformance to the FSC Core Labor Requirements, which cover the abolition of child labor, elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labor, elimination of discrimination with respect to employment and occupation, upholding freedom of association, and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining.

–FSC Core Labor Requirements

 

Certifications & LEED

Most TerraMai woods are certified recycled according to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), the world’s premier forest conservation organization. Look for FSC certified products. TerraMai's FSC certification number is FSC-C021798 (SCS-COC-001014). 

Most TerraMai products can also help a project earn points toward Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credits. Which credits, specifically, depends on the product and the project.

Download our Floorscore Certificate

Sustainability & Reclaimed Wood

TerraMai was founded in 1991 with a commitment to providing materials that look terrific, perform like none other, and have the absolute best pedigrees, since they are all reclaimed.

Think of "reclaimed wood" as an umbrella that includes the following:

Post-Consumer Reclaimed - factory and commercial buildings, houses, tanks, barns, bleacher seats, etc.

Water Reclaimed - standing forests submerged decades ago as well as sinker logs.

Post-Industrial Reclaimed - off-cuts from an industrial process, such as veneer or furniture making, that typically are thrown away or burned.

Orchard Salvage Reclaimed - acacia, walnut and other trees that are no longer productive and need to be replaced.

Each of these sources provides great material while being highly responsible to the environment.

By reclaiming old wood, especially old-growth tropical hardwoods, TerraMai helps offset the demand for new lumber. The use of reclaimed wood helps preserve the world's remaining forests. The reclamation of old wood also helps divert millions of tons of wood from the world’s waste streams, landfills and burn piles.

The environmental advantages of reclaimed wood, combined with the structural and aesthetic advantages, make it a unique and precious resource. TerraMai is dedicated to promoting and preserving this resource.

 

Advantages of Reclaimed Wood

Beauty – dense grain, all-heart, old-growth reclaimed wood possesses a luster and refinement not available in most new lumber. 

History & Character – nail holes, bolt holes, weathering and other character enhance the natural beauty of wood. They also offer visual testimony of the wood's unique history. These qualities are not available with new wood.   

Stability & Durability – because it was typically harvested and milled decades ago, reclaimed wood offers a stability unavailable in new, even kiln-dried, wood. Because it is mostly dense-grain, old-growth material, reclaimed wood is harder and more durable than new lumber.

Sustainability – as outlined above, reclaimed wood offers a wide range of sustainability advantages over new wood. 

 

Sourcing, Milling, & Shipping

Whenever possible, the woods we reclaim are remilled as close to the source as possible, both domestically and overseas.

TerraMai continues to develop a network of sources, mills and shops throughout the U.S. and abroad. This network is unmatched in the reclaimed wood industry. 

This network allows TerraMai to reduce shipping and to supply LEED-eligible regional wood products to virtually anywhere in the U.S. This practice also allows TerraMai to take advantage of local and regional knowledge and expertise and to support local communities both in the U.S. and overseas.  

We only work with overseas operations that meet our high standards for workplace conditions and technical excellence. We personally, and repeatedly, visit every facility we work with overseas. 

Furthermore, any products certified by FSC have a requirement for fair labor practices throughout the supply chain.  

FSC certificate holders must demonstrate conformance to the FSC Core Labor Requirements, which cover the abolition of child labor, elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labor, elimination of discrimination with respect to employment and occupation, upholding freedom of association, and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining.

– FSC Core Labor Requirements

 

Certifications & LEED

Most TerraMai woods are certified recycled according to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), the world’s premier forest conservation organization. Look for FSC certified products. TerraMai's FSC certification number is FSC-C021798 (SCS-COC-001014). 

Most TerraMai products can also help a project earn points toward Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credits. Which credits, specifically, depends on the product and the project.

Download our Floorscore Certificate