Reclaimed Lumber for Your Next Build
Tell us what you need and we pass your request to partner suppliers in the Twin Cities. Reclaimed wood brings character you cannot get from new boards, and reusing it avoids cutting and milling new timber.
Reclaimed Wood for Every Kind of Project
Reclaimed lumber comes from barns, warehouses, homes, and commercial buildings. We do not hold stock ourselves; availability depends on partner suppliers and changes over time.
Dimensional Lumber
Reclaimed 2x4 through 2x12, 4x4 posts, and rough-sawn boards in hardwood and softwood species. Useful for furniture making and general building.
View productsBeams & Timbers
Hand-hewn and rough-sawn beams from barns, warehouses, and industrial buildings, commonly in oak, Douglas fir, and pine.
View productsFlooring
Tongue-and-groove hardwood flooring with the patina and character that come from decades of use. Oak, maple, heart pine, and mixed hardwoods.
View productsSiding & Paneling
Weathered barn boards, board-and-batten, and shiplap for accent walls, exterior cladding, and architectural features.
View productsSpecialty & Rare Species
Old-growth white oak, American chestnut, heart pine, and other wood that is hard to find new. Ask partner suppliers what is available.
View productsFirst-Time Buyer's Guide
If you've never purchased reclaimed lumber before, here's what to know before your first purchase.
Understand the Grades
There is no single reclaimed grading system. Many sellers describe wood in three broad levels: clean with few marks, moderate nail holes and patina, and heavy weathering and saw marks. Ask what a supplier means and look at photos.
Expect Variation
Unlike new lumber, reclaimed wood varies in color, grain, and character. Even boards from the same source will have different tones and markings. Many people add 10-15% extra material for selection and cutting waste.
Check Moisture Content
Air-dried reclaimed wood often sits around 10-14% moisture content. Interior work usually targets 6-8%, so ask for a reading. Fine furniture or tight-fitting work may call for kiln-dried material.
Plan for Processing
Reclaimed lumber can come rough or milled. Rough stock suits you if you have your own shop. If you need boards planed, resawn, or profiled, ask partner suppliers what is available, or take the wood to a local mill.
Specify Your Application
Say how you plan to use the wood. Structural uses have different requirements than decorative ones, and flooring needs different preparation than an accent wall.
See It Before You Buy
If you can, see the actual material before committing to a large order. Ask the partner supplier who follows up for photos or a sample, and check color and character in your own space.
How to Specify Reclaimed Lumber for Your Project
Whether you're an architect writing a spec sheet or a homeowner planning a weekend project, giving the right information up front gets you a more useful answer. Here's what to include when you request a quote.
Species Preference
Do you want oak, pine, Douglas fir, heart pine, or mixed hardwood, or are you open to suggestions? Each species has its own color, grain, hardness, and workability.
Dimensions Needed
Specify thickness, width, and length. For rough stock, note whether dimensions are nominal or actual. For milled material, give the finished dimensions you need.
Quantity (Board Feet)
Calculate your board footage: (Thickness" x Width" x Length') / 12 = board feet. Include a waste factor.
Grade or Character Level
If you are unsure of the terms, describe the look you want: "clean and modern," "some history but not too rough," or "full barn character."
Processing Requirements
Say whether you want it rough, planed (S2S or S4S), tongue-and-groove, shiplap, or resawn. Ask partner suppliers what is available.
Application and End Use
Interior or exterior? Structural or decorative? Flooring, wall, ceiling, or furniture? This affects the species, moisture content, and finish that make sense.
How to Get a Quote
Whether you need a few boards for a weekend project or a larger quantity for a commercial build, the process is the same. It starts with the quote form.
Send a Quote Request
Fill out the quote form with your species, sizes, quantity, and project details. Sending it is free and there is no obligation.
We Pass It On
We pass your request to partner suppliers in our network. They own the wood, set the prices, and do the work.
A Supplier Follows Up
A partner supplier follows up about availability and pricing. This is the time to ask about photos, samples, grade, moisture content, and any milling you need.
Arrange Pickup or Delivery
If you go ahead, you agree the order, payment, and pickup or delivery directly with the supplier. Pickup and delivery are available through partner suppliers.
Pricing Is by Quote
Reclaimed lumber pricing varies with species, grade, dimensions, and availability. We do not set prices or publish a price list. Pricing is by quote from partner suppliers.
For a useful quote, include your species, dimensions, quantity, and any processing you need. A partner supplier follows up.
Larger Orders
If you are buying a large quantity, say so in your request, and ask the partner supplier how that affects pricing.
Specific Requests
Looking for a particular species, dimension, or finish? Describe it. Partner suppliers can tell you whether they have it or can find it.
Comparing Costs
Allow for what you lose to defects and milling, and for labor, finish, and delivery. The price per board foot alone does not tell you the cost of a finished project.
Pickup vs. Delivery Options
Pickup and delivery are available through partner suppliers. Here is what to discuss, depending on your order.
Supplier Pickup
Some partner suppliers may let you collect your order. This can suit small to medium orders if you have a truck or trailer.
- Ask whether collection is possible
- Confirm where and when
- Ask whether loading help is available
- Bring straps and tie-downs
Standard Delivery
Delivery to your home, workshop, or job site is available through partner suppliers. Details and any charges come with your quote.
- Share the delivery location
- Describe the driveway or site access
- Say where the wood should go
- Have someone on site if you can
Heavy or Long Loads
Heavy beams and long timbers can need more than a pair of hands. Ask the supplier what can be arranged, and ask an engineer or contractor about anything being placed overhead.
- Give the length and weight if known
- Mention stairs and tight corners
- Check overhead lines and branches
- Plan how the load will be unloaded
Looking for Something Hard to Find?
Reclaimed supply comes from whatever buildings are coming down, so no one can have every species, dimension, and grade on hand. That does not mean it is not worth asking.
Describe what you need, including what you could accept instead. Partner suppliers can tell you what is available. Rare species and unusual sizes can take a while to turn up, so ask early.
Describe the Material
Give the species, dimensions, quantity, and grade or look you want. The more specific you are, the better.
We Pass It On
We pass your request to partner suppliers in our network.
Review What Is Offered
A partner supplier follows up with what they can offer. Ask for photos, and check them against your plans.
Agree the Details
Price, any deposit, milling, and delivery are agreed directly with the supplier.
Notes for Architects & Designers
Specifying reclaimed wood takes a different approach than specifying new material. These points are worth raising early. Ask partner suppliers what is available for your project.
Material Details
Spell out the species, character level, dimensions, and moisture content you need, and allow for natural variation between boards.
Samples
A small sample cannot show the full range of a reclaimed lot. Ask to see several pieces, or photos of the actual material.
Large Projects
A big installation depends on enough consistent material existing. Confirm availability before you finalize a design around one source.
Green Building Programs
Requirements for reused materials vary between rating systems and versions. Check the current requirements, and ask suppliers what source information they can give.
Structural Use
Reclaimed timber used structurally needs assessment by a qualified person. Check current regulations with your local building official.
Budgeting
Pricing is by quote. Allow for yield loss, and ask about alternative species that could give a similar look.
What to Check Before You Buy
Reclaimed does not have to mean rough or unreliable, but you should look before you commit. We do not inspect or handle the wood, so check these points with the supplier.
Soundness
Look for rot, active insect damage, and heavy checking. Press suspect areas with a screwdriver. Soft, punky wood will give way.
Fasteners
Ask whether boards have been de-nailed and scanned for metal. If you will cut or plane them yourself, run a metal detector over every board anyway.
Grade and Character
Reclaimed grades are not standardized. Many sellers use terms along the lines of Select, Standard, and Rustic. Ask what each means and see photos.
Moisture
Ask for a moisture reading. Air-dried reclaimed wood often reads higher than the 6-8% usually wanted for interior work, so it may need further drying or time to acclimate.
Species
Ask how the species was identified. Weathering can hide color and grain, and species makes a real difference to hardness and use.
Terms
Each supplier sets its own terms. Before you pay, ask what happens if the material does not match what was described.
Frequently Asked Questions About Buying Reclaimed Lumber
Who actually sells me the lumber?
A partner supplier in our network. Lumber Minneapolis is a referral service: we pass your request on, and the supplier owns the wood, sets the price, and handles your order.
How do I know what species and grade I need for my project?
Start with the use. Structural work needs material assessed for strength, so involve an engineer. For visual work, decide how much character you want: clean with few marks, moderate nail holes and patina, or heavy weathering and saw marks. Our resources page compares species, and a partner supplier can tell you what is available.
Can I see the boards before buying?
We do not have a yard or showroom. Ask the partner supplier who follows up for photos, a sample, or whether you can view the material.
What is the return policy?
Each partner supplier sets its own terms. Ask before you buy, and keep the answer in writing. Cut, milled, or installed wood is often hard to return with any seller.
Can a sample of wood I already have be matched?
Sometimes. Include the species and dimensions in your request, and have a photo ready for the supplier. Reclaimed wood varies, so an exact match is not always possible, but a partner supplier can tell you what they can offer.
Are samples available before a full order?
Ask partner suppliers what is available. A sample in your own space, under your own lighting and next to your existing finishes, is a good way to judge color and character.
How is reclaimed lumber priced compared to new lumber?
Pricing is by quote from partner suppliers and depends on the species, grade, size, and availability. Compare more than the price per board foot, because reclaimed wood can lose more to defects and milling, while it offers character and sizes that new lumber does not.
Can a specific species be sourced?
Ask. Describe what you want and we will pass it on. Reclaimed wood depends on what has come out of buildings, so availability changes and nothing can be promised in advance.
How do I pay?
You pay the partner supplier directly, on the terms you agree with them. We do not take orders or payments on this site.
Does reclaimed lumber count toward LEED?
Reused materials can be relevant to green building programs, but the requirements change between rating system versions. Check the current requirements with your project team, and ask partner suppliers what source information they can give you.
Planning Help for Buyers
How to Choose Reclaimed Wood
Match species, grade, and character level to the job before requesting a quote.
Reclaimed Lumber Grading Standards
Understand structural and appearance grades before you choose material.
Furniture Buying Guide
Useful if your project includes tables, shelves, built-ins, or other wood features.
Choose Reclaimed. Choose Character.
Reusing a beam avoids cutting and milling a new one, and wood stores carbon while it stays in use. Your project gets material with a past you can see in the grain.
Avoids cutting and milling new wood
Patina, nail holes, and old saw marks
Wood stores carbon while it stays in use