You’ve probably heard of upcycling. That’s when an inventive person takes a piece of clothing or furniture and makes it over to give it a new lease of life. It’s all part of a growing trend to make the most of the resources that we have to help prevent waste and pollution. But have you ever heard of deconstruction?

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Deconstruction

The literal opposite of construction, deconstruction is the process of taking a building down, piece by piece, to preserve as much of it as possible for re-use in other projects.

You’d be surprised by just how much of a home can be re-used this way. In addition to period features like fireplaces and light fittings, interior doors, floorboards and glass can all be removed and re-used elsewhere.

It’s now possible to find retailers that specialise in these recycled materials. If you’re looking for parquet flooring in Ireland, for example, you could try a supplier such as http://www.wilsonsyard.com/products/wooden-flooring.html.

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Preserving the Past

As well as making the most of the energy expended in the original manufacture of the piece, using rescued wood and other features gives your home instant character. There is a patina to wood that has aged naturally which is hard to mimic. Not only that, but the woods that were used historically are different: they were grown slowly, whereas now lumber usually comes from fast-growing species.

People choose to use recovered lumber for a variety of reasons – either because they want a bargain or because they like the ethical implications of buying recycled things. Others simply enjoy the beauty of wood that has a history.

Cutting Costs

Although rescued materials may be cheaper to the buyer, they can also help to cut the costs of demolition and rebuilding. If you have an existing building on the site, it makes sense to get as much value from it as possible before it is destroyed. This money can be used to offset the price of the replacement building – or of course you can preserve parts to be used and maintain some of the history of a building.

The ultimate in upcycling, using recycled materials obviously has a future. Appealing to the environmentalist and the savvy homeowner using reclaimed materials is a trend that is catching on for good reason.