Reclaimed Flooring
Tongue-and-groove flooring milled from century-old wood — every plank underfoot is a piece of Midwest history, built to last another hundred years.
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Flooring Types
Our reclaimed flooring comes in three surface styles. Each is tongue-and-groove milled, kiln dried, and ready to install.
Original Face
The weathered surface of the original board is preserved, showcasing every nail hole, saw mark, and patina layer. This is reclaimed flooring at its most authentic.
Finish: Unplaned original surface
Character Level: Maximum — full patina, nail holes, color variation
Maintenance: Seal with penetrating oil or hard wax for best results
New Face
The board is flipped and planed to reveal the fresh interior grain. You get the tight, aged grain of century-old wood with a clean, smooth surface ready for any finish.
Finish: Planed smooth on one face
Character Level: Moderate — tight grain, occasional checking, clean look
Maintenance: Compatible with all standard floor finishes
Skip-Planed
A light pass through the planer removes surface grime while intentionally leaving patches of the original face. The perfect middle ground between rustic and refined.
Finish: Lightly planed with original surface showing through
Character Level: Balanced — mix of patina and fresh grain
Maintenance: Best with penetrating oil finishes for an even look
Available Widths
From narrow strip flooring to extra-wide heirloom planks, we mill reclaimed flooring in widths from 3" to 12". Standard thickness is 3/4".
Strip flooring, tight patterns
HighClassic plank width
HighMost popular residential width
HighWide plank, farmhouse feel
HighPremium wide plank
MediumStatement-width boards
MediumExtra-wide, limited species
LimitedHeirloom grade, rare finds
RareSpecies Comparison
Each species brings a unique look and performance profile. Here is how our most popular flooring species compare.
| Species | Janka Hardness | For Flooring |
|---|---|---|
| White Oak | 1360 | Recommended |
| Red Oak | 1290 | Recommended |
| Heart Pine | 1225 | Recommended |
| Douglas Fir | 660 | Low-Traffic Only |
| American Chestnut | 540 | Low-Traffic Only |
| Maple | 1450 | Recommended |
Installation Tips
Reclaimed flooring rewards careful installation. Follow these guidelines for a floor that will last generations.
Acclimate the Wood
Allow your reclaimed flooring to acclimate in the installation space for at least 7–14 days. Stack boards with spacers to allow air circulation on all sides. Target moisture content within 2% of your subfloor.
Prep Your Subfloor
Ensure the subfloor is clean, dry, level, and structurally sound. For concrete subfloors, use a moisture barrier. Plywood subfloors should be at least 3/4" thick with screws every 6 inches to prevent squeaking.
Plan Your Layout
Dry-fit several rows before committing. Reclaimed boards vary in width and color — mix boards from multiple bundles to distribute character evenly across the room. Start from the longest, straightest wall.
Nail or Glue Installation
For boards 5" and wider, we recommend a glue-assist nail-down method. Use a pneumatic floor nailer with cleats every 8–10 inches. Pre-drill near board ends to prevent splitting on old-growth hardwoods.
Finish with Care
Sand lightly if needed (new face or skip-planed only). Apply a penetrating oil or hard-wax oil for a natural look that highlights the aged grain. Polyurethane works well on new-face boards. Always test your finish on a sample first.
Maintenance Guide
Reclaimed flooring rewards regular care with decades of beautiful performance. Follow this seasonal schedule to keep your floors looking their best year-round.
Spring
- Deep clean with a wood-specific floor cleaner to remove winter salt and grit residue
- Inspect for any scratches or wear accumulated during the wet season and touch up with a matching repair marker or wax fill stick
- Check humidity levels — as outdoor humidity rises, ensure your HVAC system keeps indoor levels below 55% to prevent moisture absorption and cupping
- Move area rugs to check the floor underneath for any color variation and rotate them to even out UV exposure
Summer
- Close blinds or curtains during peak sun hours to reduce UV fading on south- and west-facing floors
- Run air conditioning or a dehumidifier to keep indoor humidity between 35–55% — this is the critical range for dimensional stability
- Dust-mop or vacuum (hard floor setting only) at least twice per week in high-traffic areas
- Address any spills or pet accidents immediately to prevent staining on oil-finished or unfinished surfaces
Fall
- Place high-quality doormats at all exterior entrances to capture leaves, dirt, and moisture before they reach your floors
- Apply a maintenance coat of penetrating oil or hard-wax oil to high-traffic areas such as hallways and kitchens (oil-finished floors only)
- Trim pet nails to reduce scratching as pets spend more time indoors
- Inspect felt pads on furniture legs and replace any that have worn thin or collected debris
Winter
- Run a humidifier to counteract dry heating air — target 35–45% relative humidity to prevent gaps from opening between boards as the wood contracts
- Remove wet boots and shoes at the door to prevent water from standing on the floor surface
- Use dry dust-mopping rather than wet mopping, as excess moisture can be absorbed more readily in dry, low-humidity conditions
- Avoid placing space heaters directly on or near hardwood floors, as concentrated heat can cause localized drying and checking
Cost Calculator Guide
Estimating the cost of a reclaimed flooring project involves several factors beyond the per-square-foot price of the boards themselves. Here is how to build an accurate budget.
Measure Your Square Footage
Measure the length and width of each room in feet and multiply to get the square footage. For irregular rooms, break the space into rectangles and add them together. Record the total net square footage you need to cover.
Add 10–15% for Waste
Reclaimed flooring requires a higher waste factor than new flooring due to natural variation in board lengths, end checking, and the need to cut around occasional defects. We recommend ordering 10–15% more than your net square footage. For diagonal installations, add 15–20%.
Calculate Material Cost
Our reclaimed flooring ranges from $7.00 to $18.00 per square foot depending on species, width, surface type, and grade. White oak 5-inch new face starts around $9.50/sq ft. Heart pine original face in 8-inch widths can reach $16.00/sq ft. Contact us with your project details for an exact quote.
Budget for Installation
Professional installation of reclaimed flooring typically costs $4.00 to $8.00 per square foot in the Midwest, depending on the installer, subfloor condition, and complexity of the layout. Nail-down installation on plywood subfloors is at the lower end. Glue-down on concrete or intricate patterns like herringbone are at the higher end.
Include Finishing Costs
If you order unfinished or skip-planed flooring, you will need on-site sanding and finishing. Professional sand-and-finish runs $3.00 to $5.00 per square foot for two coats of polyurethane, or $4.00 to $6.00 per square foot for a hand-rubbed oil finish. Pre-finished boards from our shop eliminate this step entirely.
Factor In Delivery
Local delivery within 50 miles of our yard is $150 flat rate for orders under 500 sq ft and free for larger orders. LTL freight shipping to destinations outside our delivery area typically runs $250 to $600 depending on weight and distance. We palletize and shrink-wrap all shipments.
Color & Patina Guide
One of the most compelling features of reclaimed flooring is its color. Here is how the most popular species look when installed, and how they change over time.
White Oak
When First Installed
When freshly milled (new face), white oak shows a warm honey to light tan color with visible medullary rays. Original face boards display a deeper golden brown with gray weathering tones.
How It Ages
Over 2–5 years with UV exposure, white oak deepens to a rich amber-brown. Oil finishes accelerate this mellowing. The rays become more prominent with age, adding visual depth that new white oak cannot match.
Red Oak
When First Installed
Red oak starts with a pink-tan to salmon color on fresh-cut surfaces. The original face often carries a warmer reddish-brown tone with occasional dark streaks from mineral deposits.
How It Ages
Red oak darkens significantly over time, shifting from its initial pink tone to a deeper reddish-brown. In high-UV environments, the color shift can be noticeable within the first 6 months. Use UV-filtering polyurethane to slow this process.
Heart Pine
When First Installed
Heart pine is the most dramatic reclaimed species for color. Fresh-cut surfaces show bright amber-orange tones with dark resin lines. Original face boards have a deep, almost burnt-orange patina from decades of oxidation.
How It Ages
Heart pine deepens to a rich, warm amber-red over time. The resin-saturated heartwood oxidizes beautifully, and the contrast between heartwood and sapwood grain lines becomes more pronounced with age and UV exposure.
Douglas Fir
When First Installed
Douglas fir presents a warm, pinkish-tan to golden-brown color with strong vertical grain. The contrast between the spring and summer growth rings creates a bold, striped appearance especially visible on new-face boards.
How It Ages
Douglas fir mellows to a warmer, more uniform golden tone over time. The strong grain contrast softens slightly but never disappears. In direct sunlight, fir can yellow significantly — apply a UV-protective finish to maintain the original warmth.
American Chestnut
When First Installed
Chestnut has a light, warm tan color with streaks of grayish-brown. The grain is straight and relatively uniform. Original face boards show a soft, silvery patina that many designers find irresistible.
How It Ages
Chestnut darkens gradually to a warmer brown over several years. Its color change is more subtle than oak or pine, making it a good choice for spaces where color consistency matters. It develops a rich, leathery quality that improves with age.
Hard Maple
When First Installed
Reclaimed maple floors start with a creamy white to pale ivory color, sometimes with subtle amber undertones. The tight, closed grain gives the surface a smooth, almost luminous quality under clear finishes.
How It Ages
Maple yellows and deepens to a warm honey tone over time. This is one of the more dramatic color shifts among flooring species. If you prefer the lighter initial color, use a water-based polyurethane with UV inhibitors.
Subfloor Requirements
A solid subfloor is the foundation of a lasting reclaimed wood floor. Here are the technical requirements for each common subfloor type.
Plywood Subfloor (Preferred)
A 3/4-inch CDX or tongue-and-groove plywood subfloor is the ideal base for nail-down reclaimed flooring. The plywood must be securely fastened to the joists with screws every 6 inches along the edges and 8 inches in the field to eliminate squeaks. Check for flatness using a 10-foot straightedge \u2014 the subfloor should be flat to within 3/16 inch over 10 feet. Sand or shim any high spots and fill any low spots with a leveling compound before installation.
Concrete Slab
Reclaimed flooring can be installed over concrete using a glue-down method, but moisture testing is critical. Perform a calcium chloride test (ASTM F1869) or relative humidity test (ASTM F2170) before proceeding. The slab must measure below 3 lbs per 1,000 sq ft per 24 hours (calcium chloride) or below 75% RH (in-situ probes). If moisture levels are too high, install a moisture barrier membrane before the flooring. The slab must be cured for at least 60 days and be flat to within 3/16 inch over 10 feet.
OSB Subfloor
Oriented strand board (OSB) can serve as a subfloor for reclaimed flooring if it is at least 23/32 inch thick and in good condition. OSB is more sensitive to moisture than plywood, so verify that moisture content is below 10% before installation. Secure any loose areas with screws and check flatness with a straightedge. For boards wider than 5 inches, we recommend a glue-assist nail-down method on OSB subfloors for best results.
Radiant Heat Systems
Reclaimed flooring can be installed over radiant heat, but species selection is critical. White oak and maple are the most dimensionally stable choices for heated subfloors. Avoid heart pine and Douglas fir, which are more prone to gapping over radiant systems. The surface temperature of the subfloor must never exceed 85\u00B0F. Gradually ramp the heat up over 7 days before installation to stabilize moisture levels, and acclimate the flooring in the heated space for a minimum of 14 days.
Warranty Information
We stand behind the quality of our reclaimed flooring products with clear, straightforward warranty coverage.
Material Warranty
All reclaimed flooring sold by North Iowa Lumber is warranted to be free from defects in milling and processing for a period of 5 years from the date of purchase. This covers tongue-and-groove fit, dimensional accuracy, and moisture content at the time of delivery. If any boards do not meet the grade and specifications listed on your invoice, we will replace them at no charge.
- 5-year milling and processing warranty
- Guaranteed moisture content of 6\u20138% at delivery
- Free replacement of any boards that do not meet stated grade
Pre-Finish Warranty
Flooring ordered with our factory-applied finish is warranted against peeling, flaking, and adhesion failure for 3 years from the date of installation, provided the flooring was installed and maintained according to our guidelines. Natural wear in high-traffic areas, scratches, and dents from normal use are not considered finish defects.
- 3-year factory finish warranty
- Covers peeling, flaking, and adhesion failure
- Requires installation per our written guidelines
What Is Not Covered
Our warranty does not cover damage resulting from improper installation, failure to acclimate the flooring before installation, excessive moisture exposure, flooding, or use of incompatible cleaning products. Natural characteristics of reclaimed wood \u2014 including color variation between boards, mineral streaks, nail holes, checking, and minor dimensional variation \u2014 are inherent features of the product and are not considered defects. Seasonal gapping of up to 1/32 inch between boards is normal behavior in solid wood flooring and is not covered under warranty.
Need help choosing the right flooring?
Our team can help you select the perfect species, width, and finish for your project. We also offer custom milling for non-standard profiles.
Explore Custom Milling