The charm of antique wood
In order to bring people interested in discovering the charm of reclaimed antique wood, we have created a space dedicated to news, divided into two sections.
The first section, called “The novel of wood” collects information on the history and value of ancient wood, on the characteristics of the various types, on the different possibilities of use; there are also some curious news that help fuel interest in this material.
The second section describes “The processing of ancient wood”, and is specifically aimed at those interested in using reclaimed wood in construction and / or furnishings.
Here we present, step by step, also through images, the various phases, from the recovery of the wood from old structures no longer used to the procedures that restore it to the beauty of the past, to then arrive at the realization of the finished product.
We take you by the hand on the road to the recovery of ancient wood, to understand how from a trunk or from an “old, black, moldy” board, thanks to the various processing steps, splendid floors, coverings, tables with inlays, veins, colors that enrich and make any environment warm and welcoming.
The novel of wood
MAN AND WOOD
Wood, like stone, is one of the materials that man has found in nature since the beginning of his existence and which he immediately used in many ways to meet the needs of life, first of all survival. Wood, in fact, was a precious ally of primitive man as a tool to defend himself, to get food, to light the fire with which to heat and cook, to create the first furnishings. With wood, man [...]
MAINTENANCE AND CLEANING OF ANCIENT WOOD
Cleaning old wood and intervening in the right way is very important to keep it "alive" and to avoid losing its beauty. The first operation, both for antique wooden floors and for coatings and furnishings, is the elimination of dust (to be performed, for floors with a normal vacuum cleaner, while for the rest with a soft cloth). It is then necessary to wash the surface with water, using a damp but well wrung cloth. [...]
CURIOSITY ABOUT WOOD (2nd part)
Wood is a living material: a famous saying states that “if it doesn't move it isn't wood” (perhaps to justify any defects in the floors….!). Wood is a living material: a famous saying states that “if it doesn't move it isn't wood” (perhaps to justify any defects in the floors….!). For antique wooden floors, the terms "first patina", "second patina", "solid" are used to indicate respectively the direction of the original wood, the original upside-down [...]
CURIOSITY ABOUT WOOD (1st part)
Venice was built on water as if it were a shallow swamp; the areas to be built were therefore solidified by planting larch or oak poles, which could resist over time under water because they were not in contact with the air. The "bricole" are large trunks of larch, oak or acacia, gathered in groups and positioned in the lagoon to indicate the navigable canals (even in low tide conditions). Many of these have been [...]
RECOVERY SITES OF ANCIENT WOOD
Our work of recovering ancient wood begins with the search for the building to be demolished. It is a meticulous and accurate research: it is a question of evaluating, in a structure that is often in poor condition, the type, quality, condition of the wood that is hidden under the ravages of time. The experience and the "nose" lead us to examine old houses, barns, huts, but also castles and residences, realizing from which ancient [...]
GALLERY OF ANCIENT TOOLS FOR WOODWORKING
At one time wood was worked manually, with the use of tools and tools, also handmade, which assisted the skill and ingenuity of the carpenter in the construction of structures and furnishings. That wood, today, is recovered and reinvented in various ways; it is, on the other hand, a living material and its reuse has an important ecological value, as it helps the conservation and protection of the environment. Starting from old boards, the result [...]
The processing of ancient wood
THE STARTING POINT FOR THE REUSE AND PROCESSING OF ANCIENT WOOD
At the basis of Vintage Wood's work is the philosophy of reuse, which aims to enhance an existing heritage, with its own lived stories, making it continue to live and enrich itself with new stories. The starting point is represented by the research and recovery of wood from old barns, farmhouses, rural homes, ancient villas, wood which is then cleaned, properly treated, and then transformed and reinterpreted, always maintaining, however, its own peculiar [...]
THE WAREHOUSE OF ANCIENT WOOD
For us at VintageWood, the salvaged wood warehouse is an extremely important starting point for tackling the ancient woodworking arc. This is demonstrated by the fact that we have dedicated three large spaces to the division and organization of recovered wood, making the warehouse one of the "flagships" of our company. The "value" is given, first of all, by the considerable amount of wood that is present there. Quantity, in fact, is fundamental because it [...]
THE BOLTING OF RECOVERED WOOD
The art of restoring an ancient wooden board, recovered from an old structure, to its original splendor passes through multiple stages of intervention. The starting point is a board that shows the typical signs of time: dirty, dusty, discolored, damaged by atmospheric factors, defaced by holes and woodworms. A long and careful craftsmanship brings the ancient wood to recover its unrepeatable characteristics, to enhance its veins and shades of color, which give it all the [...]
THE SANDBLASTING OF ANCIENT WOOD BEAMS
Sandblasting consists of a cleaning system that makes it possible to bring the surface of the old recovered wood to “new”, acting in a controlled manner so as not to damage it. Using this procedure, the boards recovered from floors, claddings, old wooden beams are cleaned of any layers of paint and / or dust which, over time, have solidified on the surface. The treatment consists in the emission, through a tube, of large quantities [...]
CUTTING, PLANING, SANDING AND GROUTING OF RECOVERY WOOD
The cutting operation takes place in the sawmill. Here the old wooden beams are loaded on a belt and sawn into planks with a thickness of about 6 cm., Then selected on site to divide them according to their future use (floors, floors, coverings, tables, etc.). The maturing phase follows. The wood is dried for forty-five days: it is necessary, in fact, to reduce its humidity, in order to avoid subsequent settling. Wood is considered dry [...]
THE LAYING OF ANCIENT RECOVERY WOOD FLOORS
A recovered wood floor gives warmth, beauty and prestige to the environment; it becomes an integral part of living comfort and, at the same time, represents a design element capable of enriching the space. An antique wooden floor is unique and unrepeatable and its installation is the final result in which all the processing phases are realized. In fact, although the wood is beautiful and well treated, if the installation is not performed in a [...]