The time worn timbers of America’s venerable old buildings begin a new life at The Woods Company. Harvested from aged barns, tobacco curing sheds, mills, factories, warehouses and other aged buildings destined for demolition, these valued building materials are the proud legacy of our old growth forests. As a leader in the antique lumber industry, The Woods Company has been committed to preserving this important part of America’s past for over 25 years.

While most of the antique lumber lacks a special “history” of its own these great woods have contributed to the unique fabric of our early American building culture as a whole.

Antique Barnwoods
Our sources are primarily the German bank barns found in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Some of the wood species utilized include Oak, Chestnut, Yellow Pine, White Pine, Hemlock, Hickory, Maple and Poplar. Most were built prior to 1880 and are varied in design depending on the area. Bank barns were highly efficient for the large amounts of grain and hay that could be stored and processed above the livestock area and then tossed down to the animals when needed. These barns were early examples of passive solar design because they were generally oriented to a southern exposure providing shade in the summer when the sun was at a high angle and heat in the winter when the sun was at a lower angle.

Antique Chestnut
This wood has a unique history of its own in the forests of the east. Once the King of the Forest in its region, it is now commercially extinct. In the first half of the 20th century the Chestnut blight, a deadly fungus, virtually wiped out the species. It’s uses ranged from telgraph poles, fences, railroad ties, shingles, fine furniture and even musical instruments. The American Chestnut tree is now found in the forest as a blight infested stump with sprouts. Hope does exist through the efforts the American Chestnut Foundation to bring back the speciesusing a blend of traditional breeding techniques and recent advancements in science. If you would like to learn more about the the American Chestnut and its comeback you can visit the foundations website at www.acf.org.

Antique Heart Pine
Many of the old factory buildings and mills in the east used Heart Pine as structural members. Collectively these buildings are a part of the great industrial age in America. Many of the factories that are being demolished today have a special history in the hearts of those who had ancestors or themselves were employed there. Antique Heart Pine is also a part of the history of the Old Growth forests from the South East. Few first generation Heart Pine forests exist today and those that survive are protected from logging.

For both restoration and new construction, discerning architects, builders, and homeowners choose The Woods Company for fine architectural products, personal service, and our guarantee of complete satisfaction. When you're making an investment in the time-honored beauty of fine wood flooring - expect the best.