Recycled flooring for the home

Recycled flooring can provide you with a cost-effective alternative to brand new floorboards, but choosing the right floorboards can be a tricky process. Find out what you need to do prior to choosing recycled floorboards for your home.

1. Salvaged or remilled floorboards?

Work out whether you're actually looking for salvaged or remilled floorboards. Salvaged boards are taken straight from a building, while remilled boards are planed and come out almost like brand new.

2. Look out for broken pieces

When the old floor is pulled up, bits of tongue and groove joint can break off. Some recycled flooring companies will inspect the boards and remove all the broken bits, while some opt to leave them as is. Make sure you ask your floorboard dealer whether broken pieces have been removed to ensure you get the best value for money.

3. Dirty floorboards

With most floorboards, dirt builds up in the tongue and groove joints over time. If your recycled flooring are dirty, the boards won't squeeze together properly when they are re-laid. Check with the floorboard company whether or not they make a habit of cleaning their floorboards before selling them on.

4. Find out about moisture content

Check that your boards haven't been rained on during the demolition process and that they have been stored away from the elements. Boards with a high moisture content can become weak.

5. Be wary of over-sanding your flooring

Make sure your recycled floorboards haven't been sanded too much in the past. If they have, there won't be much thickness left above the tongue, and cracks can appear above the grooves.

6. Ask your floorboard supplier questions

Have a talk to the floorboard company you're thinking of purchasing from about their suppliers. Some companies will have regular suppliers who they know will provide them with a quality product.

Find out how you can get the most out of recycled flooring by talking with an expert: