Reclaimed Wood Still Usable After 120 Years Underwater

The residential living area can be highlighted through reclaimed tiles made from hardwood. The tiles are put together to improve the aesthetics of walls, partitions, entrance hallways, ceilings and bathrooms including outdoor living spaces. Reclaimed wood tiles can also be usedto improve the ambience of clubs, bars, coffee shops, restaurants, foyers, boardrooms and hotels.

In 1898, Great Northern Paper Co. cleared up 600 acres around the 400-acre Quakish Lake located near Millinocket to build a dam. The clear-cut area was flooded to allow easy harvesting and transport of spruce, fir or hemlock to the new company mill.

According to Tom Shafer, owner of Timberchic, wood was floated in the lake every spring to be used in the manufacture of paper. Wood just sat in the lake throughout summer. In several instances some of the wood sinks to the bottom of the lake causing the company to lose 3% to 4% of their lumber every year.

After 120 years, Shafer and Timberchic reclaimed the wood for people who wanted to add a North Wood accent to their houses. The company collected the wood using an excavator, barge and crane. The wood they collected was transformed into very thin, pre-stained, peel-and-stick panels which people can use as wallpaper to decorate their walls. The peel-and-stick tape that can be found on the back of the wood is similar to the material used to hold windows in buildings and skyscrapers.

The wood panels having survived the test of time had different colours and textures depending on how long they have been submerged under the water or buried in mud. Time and nature were responsible for the unique designs in reclaimed wood.

Since the lake is a limited source for reclaimed wood, Timberchic is using blade saws to limit wastage and improve yield. On the other hand, it will take years for the company to fully recover all the lumber from the bottom of the lake.

A sophisticated Wow factor can be easily created through reclaimed tiles made from wood that has survived the test of time. The tiles are made from hardwood which is widely known for its strength and durability.