Reclaimed wood is all the rage in design and construction these days, but if you're not well informed, the consequences can cost you both monetarily and in your reputation as a quality builder or craftsman.  Here are some of the pitfalls, and how to avoid them. • Buy from a reputable source. o Have they been in business at least 5 years, and have they been keeping an inventory of Antique / Reclaimed timbers on hand? o You can really never be sure what the origin of the wood is.  We choose who we partner with very carefully to be as certain as we can that our inventory of these historic timbers have no active bug infestations, or other issues that can create headaches for all involved. • Ask if the timbers have been treated with an approved, non-toxic borate based insecticide such as “Timbor ®”, to eliminate existing termite or powder post infestations, and to prevent new ones. o Powder Post beetle larvae can hatch out up to 20 years after they were laid in the wood, so this treatment is very important for the future of your home. o If the wood has been salvaged (or kept) in warmer humid climates, the liklihood of infestation is higher. If the timbers were salvaged or stored in a locale where winter temperatures get below zero for extended periods of time, the liklihood of infestation will be much lower.  Still, timbers should always receive a treatment of “Timbor ®” (or equivalent) to insure they are free of bugs that can escape into your home. o Reclaimed Hardwood timbers are more susceptible to these type of infestations than are conifers like Long Leaf Pine and Douglas Fir, but occasionally you will see infestations in Fir that was salvaged from coastal areas of the Northwest. • Are they willing to give you several quality references from the past and present? Due to the long standing relationships with those we acquire timbers from, we are as certain as possible of the origins of our timbers (we have documentation on many of them), and because we treat every timber that comes into our yard with “Timbor ®”, you can be sure you are getting the best quality, most trouble free  reclaimed timber available.  It’s a important investment - make sure you know what you’re getting.