Ideal Bite

A few years ago we renovated our home and in the process removed a breezeway that had re-claimed wide wood floors in random widths. I saved the floorboards and recently had them made into a beautiful top for a coffee table. The table has a wrought iron base with a glass top, so I kept the base and put the glass on top of the new wood top. A whole new table!! It cost $450 to have the top made from the twice!! re-claimed wood. What a bargain!

Be careful before you buy furniture that says it are eco-friendly. Make sure they use water based glues, stains and sealers as well as reclaimed or FSC wood. Many will use just FSC wood. As for the sustainable furniture council, it is a good start. I was so excited to see that the furniture council was formed. However, when I reviewed the list of manufacturers, I knew that they all were not as eco-friendly as I had hoped they would be. During my conversations with the council, they told me that the listed companies have made an environmental committments but not necessarily completely eco-friendly in the manufacturering process or actual product. In addition, not all eco-friendly furniture companies are listed. You have to pay membership to be on the council's list. Such companies as furnature, which is the grand daddy of eco-furniture is not on the list. I commend the council in their efforts to get more companies aboard. I look forward to many good things from them! Take a look at Viesso and Cisco Brothers' wood furniture as well as their sofas, etc. Very eco-friendly. Also, Lee Industries has made great environmental strieves too. As for Jen's question, my soy based product only removes paint. I called them and they told me I had to sand or strip the poly or varnish off my furniture. If anyone knows of a soy based varnish or poly urethane remover, I too would be interested. Anna www.green-talk.com

Instead of buying a new endtable,coffee table or any other table made from reclaimed wood, why not just buy it second hand?? Buying them second hand sounds a lot better than buying something new even if it's from reclaimed wood. Zig

On the topic of reclaimed wood - Ten Thousand Villages also has beautiful furniture from reclaimed wood, AND it is fair-trade! But generally comes from third-world countries, so pick you balance!

I did the same thing, I picked up a four drawer dresser at value village for $20 and when I got it home I discovered that it is maple wood under the 20 layers of paint on it, after I fix the one broken drawer and strip the paint off it should look great. Does anyone have a natural way to protect the finish once it's done?