Where Can I Buy Reclaimed Wood For My DIY Projects?

Reclaim wood boards stacked

With the abundance of DIY décor blogs and sites like Pinterest, the use of reclaimed wood for home décor has exploded in popularity in recent years. Not only are people drawn to the weathered look of the wood, but using reclaimed wood is great for the environment as well. Rather than sending the old wood off to a landfill or burning it, users are getting to display it in other was.

There are many places to buy reclaimed wood, such as Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, and garage sales. Below we will touch on a few of the most common ways to pick up some reclaimed wood for your next project! As you’ll see, there is a wide range of options available.

If you are interested in a complete buying guide for reclaimed wood, check out this article that I wrote.

Etsy

Etsy is a handmade and vintage marketplace. Lots of people sell items in small shops on Etsy. It’s a great place to find all kinds of unique treasures!

On Etsy, you can also buy supplies. This is usually craft supplies, but you can find reclaimed wood there as well. Somebody else might have bought it locally but decided not to use it and is selling it on Etsy.

Etsy offers a wide selection of reclaimed wood, which makes it a good first choice.

If you are searching on Etsy for reclaimed wood, it can be useful to filter by the specific category of supplies. If not, you will see complete items made out of reclaimed wood being sold. This is a good way to get inspiration for your project if you need it though!

eBay

eBay is a popular place to sell anything that you may not need anymore. You can buy electronics, clothing, musical instruments, and more. The possibilities are limitless!

This means that you can also find reclaimed wood on eBay. There are lots of different options available. You can get small or large quantities, all kinds of wood, and all sizes.

You can choose whether you want to bid on an item in an auction, buy it now at its listed price, or make an offer. The seller chooses which options they will offer, but you can filter this in the settings.

Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace is an online marketplace where you can look for items for sale in your area. These items range from furniture to clothing and beyond. You can access this on your computer or phone. This is a popular place for people to sell reclaimed wood too.

You can look through a particular category on Facebook Marketplace or you can search. When you’re looking, you should set up filters. Make sure that the reclaimed wood is within a certain mile radius so you don’t have to drive too far.

On Facebook Marketplace, you may be able to negotiate with the seller to get a better deal too. Sometimes, free reclaimed wood is listed on Facebook Marketplace.

Facebook Selling Groups

In addition to Facebook Marketplace, there are area-specific selling groups on Facebook. For example, you can search “Garage Sale” with your city or “Buy Sell Trade” with your city. Try a few different terms like these to find a group.

In these groups, people post items for sale in your area. Not everyone likes to use Facebook Marketplace so some items will be posted in these groups instead. You can search within the group to see if there is reclaimed wood for sale.

You can also create an ISO (in search of) post in some of these groups. In this post, you could share that you’re looking for reclaimed wood, how much you need, where you’re located, and how much you’re willing to pay.

Craigslist

Craigslist is an online marketplace, similar to Facebook Marketplace, that allows you to search for items for sale in your area. You can select a set mile radius to ensure the products you see are close enough to you.

Often, people will list reclaimed wood for free on Craigslist. All you have to do is pick it up!

You can access Craigslist on your smartphone with their app or on your computer. You can even save your search so that you can check back again soon!

Garage Sales

At some garage sales, you may be able to find reclaimed wood. This will require a little more searching than looking online. Most areas hold garage sales in the spring, summer, and fall. Try to find out when your neighborhood is holding one.

Reclaimed wood might be free at garage sales or you might have to pay for it. Usually, when people have garage sales, they are willing to get rid of their old items for a very low price. You might be able to make an offer and get an awesome deal this way!

Architectural Salvage Stores

These stores sell reclaimed wood and other materials that would otherwise go to a landfill. You will find building materials, furniture, and other items for sale.

To find an architectural salvage store, you should do a quick internet search and include your city or state. Depending on where you live, there may be one nearby. If you do have to drive a little further, you may be able to call ahead and ask what they have available.

Where Else Can You Find Reclaimed Wood?

One good way to find reclaimed wood for free is to go for a drive. You might get lucky and find reclaimed wood on the side of the road. It’s especially useful to do this in the spring or summer when people are cleaning out their garages or working outdoors. This is when most people clean up their yards and might take out old structures, like fences.

It’s also smart to drive around on garbage pickup days. Often, people will set out their reclaimed wood or other materials to be picked up. Make sure you go the night before or early enough in the morning so that the truck doesn’t beat you to it.

Free Reclaimed Wood

Some people will list reclaimed wood for free online. Just because it’s free doesn’t mean it’s a scam. There’s a good reason that people post wood for free.

Think about if you just took down a fence in your backyard. You could load all of the wood up in your truck and take it to a dump or you could pay someone to remove it. Or you could post a picture of it on Craigslist or Facebook and offer it to someone for free as long as they pick it up.

This is exactly why you might find free reclaimed wood for sale in your area. It makes it easier for the seller and easier for you too.

How to Find Reclaimed Wood

When you’re searching these websites for reclaimed wood, it’s a good idea to try a few different variations of the same search. The most obvious search term is “reclaimed wood”. You should try some others too though, such as:

  • Reclaimed lumber
  • Reclaimed timber
  • Salvaged wood
  • Salvaged lumber

Experiment with these different terms and see what you can find! The results may change with each of these searches, leading you to even more options.

As you search, be aware that you will come across completed reclaimed wood projects for sale too. This is simply because of the search terms you’re using and the terms used in the sale listing. You might have to weed through some of these posts to find reclaimed wood instead of finished projects.

What Should You Keep in Mind When Searching for Reclaimed Wood?

When you’re searching for reclaimed wood, there are a few things you can do to make this process easier on you.

First, you should start by looking locally. This is best done on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. You will be able to go pick it up yourself instead of paying for shipping. If you do purchase reclaimed wood from someone local to you, make sure you have a truck or another way to transport it. Most sellers would rather not deliver it, but some may offer.

On these online selling pages, you can set a mile radius so that you will only be shown products available in that area. You won’t be able to see items for sale across your state if you don’t want to drive that far.

Next, if you do have to search elsewhere, you should limit your search to your country. You probably don’t want to see the shipping prices to ship large pieces of wood across the globe. Of course, if you can’t find anything in your country, you can expand your search later.

Then, you should make sure the wood and the sale are legitimate. If the pictures are limited or seem blurry, ask for additional ones. This is also a good way to know whether the wood has flaws. You can ask for extra pictures of the damage if needed too.

Finally, try to become familiar with pricing on reclaimed wood in your area. By searching regularly on the marketplaces listed before, you should be able to recognize high or low prices. Sometimes, sellers will mark up the price on reclaimed wood because it’s popular.

Low prices aren’t always a good thing. There could be something wrong with the wood or it may be a scam altogether. Look for any potential warning signs before making a purchase. Note that some marketplaces will offer protection in some cases, but this doesn’t always happen.

It’s also worth noting that some people list items for free or $1,000 when that isn’t the true price. This is one way they can attract people to their posts and it sometimes means that they want you to make them an offer. Be aware in case somebody fills in a different price and tries to charge you a different amount. This is most common on local selling pages.

Protecting You Home

Before bringing any reclaimed wood into your home, it’s important to ensure it is free of bugs! This is often an overlooked because buyers are in a hurry to get started on their project at hand. Not making sure your wood is bug free can be a costly mistake. I wrote an article here that walks you through the steps needed to properly eliminate any bugs that may be present. As you’ll see, it’s a fairly easy and inexpensive process.

Conclusion

You can make a variety of unique projects with reclaimed wood. One of the most challenging parts of this process is knowing where to start. Luckily, there are plenty of online marketplaces to help you find exactly what you’re looking for.

It’s smart to look at all of the websites mentioned before so you can find quality wood at a great price!