Overseas Versus Local Manufacturing: Industrial and Manufacturing Blogs

There are many things to consider when designing and constructing a new garage, but rarely is the environmental impact of your newly-built garage taken into account. Even a modest garage can have a massive carbon footprint associated with its construction, and the energy costs and pollution generated by manufacturing the materials your garage is built from can be a huge contributor to this footprint.

Consequently, more and more people who build new garages are integrating recycled materials into the construction process, and recycled timber is one of the most useful and versatile. Here are just a few of the ways reclaimed timber can be used to construct a practical, attractive and eco-friendly garage:

Structural timber

The timbers used to provide structural support to houses and other structures are extremely strong and are heavily treated with preservatives that prevent the spread of mould and rot. Consequently, they last for a very long time in very good condition, and structural timber taken from demolition sites in excellent condition can often be found at timber salvage yards and other building material recycling centres.

Reclaimed structural timbers can be reused in your garage, providing vital support for the walls and roof, and are particularly useful if you intend to construct a traditional brick-and-mortar garage with timber trusses providing support.

Wall cladding

Protecting the walls of your garage with some kind of external cladding can increase the durability and longevity of your garage, and the right cladding materials can also look very attractive in their own right. Reclaimed timber is an ideal choice for garage wall cladding. Not only does it provide an extra layer of protection between your vehicles and equipment and the outside world, but it is also quite breathable as far as cladding materials go, allowing air to circulate freely through your garage and inhibit the spread of mould and fungal growth.

A wide variety of salvaged timbers can be converted into garage wall cladding, from reclaimed floorboards to structural timbers and recycled railway sleepers. However, to ensure that they can withstand exposure to the elements without degrading and becoming unsightly, they must be treated with powerful preservative chemicals. This makes railway sleepers a particularly good choice, as they are already impregnated with extremely powerful and long-lasting preservatives.

Garage doors

Timber garage doors can be very attractive, and their durability and heft provide excellent security against car thieves and other intruders -- however, they can also be cripplingly expensive when purchased new. As such, many garage builders choose reclaimed and recycled timber garage doors, or even craft their own doors from thicker pieces of salvaged timber. Like reclaimed timber wall cladding, garage doors made of reclaimed wood must undergo surface treatments so they can endure outdoor exposure without rotting. 

For more information on recycled bricks and reclaimed timber, contact your local supplier today.