Anyone who enjoys the hiking, trailing running, or mountain biking will have come across fallen trees in their paths. These trees have collapsed either due to having died or as the result of inclement weather. What you might not realize is the cord wood from these trees can be recycled for use in the home in what is termed “cordwood construction”.
Initially, the tree will need to be cut into smaller pieces aka “cordwood”. It will also need to be stripped of bark. From there, it is up to the imagination of people as to how to make use of the wood. In this particular home, a couple cut the cordwood recovered from fallen alligator bark and shaggy bark juniper trees into round chips of the same thickness – roughly one inch.
Next, they laid out the round chips across the bare concrete floor of their rustic home. Bear in mind, each piece has been sanded down to give it a smooth surface. The couple then permanently glued the pieces to the floor. The cordwood tiles are then tamped down to ensure they are firmly in place. The final stage involves applying polyurethane to the surface. The result is a stunning transformation of the floor into a warm rustic floor. While it isn’t a fit for every home, you will certainly admit the flooring added a beautiful touch to this home. Apparently, “cordwood construction” is a centuries old technique. It may have been done initially by peasants out of importunity, but that doesn’t mean savvy people can’t use it to add real value to their homes in this day and age.
