Pretty Little Green Things – Reclaimed snow fence from Centennial Woods

If you’ve been around the green block for any length of time, you’ve probably heard about the many ways that wood can be sustainably sourced.  But I’ll bet you’ve never heard of reclaimed wood coming from dilapidated Wyoming snow fences, have you?  Well let me tell you about it.
Centennial Woods reclaims planks used for snow fences in Wyoming and gives them a second life as kitchen cabinets, flooring, exterior siding, furniture doors, ceilings, you name it.  Traditionally the wood had been destined for a fire or the landfill, but thanks to their reclamation efforts, Centennial Woods has saved 6 million linear feet of planks and more than 10,000 tons of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere.  And what’s really unique about this product is the harsh Wyoming weather gives the wood so much more texture, depth and character than even regular reclaimed wood.  And because the wood has been exposed to the elements, it’s strong, perfectly dried and can be used indoors and out.  Let me show you what I’m talking about.

The siding on this house is the snow fence.  Isn’t it beautiful?  I love the variety of colors and texture of the wood.  It has so much character that it looks like it might just have a story to tell.  And after surviving a few harsh Wyoming winters, I’m sure it does.

Here the planks are used for ceiling panels.  I can imagine this makes for a really beautiful and intimate room.

I love the texture and variety of colors on these wood shingles.  Because Centennial Woods reclaims planks from a variety of sources, wood types can include anything from douglas fir, ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, and spruce.

Now that’s a gorgeous log cabin!  Like I said, because this wood has already weathered the elements, it makes for great exterior siding.

I’m generally a fan of the bright lacquered red entry door, but there’s something just as welcoming about these reclaimed wood doors.

Another ceiling shot.  I’m loving the herringbone pattern as well.

The snow fence wood can even look a bit more modern as in this house.

How gorgeous is this interior?  I’m not exactly sure what it’s used as but that doesn’t make it any less stunning.

Close up of a few planks.  I’m guessing those diamond shapes are where other planks crossed.

Home Construction and Improvement-Reclaimed Wood by Centennial Woods

Using Reclaimed Wood

I recently discovered a really cool company that’s created a very unique reclaimed wood company. I asked them to write a short article telling all of us more about the company and the products they offer. I think you’ll find it quite interesting.

Centennial Woods LLC realized 12 years ago that sustainability would become a cornerstone for many people; not merely a trend, but a way of life influencing how they shop, live, play, and even eat. People looking to green their homes and buildings were looking for a chemical free, all natural reclaimed wood, which can be difficult to reliably find in the fragmented barn wood market.

It was once common place for unwanted wood to be thrown into land fills or burned because it had reached the end of its life on a snow fence. Enter Wyomingites with a passion for sustainability! From its inception, Centennial Woods sought to reclaim this rustic lumber and repurpose it for a second life in building applications. By doing this, miles of beautiful reclaimed wood is given a second life where it can be cherished for years to come.

This product is radically different from barn wood or wood reclaimed from other old structures, in that snow fence has never been treated with any chemicals and has never had exposure to lead-based paints. Unlike other reclaimed wood that is treated, snow fence has no off-gassing and no VOC’s, improving indoor air quality. Wyoming’s arid wind naturally dries the snow fence for decades to produce intensely beautiful, perfectly dried reclaimed boards. This dimensional lumber is a mixture of douglas fir, ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, and spruce. Centennial Woods has one of the largest sources of reclaimed lumber and will continue to produce similar products decades from now (in contrast to barn wood with different dimensions, finishes, and species each time a different building is torn down).

The reclaiming work is done in-house by Centennial Woods field crews. They first dismantle the faces of the snow fence by hand to protect and preserve the natural effects of decades of “weathering” which gives the wood its unique character. The wood is then transported to the Company’s warehouse to be hand sorted and inventoried in preparation for shipment to customers.

Customers have been creative in the ways they use reclaimed snow fence in designing their homes but most commonly it is used for siding, soffit, paneling, flooring, ceilings, wainscoting, and trim. Reclaimed Wyoming snow fence has been prominently featured for two years in a row in Mountain Living’s Natural Dream Home in the Vail Valley and is used on the exterior of Southern Living’s Idea House in North Carolina. It is also featured in Blue Sky Grill at the Pepsi Center in Denver, and Bass Pro Shops across the country.

Inhabitat – Company Reclaims and Repurposes over 5 Million Feet of Wood Fencing

Centennial Woods reclaims wood from snow fences across Wyoming and sells the sustainable harvested wood for both interior and exterior applications. The wood is a stunning mixture of grays and browns in unique grain patterns that are characteristic of the windblown state of Wyoming. The company has repurposed more than 5 million feet of snow fence, saving snow fence owners more than $9 million and avoiding more than 9,000 tons of CO2 emissions. Unlike other reclaimed woods, Centennial Woods’ have never been painted or chemically treated, and are completely free of lead and other hazardous treatments common in older barns and other structures.

Mother Nature Network – Weathered and loving it: Reclaimed Wyoming snow fence

Reclaimed Wyoming snow fence from Centennial Woods is ‘perfectly cured’ and gorgeously weathered making it an excellent lumber choice for interior and exterior building/remodeling projects of the rustic variety.

What do you think of when you think of snow fences? Do you even think of them at all? Me, I think of them rarely and when I do imagine those godawful strips of perforated orange plastic sheets that you also see around construction sites.

Chances are that if you live in Wyoming, you think of (and see) snow fences a whole lot. It’s a state where snow fencing is serious business and where these wooden, not plastic, structures are just as common, or more common, along roads as stop signs and traffic lights. In Wyoming, the wooden snow fence is iconic.

Given that Wyoming snow fences are made from wood, they do have a lifespan and eventually begin to fall apart. When this happens, the old (but still very much strong and reusable) boards are removed and either landfilled or burned. Enter Centennial Woods, a Laramie-based company in the business of reclaiming Wyoming snow fence and giving it a second life as lumber used in building and renovation projects both indoors and out.

Here’s a bit about the science of snow fences from Centennial Woods:

The convergence of heavy snow, high winds and bitter cold make Wyoming’s highways difficult to navigate, to say the least. Lucky for us, Wyoming has millions of feet of snowfence across the state to control the blowing snow during our five-month winters.
Built to mimic the mountain face, these 9 to 13-foot-tall structures dot the landscape along Wyoming’s roads, bearing the brunt of the harshest winds. Snowfences disrupt wind flow and cause snow particles to drop out of the blowing snow. Instead of spreading across the road and obstructing the vision of fast-moving travelers, snowdrifts are put in their place, downwind from the fence.

Snow fence boards harvested by Centennial Woods can range in age from anywhere to 7 to 25 years old, giving it a distinguished look that’s a true product of Wyoming’s wild weather: snowy winters, arid winds, clear skies, and abundant sunshine. But instead of being broken down by the weather, the wood — primarily locally sourced ponderosa pine, douglas fir, spruce and lodgepole pine —  is strengthened by it, or as Centennial Woods puts it, “perfectly cured.” And since snow fence boards don’t touch the ground, the wood isn’t affected by bugs or ground moisture making it extra resilient.

The applications for reclaimed Wyoming snow fence are numerous. Decidedly more appropriate for those going aiming for a rustic, cabin-in-the-woods kind of vibe, it can be used for interior projects like flooring, accent walls, wainscoting, cabinetry, ceilings, and even furniture. Outdoors, it can be used as siding and trim and can be incorporated into landscaping projects. And aside from it’s green appeal as a recycled product, snow fences, unlike other types of reclaimed lumber such as barn wood, have never been treated making them truly au natural and free of VOCs that could potentially off-gas.

Centennial Woods was kind enough to send me a big box of sample wood, booth milled and natural, and while I did admire the rugged beauty and imperfection of it (one block meant for interior paneling had a couple of nails in it) I was truly impressed by the fragrant smell of the stuff. I may have found a great way to reuse recycled wood samples: putting them in my closet and drawers.

For a 1” x 6” board of reclaimed snow fence that measures 6 to 16 feet, the price is $1.69 per linear foot. The price drops the more linear feet you order. Prices vary for other products including flooring and crafter wood.

Since its inception in 1999, Centennial Woods claims to have salvaged 5 million feet of snow fence and, in the process, curbed the emission of 9,000 tons of CO2. Pretty impressive. Have you used reclaimed snow fence in a building/remodeling project?

Project images: Centennial Woods; Sample image: Matt

The opinions expressed by MNN Bloggers and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of MNN.com. While we have reviewed their content to make sure it complies with our Terms and Conditions, MNN is not responsible for the accuracy of any of their information.

Green Building Elements-Wyoming Snow Fence Lives Second Life

Centennial Woods turns old Wyoming snow fences into beautiful reclaimed wood for siding, soffits, paneling, flooring, ceilings, wainscoting, and trim.  The raw products are naturally rustic and weathered but also can be purchased partially or completely milled and finished.

Centennial Woods maintains and dismantles snow fences throughout Wyoming, providing a never-ending supply of weathered wood.  The fences are dismantled by hand, and new fences or wood installed in their place.  This saves the wood from its previous resting place, usually the landfill.  Wood types include a mixture of douglas fir, ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, and spruce, which is naturally dried for decades by Wyoming’s arid wind, producing intensely beautiful, perfectly dried, strong. 

A snowfence is comprised of three vertical “bucks,” or frames, built from 2”x6” boards as well as nine to fifteen 1”x6”x16’ boards comprising the face of the fence.  This structure is called a “panel.”  A typical snowfence “row” is comprised of about 75 panels, and rows can range from 5 to 500 panels.

It is worthy to note that this product is a naturally weathered wood, and colors and finishes will not be uniform.  If the product is installed outside or left unfinished, it will continue to weather and wear.  If a static finish is desired, sealing or staining is recommended.

Photos courtesy of Centennial Woods.

TheInterioRevolution-Truly Weathered Wood-Centennial Woods

Truly Weathered Wood – Centennial Woods

Weathered wood is getting quite popular in interiors, what with its silvery grey patina and rough hewn texture.  And of course, there are many ways of accomplishing that look, such as scraping, painting, pickling and staining.  However, those methods take a lot of effort (not to mention being less than sustainable).  Why not let Mother Nature do all the work for you?

People (from places other than Wyoming), let me introduce you to this amazing thing called a “snowfence”.  Apparently in Wyoming, the snow runs free across the prairie, and they have to put up fencing to keep it from roaming onto the highways, or some such thing.  I don’t know – I’m from Southern California.  I am officially clueless about snow.

In any case, this fencing is subjected to wind, rain, sun, snow and ice, so it surely qualifies as weathered!  Not surprisingly, it can only last so long before it needs to be replaced.   Thankfully, Centennial Woods has found new uses for all the old, discarded planks, turning them into beautiful boards and flooring.

Because these planks have never been painted or chemically treated, they are a more reliable source for lead and arsenic free reclaimed wood than barns or other structures.  And look at the lovely, natural variations in color…

This is an image I took of the samples sent to me last week.  The reddish plank with the knot, and the tan plank at the bottom have both been planed for use in flooring. Standard width is 5″, with lengths of anywhere from 4′ to 12′.  The other two samples are raw boards, straight from the Wyoming wildlands.  How raw?  Check this out…

This sample still has lichen all over it!  What amazing color and texture this piece has.

Best of all for the people of Wyoming, because Centennial Wood has built up such a good market for the reclaimed fencing, they are able to repair and maintain fencing along 270 miles of Wyoming roads at no cost to the state or local government.  They can also provide new, low-cost fencing, sourced from sustainably managed Rocky Mountain Ponderosa and Lodge Pole Pine.  From their website:

Before Centennial Woods began harvesting Wyoming snowfence, older boards were often left on the frame too long and burned or thrown in a landfill when replaced. In 1999, Centennial Woods discovered the strength and beauty of Wyoming snowfence and vowed to rescue and reuse it. By developing an international market for this untapped Wyoming resource, Centennial Woods has repurposed more than 5 million feet of snowfence, saving snowfence owners more than $9 million and avoiding emission of more than 9,000 tons of CO2 emissions.

I think this is a perfect example of a product that is truly well thought out, beneficial and most of all, sustainable.

Jetson Green Article — Reusing Wood from aged Snow Fence

Reusing Wood from Aged Snow Fence

By Preston | Topics: Materials, Recycled | Comments (5)

When heavy snow, strong winds, and cold weather converge, highway driving can become difficult in a state like Wyoming.  There, you’ll see miles of snow fence to mitigate this condition.  Centennial Snowfence, a division of Centennial Woods, manages ~270 miles of snow fence inventory in Wyoming, and since 1999, the company has built or renewed over 85 miles of it.  In the process, Centennial Woods harvests old ponderosa and lodgepole pine boards for reuse, such as in homes or in retail or commercial projects.

Centennial Woods says reclaimed snow fence maintains its integrity and strength for reuse, because the boards are above ground at all times and, for the most part, unaffected by bugs, animals, or ground moisture.  The wood can be anywhere from 7-25 years old.

These snow fence boards have never been treated and available in 1″x6″ in 4 to 16 foot lengths, milled or natural.  I’m waiting to hear back from the company on current pricing information, although I read at Green Building Advisor that the product is being sold for $1.69 per linear foot.

When used inside a project, snow fencing is perfect for accent walls, floors, ceilings, or wainscoting.  The reclaimed wood can also be used for siding or landscaping projects.  The images in this article show a few different applications of the reclaimed wood product.

Photo credits: Centennial Woods, LLC.