The Case For Shiplap

Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV’s Fixer Upper fame may have made shiplap — rough-sawn pine paneling found in barns and homes — a trending topic. Yet Cleveland-based Rustbelt Reclamation has been using studs, joists and rafters salvaged from demolished urban structures for high-end custom projects since 2010. While creating a rustic accent wall with floor-to-ceiling wooden planks is a sustainable way to add interest to a room, the cool factor extends beyond ecological correctness. Since shiplap is often found in older homes, reclaimed wood comes with a history, says Deej Lincoln, president of Rustbelt Reclamation. Old barn siding can represent years of memories. “If you consider that you can add to that history, that you can carry that story forward,” Lincoln says, “it adds a great intangible quality to anything that incorporates that material.”