More wood is sent to landfills from cities than from national forests. Yes, you read that correctly. But how did it get to this point, and what’s being done about it?

Enter the Baltimore Wood Project, taking urban wood renewal to the next level. This Maryland-based wood supplier aims to separate from the boutique aspect of the urban wood niche, instead bringing the focus to forming a regional economy surrounding wood and land restoration as a whole. Originating in Baltimore with the intention of expanding its model elsewhere, this project achieves more than just quality reclaimed lumber; it impacts the lives of those involved, and by extension, their home.

Wasted potential

Wood is a valuable, renewable resource. So why do we waste so much of it?

Before you go to bat—I know, as fine furniture makers, you’re ready to cite each and every piece of scrap you’ve salvaged over the years, with some of us even going so far as to dumpster dive for materials. The idea of renewal and restoration of these same materials outside the shop should therefore be a natural development for many, yet wood waste only continues to grow steadily each year. While we’ve made strides in recycling and combustion with energy recovery in the past few decades, there are still glaring missed opportunities in urban areas that don’t usually come to mind when we think of lumber.

The advantages of urban wood renewal extend beyond environmental factors. Like a mutually beneficial domino effect, this undertaking not only contributes to restoration of valuable resources; it also reclaims the livelihood of the people in these areas, as well as the cities themselves.

Reclaiming wood

As of 2022, there are an estimated 15,000 vacant properties in Baltimore. As this number grows, so do its disputes. When it comes down to it, there are two options: deconstruction or demolition. Deconstruction involves gutting a property and salvaging its building materials, while demolition is a complete knockdown of the property. The latter is often the default, contributing significantly to wood waste in cities throughout the world. The motivation behind it is evident—in terms of immediacy, it’s largely cost effective. But as with most modern ventures in urban planning, the choice to demolish buildings instead of deconstruct them inherently overlooks the potential of a high return on investment.

It’s especially disheartening when you consider the history of old growth lumber in many Baltimore row homes. Much of it is yellow pine that was cut down in the 19th century, with roots stemming back all the way to the late middle ages. From that angle, this lumber practically belongs in a museum.

Though the process of reclaiming urban wood varies with each individual source, it can be simplified into three steps:

1. Wood is salvaged from building deconstruction and urban tree care operations.
2. Rather than contributing to landfill waste, materials are sorted and processed at a local facility.
3. The wood is then repurposed and resold locally, “creating a closed loop system.”

The final product is versatile, with uses ranging from fine furniture, to sustainable home building and renewable energy. Investing in deconstruction and preserving lumber for reconstitution increases the lifespan of renewed urban properties exponentially.

It’s not just a viable option in terms of longevity, but of sentiment and morale as well. It renews building and crafting materials as well as the communities they were derived from. Its most gainful outcome, however, is a rather unexpected one: It creates jobs, thereby boosting the local economy and increasing employment opportunities that break down barriers.

Reclaiming lives

The process of deconstruction creates six to eight more jobs than demolition, allowing individuals experiencing difficulty overcoming boundaries into the workforce to build skill sets and career potentials. By providing opportunities to those who don’t know where to look for work, or those who face hurdles finding work elsewhere, salvaging lumber offers a chance that might not otherwise be given.

This inspires stewardship in various forms throughout all steps of the salvaging process, creating new revenue streams that “…focus on employment and reduced recidivism, [through which] it is possible to structure pay-for-success financing that creates win-win scenarios for all parties.”

That is to say that both the employer and the employee benefit in the case of hiring those with past criminal offenses that often create obstacles in obtaining employment after reform. It’s a win-win situation that allows people to be given a second chance and honor their community.

Reclaiming neighborhoods

The prospects of these assets are threefold, having environmental, economic, and social impacts; but if there’s one word that has been a constant, it’s “local.” Baltimore Wood Project’s unique process hinges on this condition as its services boost the city’s infrastructure and moreover invest in their community. By concentrating their efforts locally, they’re able to invest in quality lumber to create quality products instead of risking integrity in favor of more widespread services.

For this reason, it’s not a matter of expanding business territory, but rather keeping the process of urban wood renewal condensed within its own closed loop. The matter at hand, then, is replicating this model in other locations and spreading awareness of the mutually beneficial life cycle of salvaged lumber that would otherwise go to waste.

There’s a precursor to the aforementioned three-step process, but it’s an intuitive one that you don’t need funds or resources for—above all, the Baltimore Wood Project encourages us to be thoughtful about how we utilize our resources and the ways in which we can breathe new life into them. If it’s something we can do individually, there’s potential for it to grow into something more. Even just a simple consideration has the chance to revitalize aspects of our lives we might not have anticipated, as it has for the people of Baltimore.

If you’re interested in supporting urban wood renewal, check out the shop at Brick + Board, a supplier that puts the Baltimore Wood Project’s plans into action. You can also find finished furniture pieces for sale in Room & Board’s gallery.

	Fine furniture from reclaimed wood How to overcome the obstacles without losing the character
	From the Bench: Woodworking changed my life An inmate in the Wisconsin prison system testifies to the power of woodworking and great mentors in turning around his life.
	Dumpster diving into Fine Woodworking There’s a treasure trove of wood out there for those with the imagination to reclaim it.

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

AnchorSeal Log and Lumber End-Grain Sealer

Good for both sealing the end grain of freshly cut logs and boards, this wax prevents end-grain checking and saves material

Buy at Amazon

Ridgid R4331 Planer

Priced nearly $300 less than the DeWalt 735X, the Ridgid R4331 is an excellent value. Its three-knife cutterhead left wonderfully clean surfaces on plainsawn white oak and white pine. It did not perform nearly as well on curly maple as the 735X.

Buy at Amazon

DeWalt 735X Planer

At high speed, the planer works fast and leaves a smooth surface. But the slower, finish speed produces an almost glass-smooth surface. Knife changes are easy.

Buy at Amazon