Reclaimed Wood in DLT (2024)

DLT CRAFTED WITH RECLAIMED LUMBER
Credit: Paul Mayencourt

Project Owner: Urban Machine
Project Location: 1070 40th St, Oakland, CA 94608
Completion Date: October 15, 2023
Architect/Designer: Paul Mayencourt
Mass Timber Engineer/Manufacturer: All Bay Lumber

URBAN MACHINE’S COLLABORATION with the University of California, Berkeley, and All Bay Lumber is reshaping sustainable building materials by focusing on integrating reclaimed wood into Dowel Laminated Timber (DLT). DLT is renowned for its sustainability, relying on minimal glue usage. Introducing reclaimed wood further amplifies this eco-friendly mass timber solution.

Using reclaimed lumber reduces waste and minimizes the need for tapping into new resources. By reusing old-growth wood, Urban Machine honors forests and extends trees’ life spans in the built environment. This practice not only champions ecological responsibility but also preserves the natural beauty of the wood.

Left – DLT MADE WITH RECLAIMED WOOD, READY FOR ASSEMBLY
Source: All Bay Lumber’s warehouse Credit: Jorie Wisnefski
Right – RECLAIMED OLD-GROWTH WOOD IN DLT
Credit: Paul Mayencourt

Old-growth wood is durable and resilient. Incorporating reclaimed old-growth wood into panels ensures that these qualities are retained in the final product. This is a crucial aspect of mass timber construction, as the strength and reliability of the materials used are paramount to the success and safety of the structures.

By using reclaimed lumber, Urban Machine, UC Berkeley, and All Bay Lumber are championing a circular economy. Wood that is typically bound for landfills or other, less sustainable fates now can live another life in construction projects as premium lumber.

By combining innovative technology and sustainable design, Urban Machine, UC Berkeley, and All Bay Lumber are reclaiming wood as just one step in a broader mission to build more responsibly and ensure good lumber is not wasted.

The evolving collaboration between Urban Machine and UC Berkeley underscores the importance of sustainable materials and innovative techniques in the construction field. Reclaimed wood in DLT isn’t just a building material; it’s a symbol of the profound potential for change, for reimagining the ways we construct our world.