Reclaimed & Sustainable
Lumber Products
From century-old heart pine rescued from Philadelphia factories to FSC-certified new-growth stock, we carry the materials that builders, architects, and woodworkers trust for projects that demand both character and conscience.
Request a Quote
We respond within one business day.
Our Product Range
Whether you need a single reclaimed mantel or ten thousand board feet for a commercial renovation, our inventory and milling capabilities have you covered.
Reclaimed Lumber
Salvaged heart pine, white oak, chestnut, Douglas fir, barn wood, and industrial timbers sourced from demolished structures across the Northeast. Every board carries decades of character and proven structural integrity.
ExploreNew Lumber
FSC-certified and sustainably sourced dimensional lumber, plywood, and engineered wood for projects that require virgin material. Responsibly harvested, competitively priced, and available for immediate pickup.
ExploreCustom Milling
Precision re-sawing, planing, tongue-and-groove profiling, and kiln drying. We transform raw salvaged timbers into job-ready flooring, siding, mantels, and architectural elements to your exact specifications.
ExploreAccessories & Hardware
Structural fasteners, timber connectors, joist hangers, lag bolts, and specialty hardware designed for reclaimed wood applications. Plus finishing oils, sealants, and maintenance supplies.
ExploreSizing Guide
Nominal vs. actual dimensions, board foot calculations, grading standards, and species selection guidance. Everything you need to order the right material for your project the first time.
ExploreQuality Standards & Grading
Every piece of lumber that leaves our yard is inspected, graded, and documented. Reclaimed wood undergoes a rigorous multi-step evaluation that accounts for structural soundness, moisture content, insect damage, and metal contamination before it ever reaches a customer.
We grade reclaimed material using a system adapted from NHLA hardwood grading rules, tailored to account for the unique characteristics of salvaged timber. Our grading tiers — Select, #1, #2, #3, and Economy — give you transparent quality benchmarks so you can specify exactly what your project needs without overpaying.
Select Grade
Clean faces, minimal defects, ideal for fine furniture and visible architectural features.
#1 Grade
Tight knots and minor character marks allowed. Excellent for flooring, paneling, and cabinetry.
#2 Grade
Sound knots, some checking, and patina. Perfect for accent walls, shelving, and rustic installations.
#3 / Economy
Maximum character with larger knots and surface wear. Great for agricultural, industrial, or artistic use.
Our Inspection Process
- 1
Visual Screening
Every incoming board is visually inspected for rot, insect damage, structural cracks, and paint or chemical contamination.
- 2
Metal Detection
Industrial metal detectors scan each piece. Nails, screws, and embedded hardware are removed by hand or flagged for de-nailing during processing.
- 3
Moisture Testing
Pin and pinless moisture meters verify that material is within acceptable ranges. Wood above threshold is directed to our kiln-drying facility.
- 4
Species Identification
Experienced graders identify species by grain pattern, weight, color, and end-grain characteristics, ensuring accurate labeling for your order.
- 5
Grade Assignment
Each board receives a grade based on face quality, structural soundness, and dimensional accuracy, then is sorted and inventoried.
Sustainability Is Not an Afterthought
Choosing reclaimed lumber diverts material from landfills, prevents methane emissions from decomposing wood, reduces demand for virgin timber harvesting, and keeps embodied carbon locked in place for another generation of use. On average, every 1,000 board feet of reclaimed lumber we sell prevents roughly 1.5 tons of CO₂ equivalent emissions compared to newly harvested material.
When a project does require new wood, we source exclusively from FSC-certified suppliers who practice sustainable forestry management — selective harvesting, replanting programs, and habitat preservation.
Read Our Sustainability ReportHow to Buy
We serve everyone from individual homeowners to large-scale commercial contractors. Here is how to get started.
Visit the Yard
Walk our inventory in person at 13200 Townsend Rd, Philadelphia. Our team can help you hand-select boards, match species and grain, and load your vehicle. Open Monday through Friday 7 AM to 5 PM and Saturday 8 AM to 2 PM.
Request a Quote
Need a specific species, dimension, or volume? Submit a quote request below with your project details. We respond within one business day with availability, pricing, and lead times for processing and delivery.
Schedule Delivery
We deliver across the Philadelphia metro area and the broader tri-state region. Flatbed, box truck, and LTL freight options available. Ask about our same-week delivery for in-stock items.
Our Quality Guarantee
Every piece of lumber that leaves Philadelphia Lumber Co. carries our quality guarantee. We stand behind our grading, our species identification, our moisture content readings, and our milling tolerances. If any material arrives at your job site and does not match the grade, species, or specifications on your order, we will replace it at our expense including delivery.
For reclaimed lumber specifically, our metal-free guarantee means that any board sold as “processed” has been de-nailed, scanned with an industrial metal detector, and cleared of ferrous metals. If a customer discovers a nail in processed stock, we replace the board and reimburse the cost of any tooling damaged as a result — no questions asked. This guarantee has been in place since 2015, and we have honored it every single time.
Our moisture content guarantee ensures that kiln-dried material is delivered at the target MC specified on your order (typically 6-8% for interior applications). We provide moisture meter readings at time of shipping, and we recommend customers spot-check upon delivery. Material that arrives above the specified range is eligible for return or re-drying at no additional charge.
Understanding Lumber Grading Standards
Grading standards exist to give buyers a common language for specifying quality. Here is how the major grading systems work and how we apply them.
NHLA Hardwood Rules
The National Hardwood Lumber Association has maintained grading rules for hardwood lumber since 1898. NHLA grades — FAS (First and Seconds), Select, #1 Common, #2 Common, and #3 Common — are based on the percentage of clear, usable cuttings that can be obtained from each board. FAS grade requires at least 83% clear area, while #3 Common requires only 25%.
We use NHLA rules as the foundation for our new hardwood grading. For reclaimed hardwoods, we adapt these standards to account for character marks (nail holes, patina, minor checking) that are inherent to salvaged material but would not be present in new stock.
Structural Lumber Grading
New dimensional lumber (2x4 through 2x12) is machine stress-rated or visually graded to standards set by agencies like the ALSC (American Lumber Standard Committee). Grades include Select Structural, #1, #2, and #3, with each grade specifying allowable defects that affect load-bearing capacity.
Reclaimed structural lumber cannot carry a new grade stamp — it has been in service and may have been modified. Instead, we provide our own structural assessment based on visual inspection, species identification, and measurement of grain density and defect location. For engineered or code-critical applications, we recommend consulting a structural engineer who can specify allowable loads based on our assessment data.
Where Our Wood Comes From
Our reclaimed lumber is sourced from an active network of demolition contractors, renovation firms, and property owners across the Mid-Atlantic region. The core sourcing radius extends approximately 50 miles from our Philadelphia yard, covering southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and northern Delaware. This local focus minimizes transport emissions and keeps our supply chain short and accountable.
The Philadelphia region is exceptionally rich in salvageable lumber. The city was one of America's great industrial centers from the mid-1800s through the mid-1900s, producing thousands of factories, warehouses, and infrastructure projects framed with old-growth timber. As these structures reach end-of-life, they release a steady supply of heart pine, white oak, Douglas fir, and other premium species that cannot be sourced from modern forests.
Beyond the Philadelphia metro, we draw from Pennsylvania Dutch country and the broader Mid-Atlantic farmland for barn wood, hand-hewn beams, and agricultural timbers. Lancaster County, Chester County, and Berks County provide particularly rich sources of chestnut, hemlock, and mixed hardwood barn frames dating to the 18th and 19th centuries.
For new lumber, we source exclusively from FSC-certified mills in the northeastern United States and sustainably managed forests in the Appalachian region. Our primary suppliers operate within 300 miles of Philadelphia, ensuring reasonable transport distances while maintaining access to the full range of domestic hardwood and softwood species.
Seasonal Availability Guide
Reclaimed lumber availability fluctuates with demolition activity, weather, and regional construction cycles. Here is a general guide to what you can expect throughout the year.
Spring (March - May)
Peak SupplyThe busiest demolition season in the Philadelphia region. As weather warms, construction and demolition projects ramp up significantly. This is typically when we receive the highest volume of incoming salvage, and our inventory of barn wood, factory timbers, and residential stock is at its most diverse. Spring is the ideal time to source larger quantities or hunt for rare species.
Summer (June - August)
Strong Supply, High DemandDemolition activity remains strong, but customer demand also peaks as builders push to complete warm-weather projects. Popular species like heart pine and white oak may sell faster than they come in. We recommend placing orders 2-3 weeks ahead during summer months, particularly for processed (kiln-dried, milled) material.
Fall (September - November)
Moderate SupplyDemolition slows slightly as the construction season winds down. However, barn teardowns in rural Pennsylvania and New Jersey are often scheduled for fall after harvest, making this an excellent time to find hand-hewn beams, chestnut barn siding, and mixed-species agricultural timber.
Winter (December - February)
Reduced Supply, Good DealsCold weather and shorter days reduce demolition activity, especially for outdoor projects. Our incoming salvage volume drops, but existing inventory remains available and we often offer seasonal discounts to move stock. Winter is a smart time to buy if your project timeline allows — you may find better pricing on species that are in high demand during warmer months.
Availability is a general guide based on historical patterns. For current stock levels, contact us directly with your species and quantity requirements.