The Belly Love Brewery is making its mark as a local craft alehouse. It’s also making a strong style statement with a beautifully designed space that incorporates reclaimed barn wood. Let’s talk about the question – what is barn siding?

The wood gleams with the blend of colors, sheen and textures that is the hallmark of reclaimed wood design. It’s the perfect backdrop to this local business that has deep roots in the community. Cochran’s Lumber and Millwork shares that love of history and community and is proud to be part of the Belly Love’s transformation.

No matter where you live you have probably seen old barns dot the countryside. In Virginia you’ll see a lot of tobacco-drying sheds. These massive structures were made from the sturdiest woods available at the time and built to last generations. Some of them have been standing for over 100 years.

Reclaimed wood has become a popular choice for furniture, flooring and many other items. It has a rich patina that virgin wood cannot match – though our custom finishes stand the test of comparison!

Reclaimed barn siding is an environmentally sustainable resource:

• You’re using trees that were already cut down.
• That lumber doesn’t go into a landfill.
• If you buy locally you cut down on fossil fuel use.
• According to Buildipedia, new wood flooring uses 13 times the energy resources than repurposed wood.

The beauty of reclaimed wood is in its history. Many of the trees used in these old barns cannot be cut down because of environmental regulations. Others no longer exist, like the chestnut trees that were once abundant in the U.S. Using the wood from these trees is like bringing history to life.

Reclaimed barn siding creates a look that is truly one of a kind. Weather, age and the barn’s original purpose contribute to its varied patterns. During reclamation, cleaning and custom finishing bring those variations to life.

If you’ve decided to use a reclaimed wood design, don’t just go buy some planks that somebody ripped out of an old building. Make sure the wood has been processed by professional millwrights.

At Cochran’s Lumber and Millwork we have been doing this work for generations. We have a tradition that goes as deep as the roots of these old trees and a love of these woods that shows in our work.

At our millwork the process usually follows this pattern:

• dismantling the barn from the roof down
• sorting the lumber
• removing nails and bolts
• cleaning and scraping
• kiln drying
• custom finishing as the final touch

The process of finishing reclaimed wood is long and painstaking. It’s worth it for the chance to use a durable building material that looks like no other.

For anyone who loves the earth and respects history there is no better choice. Let us help you create a unique design that is rich with warmth, history and weathered beauty.