Architectural Salvage
Salvage yards and reclamation dealers supply the components that are hard to buy new and expensive to reproduce: period doors and joinery, sanitaryware, ironmongery, flagstones and floorboards, chimneypieces, railings, radiators and reclaimed brick, slate and tile. For repair work they are often the most practical source of a genuine match. They also carry a responsibility that buyers share, because a proportion of architectural salvage originates in theft from listed buildings and churches. Reputable dealers keep records of provenance and will say where a piece came from.
What this category covers
- Period doors, joinery, staircase parts and panelling
- Reclaimed brick, slate, tile, flagstones and floorboards
- Chimneypieces, grates, radiators and sanitaryware
- Ironmongery, railings, gates and architectural metalwork
- Sourcing services for specific matching components
Antique Buildings Ltd
Antique Buildings Ltd specialises in ancient oak-framed buildings and the reclaimed materials ...
Best Reclamation
ARCHITECTURAL SALVAGE: Best Reclamation, as part of the Best Demolition Group, has ...
Reclaimed Brick Company
Reclaimed Brick Company runs a reclamation yard at Clifton Works in Sheffield, ...
Vintage Cast Iron Radiators Ltd
Vintage Cast Iron Radiators is a family business that has supplied and ...
Winchcombe Reclamation Ltd
Winchcombe Reclamation is a reclamation yard on the Broadway Road at Winchcombe, ...
Buying salvage for a period building
Ask about provenance and keep the receipt. Theft of stone, lead, railings, chimneypieces and church fittings is a real problem, and a dealer who cannot say where something came from is a reason to walk away. A dated receipt describing the item also protects you later.
Measure before you fall in love. Reclaimed doors, sashes and chimneypieces almost never fit an existing opening exactly, and altering an old door to fit is often better than altering historic joinery around it. Take the opening sizes, and photographs, to the yard.
Check condition where it costs money. Doors and joinery hide rot in the bottom rails and tenons; radiators need pressure testing; reclaimed slate can be nail sick or delaminating; and painted items from before 1970 should be assumed to carry lead paint.
Buy the quantity in one go. Reclaimed materials vary batch to batch, and returning six months later for the extra fifty tiles rarely produces a match. Order a sensible surplus, particularly on brick, tile and flooring.
Questions to ask
Is it legal to buy salvaged material from a listed building?
Removing fixtures from a listed building without consent is an offence, and handling stolen goods is a separate one. Buying legitimately salvaged material is entirely normal; ask the dealer about provenance and keep a dated receipt describing the item.
Should I use reclaimed brick for a repair?
Often yes, because size, texture and colour of historic bricks are difficult to match new. Check that the reclaimed brick is of similar hardness and porosity to the existing wall, and that frost-damaged or cement-fouled bricks have been sorted out.
Are reclaimed radiators a practical choice?
They can be. Cast iron radiators have a large surface area suited to modern lower flow temperatures, but they should be flushed, pressure tested and refurbished before installation, and the system designer needs to know their output and water content.
All 7 businesses listed under Architectural Salvage
- Antique Buildings Ltd Surrey
- Best Reclamation East Sussex
- Reclaimed Brick Company South Yorkshire
- Traditional Oak & Timber Co East Sussex
- Vintage Cast Iron Radiators Ltd York
- Warehouse 701 Herefordshire
- Winchcombe Reclamation Ltd Gloucestershire
Directory information is provided to help visitors identify potentially relevant specialists and suppliers. Inclusion does not constitute a recommendation, approval or guarantee by Tuscan Foundry Products. Please check current services, credentials, availability and suitability directly with each business.