It has been a busy start to 2012 for the demolition industry, and accordingly the best recyclers (us) are becoming well stocked in all sizes of old board salvaged from 20th century houses and schools. Demolition of a classroom wing at West Dandenong Primary School delivered 300m2 of 83 x 19mm and 108 x 19mm hardwood boards in an unpolished scuffed surface.
 

About 100m2 of grey weathered and age-patinated Tasmanian Oak was salvaged from a community hall in Kingsville and would suit retail or hospitality venues trading on a time-worn look.
 

For the nostalgic among you who remember swimming laps of the outdoor pool with present and past state pollies at Hawthorn Leisure Centre, we have salvaged 100m2 of 60 x 25mm Victorian Ash floorboards featuring a limed finish and faded quadrangle lines salvaged from the squash courts. The 60s-era leisure centre is being demolished and a new one built on the same site.
 

From Wandin Primary School in the Dandenong hills we rescued a 75 x 19mm Blackbutt from annihilation by excavator - a full 120m2 - it's in beautiful condition but there's only one of these.
 

One of the more unusual reclaimed floors is a 150 x 22mm Celerytop Pine floor from a between-wars house in Bentleigh. Celerytop Pine hails from Tasmania - not always a large tree - though large 1.0m diameter trees have been found in the far southwest. It is a dense, more durable timber than other softwoods in a similar board size and has a glossy plum-caramel hue to the freshly-exposed grain. It was a brittle lift - and there is only 30m2 of it - but much more interesting in colour and texture than your average reclaimed pine floorboard.
 

Still in stock from 2011 is a modest-sized houselot (68m2) of Tasmanian Blackwood - and it surprises me that it remains unsold. We normally have to keep it on the quiet when limited stocks of a rare and beautiful timber are available, as some of our regulars will feel they missed out.

Here's your chance - a dark rich timber with chocolate tones and bright white-gold sapwood flares.
 

Ancient Blackbutt - no, that's me just having fun with the hyperbole our media thrives upon.
What we have is recycled Blackbutt with a dark furrowed face.
 

 It's a beautiful board - but I don't know that the mid-20th century really qualifies as ancient - even if the tree was 100 years old at the time.
If it looks this good, it hardly matters how far back in time we need to reach in order to tug on heartstrings. 
Milled from roof timbers salvaged from old industrial farm sheds.
Chooks or tomatoes no doubt played an important part of their history - but, sadly, no King Arthur.