In the 2005/2006 season of This Old House®, TerraMai redwood siding and teak stair treads help transform an outdated 1950’s style home in Cambridge, Massachusetts into a warm, modern, contemporary residence. TerraMai redwood siding, reclaimed from vintage olive tanks, beautifully accents the stucco and stone work on the exterior of the house. TerraMai teak lumber, reclaimed from Southeast Asian pole houses, is featured in the form of solid 4” x 12” x 36” stair treads in a three-story open staircase, forming the central architectural feature of the home.

Built in 1950, the Cambridge Project is a relic of the Bauhaus architectural style popular in that era. Water damage, structural problems, failing plumbing and an outdated floor plan are just a few the issues the crew of This Old House® faced. Over the course of eighteen episodes, viewers are treated to a variety of building techniques, innovative green building designs and materials, as well as beautiful landscaping ideas. This project clearly demonstrates the ease of use and stunning beauty of reclaimed wood. It also proves the perfect visual harmony that can exist between reclaimed wood and a thoroughly modern setting.

The redwood siding featured on the home was reclaimed by TerraMai from historic redwood olive processing tanks. These tanks were built in the 1930’s by the George Windeler Company of San Francisco, for an olive processor in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Established in 1885, the George Windeler Company was the largest redwood tank manufacturer on the West Coast until its closure in 1964. Tanks made from California’s old-growth redwoods were used world-wide in wineries, pickle processing, olive processing, water storage and many other applications before over-harvest pushed the prized wood to near commercial extinction. As one tank industry old-timer put it, “Redwood was the stainless steel of the 19th and 20th centuries. It could contain a liquid without imparting any flavor to it, making it totally unique among woods.” Old-growth redwood is also famously resistant to decay and weathering, making it a perfect exterior siding.

TerraMai created the teak stair treads from reclaimed structural poles out of traditional Southeast Asian houses and industrial buildings. These structures have come to the end of their useful life, providing magnificent, century-old wood for building projects worldwide. Teak is one of the most valuable (and over-harvested) woods on the planet. Teak remains a timeless building material, sought after for thousands of years in shipbuilding and architectural wood working because of its unparalleled beauty, density and durability. The teak stair treads compliment the modern yet natural style the designer sought for the Cambridge Project.

This Old House® is a registered trademark of This Old House Ventures, Inc. Used with permission.