FutuREuse: Material Surface Treatments For commonly reclaimed building elements

Every so often, a reclaimed material may need to be adapted to its new use, or to satisfy a new user’s expectations. In many cases, adapting the material involves changing its surface. Depending on the material, where it came from, its age and intended use, there may be many different ways a surface can be adapted.
While in recent years the “reclaimed look” has become trendy, it is important to learn about materials, their patinas and ways to care for their surface conditions to foster reuse. This information is also useful to identify and avoid fake “reclaimed” materials.
Each reclaimed material’s eventual transformation depends on the state it is in, after it has been dismantled from its original location. We have gathered a few case studies to give an overall introduction to the world of surface treatments.