RECLAIMED WOOD AND ROAD SAFETY

Snow fences are essential for safe travel on Wyoming roads. For those who have never experienced a ground blizzard on the plains of Wyoming, it may be difficult to understand the importance of these wooden snow blockers. They help reduce the amount of blinding snow flowing horizontally across the roads. Search “ground blizzard wyoming” on YouTube to see what driving through a Wyoming ground blizzard is like.

Snow fences work because they interrupt the flow of the wind, causing turbulence and slowing it enough so that much of the snow falls out on the lee side of the fence. Wyoming has hundreds of miles of these fences protecting drivers from months of constant winds and blowing snow. So, how does this have anything to do with reclaimed wood? By repurposing these retired snow fences Centennial Woods has kept millions feet of reclaimable wood out of landfills or bonfires. In the process, they’ve also prevented more than 18,000 tons of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere at no cost to the taxpayers of Wyoming.

In order to keep roads safe for drivers, snow fence boards need to be replaced when they start to show the effects of weathering. High winds, heavy snows, and the drying effects of the intense Wyoming sunlight all contribute to wood aging. These same weathering conditions is what gives this wood the starkly warm patina that makes them so beautiful as an architectural aesthetic.

Fortunately, the average length of time a snow fence board serves its safety purpose is the same amount of time it takes for its replacement to grow. Since each tree harvested for snow fence purposes is replaced with a newly planted tree, the snow fence system is self-sustaining.

Weathered snow fence boards used to be burned or thrown in the landfill after they showed signs of aging. Now, Centennial Woods replaces the aged fence boards and gives them a new purpose: beautifying your home or business. Whether Ponderosa Pine, Spruce, Lodgepole Pine, or Douglas Fir, these beautifully worn boards can bring a completely new look and a great story to the inside or outside of your home or business.

Give these salvaged boards, with their patina of time and wind and weather, a new home as part of your home’s décor. You’ll appreciate their rich textures and unique color and markings more each time you gaze at them. Contact Centennial Woods for more information.