A tempting taster of reuse, restoration and care tips from architectural salvage Salvo Code member dealer websites:
 
Antique, reclaimed, salvaged bathrooms and accessories:
 
Salvo member, Mongers featured in the Salvo Fest, 'a go-to for period bathrooms and sanitary fittings, specialising in pieces from the 1890s to the 1950s. The collection of Victorian floral pattern WC pans will have you asking yourself, why go plain? Especially if you take the old adage that you can tell a lot about a place from the toilets.'
 
Restoration -
'We use a two pack acrylic coating on most of our baths. The finish is very durable and comes with a two year guarantee. The bath coating should last for many years with a little care. We advise against abrasive cleaners and recommend that dripping taps are avoided to preserve the lifespan of the coating.'
 
'One often hears advice that old taps are too much trouble as they do not conform to modern plumbing sizes. This is largely untrue and most Victorian and later taps were made with standard BSP connections and are of far better quality than ones that you might buy today. We believe that most old taps are worth restoring. We offer a full restoration for all antique taps which includes stripping, re-packing, re-seating and polishing or plating. We have an engineer for making new parts and converting threads when required and have in stock large and unusual size washers. We also stock spares for mixer taps including change-over levers and ceramics.'
Mongers Architectural Salvage
 
'Make sure your plumber has worked with vintage sanitary ware previously as there will be various sizes of taps, drains and fittings which may need to be altered.'
Retrouvius
 
Antique, reclaimed, salvaged bricks:
 
'If you are worried about sustainability for your project think before you buy and carefully plan your building supplies to keep wastage of materials to a minimum. Calculate the quantities of bricks you will need for the job, allowing ten percent for wastage. Timely ordering of materials ensures that supplies arrive when required, and reduces storage where they could be damaged or stolen from your site. Think about specifying materials that have good recyclate content like our reclaimed bricks as this will help to reduce your carbon footprint.'
London Reclaimed Brick (LRBM)
 
A question of which mortar?
'There are two types of mortar and it is really important you use the right one for the right job. For four thousand years the best way to stick bricks (dried clay rectangles) together was using a mixture of lime (crushed old seashells), aggregate (sand and small stones) and water. It was so good that nobody thought to improve on it.
 
Post WWII there was a rush to literally rebuild Europe and an alternative was found, concrete. Concrete is not porous, it doesn’t allow the passage of water. Which is good - yes? Well yes but if you use it with other products that are porous they trap water. Tada...perfect conditions for damp and mould. Everything is fine when it is all porous as in the old buildings with lime mortar and clay bricks the water wicks to the surface and dries out. All is fine if you use all concrete non-porous materials as they shed the moisture. You start repointing, rendering and mixing lime mortar and concrete mortar and the problems start. So if you are using old reclaimed bricks - use lime mortar.'
Winchcombe
 
Antique, reclaimed, salvaged bygones:
 
Private use of antique post boxes -
Salvo spoke to one of Royal Mail's Regional Requisitioner who looks who said that, 'although there used to be sale conditions attached to reuse of a postbox or pillar box, there were no laws attached to reuse unless its position confused a member of the public into placing their mail into that box.'

'A national antique, the British post box is ideal for adding character to any property. Where possible, we keep their original cages, Chubb locks and keys, adding the utmost authenticity to your purchase. '
UK Architectural Antiques (UKAA)
 
Can a church pew be resized?
'Every pew is remade to order. When we purchase pews from churches we dismantle them so they can be transported back to the workshop and stored. When a pew is ordered we then reassemble the pew to the customer's specific size.'
Chiltern Church Antiques
 
Custom home bar -
Home bars are increasingly popular and a bar design incorporating reclaimed materials and industrial or vintage fixtures is the best way to create instant character and can easily be achieved on a budget. Alternatively you can source your own 'antique Victorian pine pub bar with mahogany top' from Salvo member dealer, Bristol Mills Antiques & Reclamation.
 
Antique, reclaimed, salvaged complete large buildings:
 
I would like to build a new house in traditional style using a barn frame?
'First find your plot of land. The design of your house will greatly depend on the locality, location, situation and size of your plot. It will also be heavily influenced by the opinions of the local planning department. Our company is unique in that we are architectural consultants, specialising exclusively in ancient oak-framed buildings - who can supply, from stock, everything from an oak beam to a complete building. The frames have all been measured, drawn, numbered and photographed before being carefully dismantled, ready for re-erection.
Antique Buildings Ltd
 
Original summerhouses -
'Boulton and Paul in Norwich were a major manufacturer of garden buildings for over a hundred years. We have available antique greenhouse fixtures as well as whole buildings like revolving summerhouses, that were originally made for the treatment of TB patients. One of our fully restored Boulton and Paul revolving summerhouses featured at Chelsea Flower Show'
Mongers Architectural Salvage
 
Antique, reclaimed, salvaged doors and windows:
 
'Doors are one of the most commonly reused architectural salvage components. Building a frame opening to fit the salvaged door is more advantagous than finding a door to fit an existing aperture. Consider different hanging methods; hinged, track sliding or pivot hinging.'
Retrouvius
 
Repairs and upgrades -
'Many modern doors are designed and built with insulation in mind. The same can’t be said for antique doors. So if you’re thinking about inserting double glazing, rebates may need to be made deeper, or conservation glazing may need to be fitted. We will be able to give advice on the best solution. If your project requires building inspector approval, we advise checking that any glazed doors will comply with building regulations before purchasing.
 
It’s also important to consider the finish you are aiming to achieve. Will you be painting, staining or waxing your door, or are you aiming for a natural wood finish? Our top tip is to buy the door with an appearance as you wish to use it. Don’t assume a painted door will strip to a pleasing finish as it’s possible a reclaimed door will have been altered and repaired many times in its life. Paint or other finishes can mask these.'
UK Heritage
 
Custom and repair -
'We have an enormous selection of sawn one inch boards ready to make into ledge and brace doors'. And reclaimed Victorian softwood is recommended to replace softwood window parts. 'So if it is windows you require, we offer the finest quality Pitch Pine in all sizes that will last for a life time.'
Pine Supplies
 
Reuse -
'Refurbished Crittall windows and doors can be used internally for partitions, room dividers or have mirrors inserted.'
Old Yard
 
Antique, reclaimed, salvaged fireplaces:
 
Choosing a fireplace the right size -
'It is very important to think about the size and scale of the room, to make sure that you install a fireplace that will be the correct scale. It is, of course, also key to think about the purpose of the room; commonly, bedrooms would have had smaller, thinner fireplaces, in particular, cast iron combination fireplaces.
 
In terms of fitting, it can be useful to see what state the chimney is in; a photo can be very helpful. Often fireplaces that were refurbished during the fifties and sixties have had the opening made smaller. If this is the case, you can usually return the opening to its original size without much trouble, making it possible to fit in an insert or grate of the right period. Measurements of your chimney are essential too. The measurements that are helpful to us are the height, width and depth of the opening, the width of the chimney-breast, the ceiling height and general dimensions of the room.
 
If your opening is off centre on the chimney breast, as is common in upstairs rooms, you also need to take the shortest measurement from the opening to the edge of the chimney breast. Understandably, the fireplace shelf must never go beyond the chimney breast. Aesthetically, it looks best to have the shelf at least an inch from each edge of the chimney breast.'
Architectural Forum
 
Antique, reclaimed, salvaged garden:
 
General cleaning advice for garden ornaments -
"To gently clean superficial dirt and unwanted mold or moss off stone and marble ornaments, fill a spray bottle with one part ammonia to two parts water. Spray the solution on the affected areas and allow it to soak in for several minutes. Rinse with water (spray with hose) and repeat several times. For stubborn stains, we recommend using a non-abrasive cleanser (such as Softscrub without bleach) and a soft-bristle brush. Any cleaning beyond the most superficial should be done by a trained conservator.'
Barbara Israel Garden Antiques
 
Statement pieces -
'There are not many people who can drive home through the original gates of Twickenham rugby stadium or past balustrade that stood at Oxford university for hundreds of years. Let these very special features inspire you garden design or provide a focal point for many years to come. On a smaller scale enjoy finding your own piece of history.'
Ronson Reclaim
 
Antique, reclaimed, salvaged kitchen:
 
Vintage -
'If you want the authentic look and feel of a fully fitted retro kitchen, our reconditioned 1950's English Rose and Paul Metalcraft cupboard and sink units provide a stylish and fashionable solution. A total strip down and rebuild as standard is complemented by bespoke replacement parts, top quality powder coating and in-house panel beating, repairs and polishing.'
Source Antiques
 
Custom made -
'We have available original antique butchers blocks and we are able to make you a traditional style base unit with shelves, drawers, cupboards, towel racks and wine racks making them perfect for kitchen central islands. Our base units are made here in Staffordshire by hand to your designs and specifications'.
UK Architectural Antiques (UKAA)
 
'Mahogany cabinets salvaged from an array of wonderful and inspiring museums these traditional pieces became redundant as archival techniques modernised. Made by the finest Victorian joiners from precious hardwoods they can be reused as kitchen islands. Using these items allows a quality of joinery that would be incredibly expensive if bought new.'
Retrouvius
 
Antique, reclaimed, salvaged lighting:
 
'The vintage factory lighting trend has only grown in popularity. It is a timeless concept, with the unmistakable attraction of raw metals, bright enamelling and industrial bold designs, all reimagined in the home or public space as eye catching features.'
Source Antiques
 
Bespoke -
'Commission work is always gladly taken on and we enjoy working with your ideas to create original and distinctive lighting. If you are interested please do not hesitate to get in touch.'
Antiques By Design
 
Restored and rewired -
Ask when buying if lighting has been restored and rewired to current standards.
For example Salvo member, Insitu sells, 'Antique and vintage lighting, for whatever lights up your life! Restored and rewired to current standards. Beautiful, elaborate crystal chandeliers to functional, industrial fittings and original contemporary pieces. All unique and stylish.'
 
Rental -
'We offer many of the unique antique and reclaimed items we stock on short term rentals as props for movies and television, weddings and events. We also offer longer term rentals for shop dressing of commercial outlets, allowing retailers to create a distinctive shopping experience for their customers with the flexibility to change the décor of their store as needed.'
Real Original
 
Antique, reclaimed, salvaged radiators:
 
What size of radiator?
'First of all, we will ask you for the dimensions of each room that you require a radiator for. We need the length, width and height. Once we have these measurements in feet, we multiply them by each other, and then multiply the total by 5. This gives us the ideal BTU output for the room. BTU stands for British Thermal Unit, and is the unit of energy traditionally used to measure heating output.
So the equation to work out the BTUs for each room looks like this: (L x W x H) x 5 = BTU requirement
 
We have an impressively detailed folder compiling the BTU output of all types and sizes of radiators, painstakingly put together by Thornton Kay at Salvo'
Architectural Forum
 
Antique, reclaimed, salvaged roofing tiles:
 
Benefits -
'Reclaimed roof tiles are tiles that have been utilised before in previous construction projects and have since been salvaged for use elsewhere. Their quality is not diminished by their second-hand nature, however, as the composition of the tiles are durable, firm, and have the potential to last hundreds of years.
Generally, there are three types of reclaimed roof tiles available in the market today, all of which boast different strengths of quality. Concrete tiles are long lasting and are a low maintenance option, looking particularly striking with modern exteriors. Clay tiles are another popular choice, as they are less likely to rot and will remain in a fantastic condition for many years, although the weight could be a problem for those customers concerned about the structural integrity of their property. In a similar fashion, slate tiles offer a long lifespan and are a low maintenance option, and are available in a wide range of styles and colours. No matter which material you settle on, you are guaranteed a reclaimed roof tile that is of almost identical quality to a brand new tile.'
Cawarden Brick & Tile Company
 
Antique, reclaimed, salvaged stone:
 
'In the past the emphasis was more on longevity and permanence than mass production ... there is value to reclaimed stone because it will be stronger to work with. You are going to want a house that will stand up to just about anything – something powerful and robust. This kind of thing is harder and harder to come across in a modern world, where it is not the priority anymore. Therefore, it can be in the interest of a lot of people to consider these older and stronger materials for use in their renovation projects or new builds.'
Abacus Stone Sales

Statement features -
Many architectural stone period features are saved from demolition for reuse by architectural salvage dealers and can be reused as statement pieces in new build projects or as garden and interior features. There are many examples for sale on the Salvo online marketplace such as these examples below:
 
'Monumental antique French wall fountain in limestone. Classic architectural salvage featuring twin stone Tuscan order columns and lintel forming a “portico”, with watery waves carved into the horizontal band at the pool level. It’s a fantastic Greek temple style garden antique feature worthy of any stately home. Sourced with its sign indicating 18th /19th century provenance. Alternatively re-build the ensemble as a Classic portico with a roof, setting it further forward than the doorway arch.'
BCA Matériaux Anciens
 
'A pair of large 19th Century Corinthian Bath stone capitols. These could work well as a table base etc'
Wharton Antiques.
 
Draft and design -
'We offer in-house design services to aid in the development and construction of your project using natural stone. We use the latest CAD software to model components and produce production sheets and templates, all ensuring the components are cut to specification and ready to build on site.'
Tradstocks
 
Antique, reclaimed, salvaged stone and tile flooring:
 
Choosing an antique stone floor -
Antique and reclaimed flagstones can be made from granite, slate, limestone, sandstone and marble. 'To tell sandstone from limestone, wet the stone, and the quartz grains in the sandstone tend to glisten, while the shelly matrix of limestone tends not to glisten.' Thornton Kay, Salvo
 
'Our stone tiling is suitable for interiors and many for exteriors too. They are genuine pieces of French history. In fact they can bring an interior back to its authentic appearance following inappropriate past 'improvements', and thereby enhance the property whilst increasing its value. We try to save the best possible floors from buildings of character. Once cleaned, sorted, and sometimes re-cut, for example to reduce their thickness, the flooring is ready for re-use in its second life.'
BCA Matériaux Anciens
 
Using stone flooring indoors -
'Once laid, you can be certain a Yorkshire stone floor will outlive you and a couple of future generations. It is also easy to clean, with nothing more than an occasional going over with a broom or mop required to keep it looking good. You can seal the flags to guard against stains if you wish, although some homeowners view markings as a natural part of the ageing process that enhances the floor’s appearance.'
Abacus Stone Sales
 
Dalles de Bourgogne develop a smooth antique patina excellent for internal use. 'Antique stone floors reclaimed from French farmhouses in the Burgundy region date back to the 16th Century. We facilitate reuse with simple assembly by sawing the thickness but retaining the beautiful patina.'
Pierre De Bourgogne
 
Terracotta -
Terracotta has featured in homes throughout history and has been used for flooring, walls, roofs, urns, pots and sculptures. The reddish brown earth colour gives warmth and instant character. It evokes a relaxing Mediterranean feel together with strength, durability and easy care. So no wonder it is still a popular on trend choice.
 
'Tile-making was often a 'cottage industry', labour intensive, with generations of families extracting suitable clay locally, hand moulding the required sizes, carefully air-drying them to reduce their moisture content sufficiently to be able to fire them in wood-burning kilns. Antique French terra cotta tiles are salvage from various old buildings, they are cleaned, sorted and ready to lay. Subtle colour variations depend on source.'
BCA Matériaux Anciens
 
Antique, reclaimed, salvaged wood:
 
Circular economy/ specify reclaimed timber -
Waste management – Identify, at the earliest stage of a project, how best to effectively reclaim and reuse marine and river defence timber.
Sustainable procurement – Specify reclaimed timber rather than new, assuring a more sustainable approach to procurement.
Circular Economy – Join the dots by developing an ongoing strategy combining waste management with procurement, look for opportunities to reclaim and reuse timber within existing projects where possible.
 
'Currently, the built environment model is linear, designed around the production of new materials which are thrown away once they’re no longer required. Recent figures from Salvo back this up, just 1% of the 100m tonnes of construction materials used annually in the UK is reclaimed. To halt the environment damage, and perhaps one day begin to reverse it, building through a circular economy model needs to become to norm. We are a long way off, but progress is slowly being made, and mindsets changed. For example, the construction businesses we have supplied reclaimed tropical timber to contribute a saving of the equivalent of 500 tonnes of CO2e annually.'
Ashwell's
 
'Solid wood flooring offers an environmentally friendly, durable and healthy solution for an allergen-free living environment.'
 
'The most common pine used throughout the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian periods was Baltic or yellow pine (pinus sylvestris). Trading routes dictated which timbers travelled from where to where. Pitch Pine or long leaved American pine (pinus palustris) came into Dublin, Manchester and Liverpool and can be found in Georgian and Victorian properties there. British Columbian, Oregon pine and Douglas Fir all arrived here in abundance during the 1920's and 30's. If you are patching up or matching, send us some images and the dimensions of what you require and we will find a match for you.'
Antique Oak Flooring
 
Note:
Salvo member dealers are all listed in the Salvo online directory. Look for the crane logo shown on Salvo member adverts.
All the antique, reclaimed and salvaged items mentioned or shown in images are currently for sale on the Salvo online marketplace: salvoweb.com or the Salvo Fest website: salvofair.com.