Wooden shipping pallets are typically a low-end commodity. Sometimes a pallet will get reused a few times before it ends up being scrapped or used as firewood. But Icelander Högni Stefan Thorgeirsson, owner of Iceland-based Arctic Plank, found a better use for it and produces flooring made from upcycled used pallet wood.

Obviously, there is a unique and different aesthetic with pallet wood, which is often a mix of whatever junk species of lumber is cheapest and most readily available. Because of their size, pallets might not seem ideally suited for flooring, but Arctic Plank uses herringbone and parquet patterns to work with the short lengths of wood. Arctic Plank has been used for both interior and exterior applications.

Turning what is usually regarded as junk wood into a finished flooring material is a fine example of upcycling. As with shipping containers, this provides a useful outlet for this plentifully available product which is another adjunct to product shipping and transportation. Much of the appealing character of the Arctic Plank flooring comes from the variety and character it acquires during its first incarnation as shipping material.

[+] More info about Arctic Plank recycled pallet floor.

Credits: Arctic Plank.