old pews

[jacob]

been offered about 30 v nice victorian chapel pews. Want to pay a fair price, what should I offer, what sort of price to salvage people pay?

cheers

Jacob

[Stuart Noble]

I used to pay a tenner a pew when I was in that line of business in the

80s. Stripped and cut down to 5ft they used to retail then at about £80. Not much demand for anything longer unless a wine bar or restaurant is interested, and then they want them cut to size. If they're against a wall, that end is usually only half the thickness of the one facing the aisle. If you've got 15 from each side, you'll get that many complete pews. If they're all from one side, you'll get none. The seats are good for table tops etc but the backs are of limited use, especially if they're t&g. If you're going to dismantle them, I can give you a few tips.

[jacob]

Thanks for that. Perhaps I'll offer £20 then. The backs are t&g in framed panels so they will stay in one piece if removed but cutting down the size to a muntin (stub tenoned I assume) means no mortice and tenon at one end. I would be interested in your tips. cheers

Jacob

[Stuart Noble]

Doesn't sound a lot, but they're a lot of work. There are probably still lots of churches replacing pews with stacking chairs so they can have playgroups etc.

As long as you have one joint in the back, they'll be stable enough. For 6 footers I used to cut the back 3 ft either side of a joint. Around 4ft normally gave you joints at both ends. Tips. Hm. It was a long time ago but here's how I used to do them:

1) Rock the pew to and fro to loosen the cut nails that fix them to the floor, then prise up with a wrecking bar. 2) Locate the wooden plugs (usually 4) in the ends. Drill a hole and chip the rest out neatly with a small screwdriver. 3) Use a brace and screwdriver bit to start the screws off. They are normally 4" size 14. With a brace you're at a good height to swing it upwards sharply from a 4 o'clock position. The impact works better than trying to apply force alone. Tap the pew ends off with a block of wood and club hammer. If the ends are nailed on (unusual) , it's a bitch and really easy to split them lengthways 4) Once the ends are off , lay the pew on its back, remove the supports under the seat, and rock the seat. This snaps the cut nails used to fix it to the back. These are usually 3-4" long and impossible to pull out. The seat is tongued into the back about 1/4 inch. Cutting down and re-assembling is pretty straightforward but *keep the ends paired*. The housing that takes the seat/back isn't always the same. I used to number them to be sure. I'll probably think of other things but let us know if your offer is accepted.

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