Barn coming down, wood any good?

There is an old barn down the road from my house that is being torn down. I've noticed several piles of the old wood that made the exterior of the barn and wondered if that wood would be any good after 30 years or so? I have no idea of the thickness. It's definitely grey. There may be some larger timbers in there too.

Do you think it would be worth salvaging? Im guessing they would allow me to take whatever I want since it looks like they're trashing it?

Note: I have no joiner or planer, but this could be the excuse I need! :)

Thanks,

Mike W

Reply to
Mike W.
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If you have any inclination towards "antique" or "old" or know anybody who does, then probably yes (all depending on condition, of course).

Reply to
BJT

Certainly worth checking out. Underneath that grey grit could be beautifully protected timber. I wouldn't worry about the age. The barn could be 200 years old and still have very useable timber if it was sitting in favorable conditions.

Go check it out. A belt sander would be handy to remove the top grit and get a glimpse of what is underneath.

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Reply to
Woodcrafter

On Sun 16 Jan 2005 10:02:44p, "Mike W." wrote in news:ENGGd.38$ snipped-for-privacy@fe1.columbus.rr.com:

Old barn wood? In good condition? I've seen some pretty slap-together pieces sitting in shops around here made out of that stuff with triple- digit prices on 'em.

I'd be out there having a look at it, definitely. If it wasn't completely rotted out I'd take as much as they'd let me.

Reply to
Dan

Um...before you go "cleaning up" this wood, check out its worth as frame material. Weathered barn wood like you describe can be HIGHLY desireable from an arts/crafts standpoint. And I have seen some VERY attractive frames made from such wood, particularly when coupled with certain paintings or black and white photographs.

OTOH - if there's no market for it (and I really think there will be) - clean it up and go, but watch out for dry rot. Just my $.02 - and you can keep the change.

Jon Larsson

Reply to
JLarsson

I've always lusted over old barn wood. When a barn a couple of blocks away was being torn down to make way for a new subdivision I jumped at the chance to check it out. Well, first off, the large beams and structural members had already been spoken for. There are people that make their living out of buying and selling old barn beams. Still though, I was very interested in the siding. I ended up leaving with nothing. The stuff was all quite thin (at the most 1/2 inch) and was so dried out and distressed that it wouldn't have been good for much. I suppose I could have used it for something but I was so bummed out by the condition of it (VERY bad) that I just took a pass. Now this is the only demolished barn that I've ever looked at so this might not be the norm (at least I hope so because I've still got a Jones for some nice barn wood).

Reply to
Jeff P.

Get as much of it as you have room to store without even thinking about it again. Think about it later. Go, man, go!

Reply to
Dave Balderstone

A couple of summers ago I missed an old house worth of WALNUT by a week. They bulldozed it and then burned it. Brought a tear to my eye when a friend told me what I missed - by that much (he said holding his thumb and fore finger about a quarter inch apart).

Take an old block plane with you and see what's under the weathered surface.

charlie b

Reply to
charlie b

Several years ago I salvaged some siding from the "old" barn (the "new" barn is nie on 60)on my wife's parents' farm. Better than an inch thick, between 6 and 12 in width. They've got to be 100+ years old. Using a thickness sander revealed what looks like chestnut--it's beautiful wood! Wish we'd been able to get more out before her brother dozed it. . . don't have near what I'd like. Damn.

Dan

Reply to
d.kessell

ANY wood is good wood. Barnboard is getting to be more and more rare as barns are now metal and plastic. I'd wreck one for the material. Treat it like gold,and contact interior decorators etc. who have megbucks and love the stuff. Picture framers use it, but they now have imitation plastic material as well. If you lived close by and didn't want it, I'd be right over with the trailer.

Reply to
Guess who

Old barn wood is used extensively for rustic picture frames. And that includes stuff that is severely distressed, holes, gouges, and splits. Essentially any of the 1" and

2" stuff would be prized by some frame maker. The only problem is identifying the person(s) that use it.
Reply to
George E. Cawthon

"George E. Cawthon" wrote: ...

Put an ad in any decent-sized metro paper and you'll be run over w/ prospects from the frame makers to those who want it for siding...

Reply to
Duane Bozarth

I buy/beg/borrow old barn wood and make custom furniture from it. Watch out for nails, etc.

If you can get a photo of the barn before it's torn down and a little history of the barn, you can get a branding iron made in the image of the barn and brand each peice you build from it. Then package a copy of the photo with the history and you've got a hot selling premium priced item (what ever the item may be) in may metro-area boutiques, even with mediocre workmanship.

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Reply to
tillius

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