Reclaimed barn wood can be used to construct a farmhouse coffee table, a rustic planter, or other furnishings or accent pieces that will give your residence a country vibe. Sourcing wood from an abandoned building may require that you clean the wood, treat it for pests, remove hardware, and sand rough surfaces.

The Sourcing Location And Cleaning

Reclaimed wood may be sold directly from a site where a barn is being demolished. If you will not be purchasing reclaimed products from a business that restores and sells refurbished materials, the wood that you acquire may be relatively dirty. Wood that was used to construct a barn will have withstood the elements for as long as the structure was erected. A hose, a stiff scrub brush, and a wood cleaning agent can be used to restore the wood. 

Pest Eradication And Hardware Removal

Termites, carpenter ants, and beetles are some pests that may have taken refuge in small crevices that run along reclaimed wood pieces. During the cleaning of the wood, you may have removed most/all of the pests. In spite of this, you may want some reassurance that there will be no pest nuisance issues once the reclaimed wood has been constructed into a household item. Use a pesticide to spray each wooden material.

Because you will be hammering and sawing the wood when you use the reclaimed materials to construct a household item, you will want to ensure that all of the old hardware has been removed. A nail removal tool or a screwdriver can be used to remove nails, screws, and bolts that were originally fastened to the wooden materials.

Sanding Techniques

Some people appreciate the rough-hewn characteristics of wooden planks that have been cut by hand. Old wood may possess a somewhat bumpy surface and there may be some inconsistencies in how thick some of the boards are. Reclaimed wood that has a rudimentary appearance can be used to create furnishings or decor that looks like it was made in a previous era. If you are concerned about the splintering of reclaimed wood materials and prefer that each wooden surface is smooth, use a hand or power sander to remove rough edges.

Pay attention to the craftsmanship of each material. The direction of the grain of the wood should correspond to how you direct a sanding tool to move over the surface of each reclaimed material. Lay out the wood pieces and decide how you would like to attach them. If you are a novice builder, hire someone to aid with the construction process.

For more information contact a company such as Old World Lumber Company.