I was sure reclaimed wood was overhyped until I built my own table

Kept seeing fancy barn wood tables online for like $2,000. Rolled my eyes every time. Then I found a stack of old fence boards from a 1940s farm in Ohio for $40. Took me three weekends to de-nail and sand them down. The grain and color are nothing like new lumber from Home Depot. I built a dining table for under $100 total. Has anyone else had luck with free or cheap salvaged materials?

2 comments

2 Comments

harper_owens6d ago

I just finished a headboard from a pile of pallet wood my neighbor was throwing out last fall. The oak slats had this deep reddish tone after I oiled them, totally different from anything at the store. I spent maybe $15 on hardware and sandpaper. Your table story makes me want to look for old fence boards now, did you have to treat them for bugs or anything before building?

angela1914d ago

Totally different from anything at the store" - that's exactly what got me too. I used to think old wood was just junk, but @harper_owens you turned me around with that headboard story. Yeah, I just brushed the fence boards down with a stiff wire brush and gave them a day in the sun, no bugs yet.

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