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?

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harper_owens2mo 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?

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angela1912mo 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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