Woodworking with reclaimed and salvaged lumber is a great way to lend some authentic Americana to a DIY project. “Weathered” is not a look that is easily faked. When done wrong, it just looks terrible. On the other hand, genuine patina not only adds aesthetic value to a piece, it can also provide a protective covering to material that might otherwise be damaged. From modern industrial designs to country farmhouse style, reclaimed timbers can do it all with style and grace.
Sliding Barn Door
The barn door is perhaps the quintessential salvaged wood project. A simple design is more authentic to the farmhouse style, but if you want to get fancy, consider this design from the fine folks at This Old House. With a little imagination, a modern or industrial look is also achievable with the help of angle iron or other metal building materials.
The tricky part is hanging the door. Hardware kits are available online, but consider making your own hardware to make this project a real bargain. April Wilkerson’s awesome blog shows just how easy and affordable this project can be.
Eco Relics is home to a wide variety of reclaimed lumber that is perfect for building a sliding barn door, including authentic barn wood, heart pine, oak, walnut, cyprus, and more. Our custom fabricators have built dozens of barn doors for our customers. They are an invaluable resource to consult for your own project, whether you plan to do it yourself or have us build it for you.
Farmhouse Table
The humble farmhouse table is an American tradition dating back to colonial times. Rough-hewn and air dried, it served as a work table as well as a family gathering place for the rural, informal lifestyle. The country life is coming back to the city again, as more and more people are choosing this style of table over the highly polished formal dining table.
There are several advantages enjoyed by today’s builder that were unavailable to colonial-era builders. Using biscuits to hold the top together, rather than dowels, reduces labor time considerably. Plain old butt joints are also improved by today’s glues, which are stronger and easier to work with than hide glue. Hidden mechanical fasteners also add strength and durability.
After conquering the sliding barn door, building a farmhouse table is a great project for the brave DIY weekend warrior. The key idea to remember when designing a table is that wood expands and contracts seasonally. Accounting for this movement is crucial to building a table that will not split, warp, or cup. This free plan from Ana White will help get you started.
At Eco Relics, our woodworkers are well schooled in the traditional building techniques of farmhouse tables. Whether you are building your own or looking to have us build one for you, Eco Relics’ woodworkers are your best consultants.
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