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Was dead set against using reclaimed wood until I built a bookshelf from an old barn in Ohio.
Found a stack of oak boards from a barn built in 1887, cost me $40 total for the lot. The nail holes and weathered grain made it look way better than anything I could buy new. Has anyone else had a project where second-hand stuff beat new materials?
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averywright28d ago
Barn wood's just wood with extra steps and a tetanus shot, right? That $40 stack already has more character than anything at the big box stores. Plus you can tell everyone your bookshelf was around before indoor plumbing.
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wendygrant28d ago
Had a buddy who built a kitchen island out of old church pews he found at a salvage place. Saved him a fortune and the thing had all these carved initials and grooves from people sitting there for decades. Looked way more interesting than something smooth and factory made. He said the only downside was having to pull out like fifty old staples and gum wrappers from the cracks. His wife still loves it though.
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