Old church pews as a source for wood?

[dennis thompson]

Has anyone ever bought old church pews as a source for wood?
Thanks
Dennis

[Frank Trinkle]

I've seen that issue addressed both here and on other forums regularly.

The consensus is generally YES... Of course it depends on the type of wood, but many of the older churches had pews made of fabulous hardwoods; usually from lumber indigenous to their area. I'm sure some old church pews would be real treasures.

[Stephen Musial]

There are a lot of bars, etc. that will pay big bucks for those. You might come out ahead selling them and using the proceeds to buy lumber.

[Dan Hahr]

After Hurricane Ivan, I found a dumster full of old pews near a local church that sustained roof damage. I asked if I could salvage the pews and was told yes. They appeared to be oak but I later found that they were made of chestnut. After scraping and planing 75 years worth of gum off and removing the screws and cut nails, I came up with about 300 bd ft of clear chestnut.

Definitely worth the effort.
P.S. The pews had all came apart at the glue lines, but none of the wood warped.

Dan

[John Keeton]

There are a lot of bars, etc. that will pay big bucks for those. You might come out ahead selling them and using the proceeds to buy lumber.Having seen several sell at auctions, I agree with this - except perhaps in Dan's case where they were trashed anyway, or contain chestnut!!:D!! Most of the ones I see are white oak, and the wood recovered could easily be purchased with the sales proceeds. This may not hold true if the pews are not old and sought after.

[Darrell Bade]

One of my favorite pieces I ever made was from old oak church pews. It was a bookcase and I used the backs of the pews with the curved handrail on the top. I beveled the corners on a mitersaw and put the carcass together with bisquits. The curved handrail on the top made a neat face frame around the outside of the case all with just one cut. I then added the shelves. I made it for my mom, but my wife says that will be one piece that she gets some day for sure.

[george wilson]

If you guys saw the movie "The Musical Instrument Maker" which we filmed when I was the instrument maker in Colonial Williamsburg,we made a spinet harpsichord and a violin. The spinet was made from black walnut church pews,probably from about 1830. The wood was up to 16" wide,and not glued up.

The origin of the wood was not mentioned in the film. If you want to see the filmgo to the Col.Wmsbg. website. The sell the movie fairly inexpensively now.

[whit richardson]

I love to scavenge any hints on how to find stuff like this? Like giving contact info out to renovators, checking dumps etc?

[Sam Velleca]

I made a desk for my grandson out of an old pew. I think I paid for my planer with the wood I salvaged from the pews.

[Jeff Kerr]

THis is a great way to get wood especially if the cost is cheap or free.

A friend and I salvaged several old pews. Ours were oak. My friend made this cross for the Church and I used a plank for this coat cubbie in our laundry.