Old Barn Wood

[Tara Brown]

Hello all and Happy Holidays! This is my first time jumping on here...I have been so thrilled to run across such a great site and have learned alot just reading the different threads. I am in the process of getting a shop built and have an interest in rustic picture frames. A good friend in NC helped me build a frame made of old barn wood and I loved the process and the finished product. I'm outside of Nashville and was just looking for ideas about obtaining old barn wood here. I thought about putting an ad in the paper or just approaching places with old barns needing to come down. I'm also open for other ideas for rustic frames. Thanks in advance!

[John Shuk]

First welcome to the Creek. It is a great place and an awesome resource. WWW.WOODFINDER.COM would be a great place to start looking and try a google or WWW.EBAY.COM for small lots. I have also heard of "mushroom wood" which it wood that is used as shelving to grow mushrooms.I saw a bar floor made of it. It looked pretty cool and was quite distressed.

[Tara Brown]

Hey John,

Thanks so much for the information...I got it down and will do some poking around on both sites. Hope your having a super day.

[Wes Newman]

Tara, Welcome to the Creek. I would just go for a drive and look for old barns and go ask the owner if they have any old barn wood laying around. Any barn I've been in always has had old boards laying around. I bet most farmers would give it to you or just ask something small for it.

[Tyler Howell]

Welcome Tara,

Great place to hang out,
I have approached owners on their land that have falling down buildings for some Barnwood. They often want me to take the whole thing. Small samples I bake in the oven to kill what ever has brought about its' demise:eek: . I "stick" it out in a Minnesota winter before blending it with any of my other supplies.

PS. we love pictures

[Marshall Harrison]

Welcome to the Creek Tara. It's nice to see more ladies getting involved.

I have some pictures that are framed in old barn wood and I plan on doing some of my wife's stained glass that way too.

[Jim Becker]

Welcome to the creek, Tara! Working with old barn wood can make for interesting projects, especially for framing as you intend. Do be sure and pick up a metal detector, however, to insure you don't damage any tooling or cause personal injury. The simple, inexpensive "Little Wizzard" which sells for about $20 does a fine job for this in my experience on wood up to about an inch thick.

[Tara Brown]

Hey guys,
Just wanted to say thanks for the welcome and the responses. They should be quite helpful in my search. Tara

[Charles McKinley]

Hi Tara,

Welcome to the Creek. There is a product out that is supposed to grey the wood to help blend in any exposed cuts that you make. I haven't had a chance to try it yet. Woodcraft sells it.

Barn wood is usually quite dirty and takes a toll on edged tools. There is often some very pretty wood under that weathered exterior.

My brother makes coat and hat hangers from horse shoes. He wants me to mount 3-5 of then on a board and maybe do a slight edge treatment to it to sell. It is on the round-to-it list.

Good luck on your quest and enjoy the journey,