How To Prep Reclaimed Wood
Do you plan on working with your own reclaimed wood lumber? If so, you have a big job ahead of you. Here are a few tips on how to prep reclaimed wood. Fortunately, reclaimed wood doesn't have a lot of the drawbacks of prepping younger lumber.
Reclaimed wood is wood that has been salvaged. This can mean wood that has been taken from abandoned buildings, such as churches, houses, schools, warehouses, or factories. In some cases reclaimed wood comes from dead trees or abandoned logs as well. In some rare cases, you can even find ships or boats with usable wood.
However, the downside of learning how to prep reclaimed wood is that you have a lot of work ahead. Depending on the type of lumber, you'll need to remove nails, bits of metal, or traces of tar or concrete. Most lumber mills that have reclaimed wood will do much of this for you, but there's always the chance that they missed a spot. Be sure to check your lumber over thoroughly and make sure it has no blue or black spots that may indicate something is still lodged in the wood.
It is extremely important that you make absolutely sure the wood is free of any debris before cutting, as if your blades encounter a nail while you learn how to prep reclaimed wood, you may end up damaging your instruments severely. You also put yourself at risk. When it comes to this step, you can never be too careful.
Additionally, it's generally not a good idea to use reclaimed wood that has been painted. Aged wood develops a unique sheen that you will want to do everything in your power to preserve, and sanding the paint away is not a good way to do this. Furthermore, depending on when the reclaimed wood was painted, the paint may contain harmful substances.
That aside, learning how to prep reclaimed wood isn't as complicated as prepping younger wood. The advantage to using such aged wood is that you will hardly ever see warped grain or tree knots, as the trees were allowed to grow naturally. Furthermore, there is no need to leave most cuts of reclaimed wood to dry for years or more, as much of it is already used in some way.
Before cutting, it's a good idea to clean your wood, if only to remove years of lichen, dirt, or grime. You can usually do this by blasting its surface with water. Don't let your wood soak, as it may become waterlogged and rot. Learn more about how to prep reclaimed wood today!