Preserving Barn Wood

Countryside Keepsake

If you've ever traveled past a tumbledown old barn and wished there was something you could do to preserve this chunk of American heritage, there is. Old barns can be recycled into furniture, siding for rustic homes and fencing. The posts and poles of old barns were often made of walnut, poplar, oak and other hardwoods culled from the farm as it was cleared and plowed. Except where the posts have been riddled by insects, they are still usable, either to restore the barn to its original condition or for other purposes if the barn is torn down. Cladding on many old barns consisted of hand-split slab wood, which is also salvageable. Old barn cladding is particularly useful for making trestle tables, framing windows and serving as a canvas for painting.

Going to Pieces

Ensure worker safety by building scaffolds around the outside of the barn. Wear hard hats, dust masks and wrap-around eye protection at all times while disassembling the barn. Rope or tape off the destruction area, and have someone posted to keep people away while barn parts are being lowered to the ground.

Loop a supporting rope or harness around the pole, post or board that is to be lowered. Carefully remove any nails, spikes, bolts or screws holding the board in place. Place all removed fasteners in a can to be sorted or recycled. Do not throw any bent nails or spikes to the ground. Slowly lower the board to the ground and remove the support harness. Remove any additional fasteners once the board is on the ground.

Restoration

Check the board for signs of insect damage. Boards, posts or poles that are riddled with beetles or termites should be burned. Spread the ashes in your compost heap. If you have a chip and seal drive, spread the ashes on your drive and pour used motor oil over them.

Trim away any rough or damaged ends from each board, using a back saw and miter box to make sure the cuts are at a 90-degree angle. Sand all boards, posts and poles using a belt sander and coarse, medium, fine and extra fine belts in that order.

Apply Murphy's Oil Soap or lemon oil to the entire surface of each board and allow it to soak into the wood. Repeat three to five times, until the wood begins to have a shiny patina instead of absorbing the oils immediately. Sand wood one more time, using your extra fine sanding belt. Apply three to five coats of clear acrylic wood treatment to all surfaces of each board. Allow the acrylic to dry completely between coats. Use your restored barn wood as desired.