Projects Made out of Barn Board
Reclaimed barn wood is an attractive option for many craft and home decor projects. Most companies that sell old barn wood have already prepared the planks by removing nails and treating for insects in a kiln. Clean unprepared barn wood with a pressure washer, and then treat it for insects with a borate based, nontoxic repellant. Saturate the boards and then wrap them in tarp or plastic for up to two weeks to kill any remaining insects.
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Headboards
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Repurpose old barn boards into a rustic headboard for your bedroom. Assemble panels that are relatively the same length, and then attach them together in a vertical or horizontal row using brackets along the back seams. If the barn boards are varying lengths, place the boards horizontally to create an eclectic headboard with uneven edges on both sides. For a more polished look, cut each board to equal lengths before assembly.
Tables
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Join four to six barn boards together side by side to make an indoor or outdoor dining table. Cut the boards to equal lengths and then sand the boards smooth. Make table legs by joining two barn boards together in an L shape and attaching one to each corner of the table. Use flat brackets to join the table top boards together and L brackets to join the legs to the table. Finish the table with interior or exterior stain and polyurethane.
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Garden Art
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Birdhouses, fences and decorative signs are a few of the garden art projects you can make with reclaimed barn board. The rustic appeal of the boards fits well with country, primitive and French country garden decor. To make a classic barn board garden sign, look for a single barn board with jagged edges on both ends. Create the message for the sign by burning letters into the wood with a wood burning tool. You can also engrave your message into the wood with a carving tool. Add a clear coat of exterior varnish to the finished wood sign.
Frames
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If you can use a handsaw, you can make frames for photos, wall art and mirrors using barn boards. No mitering work is required for the corners -- just cut two boards equal in length for the top and bottom of the frame and cut two additional barn boards that are equal in length for the sides of the frame. Fit the sides of the top and bottom boards flush against the ends of the side boards. Attach the boards together at the seams using a flat bracket. Attach a mirror, photo or art piece to the backside of the barn board frame with viscous adhesive or tape.
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References
Resources
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