Top Six Tips to Working With and Caring for Reclaimed Barnwood

For working with reclaimed barn wood furniture!

We have a few tips for working with and caring for your reclaimed barn wood!

Is this your first time working with reclaimed barn wood? Well, there are a few tips & tricks we would like to share with you to make your experience the best possible.

#1 Take a minute to think about this. This wood has literally been outside for years. Like 100-150 years! So it has been exposed to the elements (and to lots of dirt). Now, this is something that helps give wood its character.

You can clean reclaimed barn wood. We recommend starting with a soft nylon bristle brush. Gently brush the entire length of the board or piece of wood to remove any dirt that is still lingering. You can also use an air hose to clean off any remaining dust or dirt or particles. As for what NOT to do: we do not recommend using a high pressure washer hose to clean the wood. This can cause more damage than good.

#2 Our reclaimed barn wood is stored in our warehouses, allowing it all to remain dry. Plus, we "stick" it to allow the wood to breathe. This ensures the highest quality wood for our customers. We do recommend that you always ask if the wood you're purchasing has been treated in any way (IE- chemically or kiln drying).

#3 The wood itself is not perfect. Generally speaking, reclaimed barn wood has many imperfections. Honestly, this is one of our favorite parts of working with reclaimed barn wood. It has so much more character than the wood you can get from the hardware store down the street. Every weathered or aged piece, or even a board that looks like it has been gnawed on by a farm animal, contains a bit of American history.

#4 Reclaimed barn wood is rough sawn. It has not been sanded down until it is sewn. The circle sawn (1/4 sawn) marks are visible on the wood. You can do one of two things- keep the texture, or not. We think those saw marks are one of the unique features of reclaimed barn wood. But you can always sand it down a little bit and allow the general feel of the saw marks to remain on the wood.

#5 While it may not seem like it needs to be said, this wood is OLD! That means you do need to treat it with care. There are times, when working with reclaimed barn wood, that the wood splits. It happens! What do you do? Make the most of it. Just like any creative project, things don't always go your way. So our recommendation is to roll with the punches. A split or crack can often be easily fixed with a little glue or small air nail braid, especially if the pieces are being used for an accent wall or trim.

#6 Ask questions! Seriously. When you are looking at wood or ready to make a purchase, don't be afraid to ask questions! Here at Michigan Reclaimed Barns & Lumber, we are always prepared to answer questions. We know most everything there is to know about reclaimed barn wood. And we continue to learn and share any new techniques with our clients. If there's a question that stumps us, we know how to find the answer for you.