It’s actually a pretty crazy proposition, right? Why would anyone seeking to build a piece of furniture for their home start by rummaging through dusty, dirty and sometimes deeply damaged reclaimed lumber? I for one can be accused of taking such action for my own furnishings (read my story on how it all started here), so let me explain…
WHY BUILD WITH BARNWOOD?
Windows salvaged from a 100+ year old farm
THE OTHER OPTIONS
In unpacking this question, let’s first look at the other options out there, generally speaking. We all know everything is online nowadays so it doesn’t take much imagination to see a need within your home, come up with the necessary descriptors to define the piece you are looking for, type them into an online search, and “Viola!” there you are! Hundreds if not thousands of vendors vying to part you from your hard-earned money! And what exactly is it that you are getting? Is it press-board, highly produced, something-that-hundreds-of-other-people-own protuberance that will probably put pressure on your pupils every time you peer at it? Are you really getting a quality piece of craftsmanship with furniture that comes out of a massive assembly line warehouse? Now, nothing tangible in this world lasts forever of course, but when we choose convenience and accessibility for the goods we buy, often a sub-par experience is what we receive in return. This is no different with furniture… Enter reclaimed barnwood.
YOU CANNOT RECREATE IT
First off, most factory production furniture by virtue of shear scale is not going to be made from reclaimed lumber. There simply is not enough available to build the quantities they desire and also maintain the look they are advertising. Which brings us to the first point: Uniqueness. No two boards are the same width, thickness, tone or texture… All the lumber that I’ve ever reclaimed has uniqueness in spades! So, what mildly frustrates and flummoxes during fabrication becomes a foremost feature when finished!
DOES QUALITY MATTER?
Secondly, let’s address the quality aspect discussed earlier. Sure, engineered materials, plywood and the like are nice for certain things. But if you really stop to consider the journey that a piece of barnwood takes to even consider being chosen for a piece of furniture, it is pretty astounding! Let me explain… How is it that this commodity called wood can withstand wind, rain, sun, snow and pests for decades and somehow come out the other side with more charm and character than at the start? But we are talking about quality, lest we forget… which allows us to stick yet another feather in a “barnboard’s cap” because not only does it often look better with age but it still has the physical stamina stored within to live its’ second life as a regal, silent sentinel in our homes! That, I feel is pretty special!
So there you have it, quality and uniqueness, two of many attributes that I could expound upon when it comes to the question of why anyone would use reclaimed lumber in their homes. I’m sure we’ll revisit this topic in future posts. In the meantime, don’t forget to leave a comment, we’d love to hear from you! What do you think? Do you agree? Or have the barndoors to our brains been blowing in the breeze for too long?
August 2, 2022This entry was posted in Barnwood, General. Bookmark the permalink.
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