# Old wood from barns....



## havasu (Jul 21, 2010)

I have recently been shopping for a new vacation home in the mountains, and have noticed one of the newest decorating ideas is to utilize really old wood, like from old barns, as a focal point on the walls. The wood is silver looking with lots of weathering, and I believe is a great way to recycle. Does anyone have a source for this old wood? Has anyone used it themselves?


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## Deek281 (Jan 6, 2011)

Havasu,
Was nosing around on the forum and came across this post. 
I have tons of the stuff- I just moved into a 110 year old farmhouse with a barn and workshop of nearly the same ages. The best thing I can tell anyone about this stuff is pretty simple. Do not try to drive a nail into the wood without drilling a pilot hole. If the wood is as dry as the stuff I have, you will end up going through a lot more nails than needed. When this stuff is this dry, its like trying to drive a  10d nail through a concrete block. The wood is very sturdy, but extremely dense and without a pilot hole you are just wasting nails. Find a good drill and drill bit if you are going to work with much of this stuff. Much of my wood is Yew and Tulip Poplar, so maybe that contributes to the density. Your results may vary.


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## havasu (Jan 6, 2011)

Thanks for the tip! I never considered the old wood would be a bugger to hammer a nail through it.


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## Jeepchuck (Feb 9, 2011)

YEP, yellow pine about 40yrs old Is hard as heck.to do my elec. used my hammer drill to ct the holes in


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## Deek281 (Feb 10, 2011)

Jeepchuck: 
Best drill I've ever used is the 1/2" Magnum Drill from Milwaukee. This thing is a monster. I've used it to drill 1 1/8" holes through 5/8" plate steel. If you are drilling through something that hard with a bit smaller than 1/2" it will break off the bit if it sticks. Cuts through wood in no time flat. Its surprisingly well priced too, I think home Depot carries it for around $120. And you wont wear it out. Soon as Tax money get in, I'm getting one myself.


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