old barn wood bringing crazy prices?

littlefarmer · Jul 9, 2015

I am doing repairs on my barn, and was talking to my local building supplier this morning. He was telling me that old barn wood, especially old siding, decking, and beams, is bringing crazy prices. Apparently this stuff has become the new trend, and people are buying it for such things as kitchen walls, bedroom furniture, and houses.

He told me that good barn lap siding goes for $6-$7 a FOOT??? Large undamaged support beams for a couple hundred?

Another guy told me that he has a relative who bought several farms recently, that had old farm buildings on them. He was swamped with calls from people from the West Coast wanting to buy the buildings and they would come out and dismantle them.

Apparently the older the wood, the better.

I farm in Nebraska. Seems kind of sad to see these old barns end up as wall covering in some wealthy Yuppie's trendy new house.

rrlund · Jul 9, 2015

I had my kitchen lined with it at one time. It got old to look at.

Greg1959 · Jul 9, 2015

littlefarmer - I remember that trend starting in the mid 70's. Everybody was making stuff from old barn wood. Heck, I have a couple of picture frames my Dad made from it. I remember people searching for old barns to tear down so they could cover their den walls.

Nothing like Shag carpet and barn wood paneling!

old · Jul 9, 2015

It has been that way for a couple decades now. Most any old ruff cut oak etc can bring an arm and leg as can old knotty pine etc.

SweetFeet · Jul 9, 2015

In the early 70's dad was having our barn pushed over and buried by a Cat.

My brother used old grey barn wood to cover one wall of his room (in our childhood home), also made a built in shelf from barnwood on that wall. It looked great and I bet it's still there today.

But yes, people seem to be paying big bucks for it now. Shoot, they even pay big bucks for wood trim, doors, millwork from old houses too. I'd like to buy an old barn OR house door to hide the LP tank by our shop rust garden. Seems like everybody wants at least a $100 bucks for a door - even one that is practically falling apart.

Cory Schmidt · Jul 9, 2015

They think its real neat having battered weathered wood or metal. Not just wall coverings but for in the yard or as furniture and crafts. ITS GREEN/RECLAIMED (if we didn't use it, it would be dumped in a landfill someplace). OH, got to have the history with the "patina". "It was on a hundred year old barn(though only on it for 15 or so), the tales it would tell".

That's all over, not just your area. They come down for numerous reasons. They get in the way, to small, left to fall apart to long,...... Its sad to see them go, just because of the thoughts of all the work that it took to build them and the work done in them.

I know a guy that takes them down for salvage. He has 5 or so to do this year or next. A big (I think 500+ head) farm in the area owns the land that they are on, wants them off the taxes(like the pennies they'd save would be anything worth while). The salvager has a workshop he uses the materials (for crafts). We got a hold of him when he did the neighbors, any wood he didn't want we'd take for firewood. He just fills his trailer and dumps it off on the yard, otherwise it would be just burned on a pile (and he'd have to take the time and watch it).

Kickinbull · Jul 9, 2015

My son works for a family that has a business that buys barn lumber. My wife and I have also worked for them over the years. The wood is sorted and kiln dried and sold mostly to places that make reclaimed hardwood flooring. They do have some wood that is packed in container and sold overseas.

ChasK · Jul 9, 2015

I have some beams. (8x8, 10x10) I would love to find a place to get rid of them. They're just pine, were pegged together, some better than others. I just don't know what I would use them for. All the other stuff will hopefully become a cattle shed.

I'm in eastern Iowa. Anyone have someone I could contact?

Buddy · Jul 9, 2015

I have several old barns I will GIVE away if someone is willing to come get them.

Chuck (CA) · Jul 9, 2015

It's not just the West Coast.
Omaha CraigsList.

bison · Jul 9, 2015

I have no use for old grey weathered barn wood(it doesn't even make good fire wood IMO) but i had a whole pile of old pine powerpoles sawed up in 1" boards(i left one bark side uncut).
I sided my whole house with it(most of it ship lap) and used the leftovers for wainscoting parts of my living room and upper half in the kitchen 10 years ago.
Everyone says,...looks pretty good!.
I build the deck from it too(2 x 8)

Mark-Mi · Jul 9, 2015

Times two. Come get em. Good roofs = no rotten wood. SE Mi.

GVSII · Jul 9, 2015

Yes, some outfits are paying pretty good money for old barn wood.They say they'll dismantle.Problem is they dismantle,take what they want and leave the rest for to clean up.

Mike M · Jul 9, 2015

Wonder how long before they figure out it was painted with lead paint and it is now hazardous waste and cost a bundle to dispose of ? LOL !

Tim(nj) · Jul 9, 2015

Around here, if they find chestnut, they go nuts.

gbs · Jul 9, 2015

years back I removed 6"tongue& groove pine flooring from a tobacco pack house that over the years had gotten polished to the point the grain was raised from sheets of tobacco being pulled across it, when I was building the house I took old rough cut 2"x10"s from the same building and lightly sanded then to clean them up, then used them for ceiling joist in three rooms and turned the polished side of the tongue & groove down on top of them for the ceiling and was going to apply poly urethane to seal it and leave it exposed, but the wife didn't like it so I covered it with drywall,years later we went inside of a home that was done similar to what I had started to do wife made a statement as to how good it looked,i told her not to let that part her lips again,still hard to believe I actually covered up all that hard work

CenTex Farmall · Jul 9, 2015

I'll sell them some wood so old it has turned into powder.

Old tin is on CL for high prices too, more than new R-panel in a lot of ads.

NoNewParts · Jul 10, 2015

probably be cheaper for them to just buy my whole house.
Pull the paneling off inside......oh, lath and plaster too....
There ya go, handhewn beams pegged together.
with a few posts made from trees with the bark still on em.
Ya mean I didn't have to spend all that remodel money over the years? lol
Guess I shouldn't have throw away all those ancient newspapers used for insulation and air gap blockers, after I read them. who knew?

Donald Lehman · Jul 10, 2015

Jerry Clower: "I sure would like to see the inside of a half million dollar house,............................... and the thing the guy was the most proud of, was his wormwood paneling! It's the same stuff we burned under the washpot"!

W_B · Jul 10, 2015

(quoted from post at 20:19:14 07/09/15) I had my kitchen lined with it at one time. It got old to look at.

We used wood from an old cattle feeder in our barn that we no longer needed on our kitchen walls. Still like it.

State of Jefferson · Jul 10, 2015

Depending on how much you have, this outfit may want it. I bought a beam to use as a mantle in a house last summer.
They do get a pretty penny for it, but the costs involved for them are pretty high too. Shipping, clean-up, pulling
nails, storage, etc...

I do like the ol barnwood in a house, not the whole place, but accents sure look sharp.

Ben
Barnwood industries

Kickinbull · Jul 10, 2015

Nice.

old barn wood bringing crazy prices?

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