My Barn Wood Table: Step 1

When we moved into our house 3 years ago, I really wanted to get a big dining room table made from recycled barn wood.  So I started shopping and quickly found a problem, I couldn't afford the table that I wanted.  Think upwards of 2 grand.  Maybe I am cheap but I couldn't see spending that kind of cash for a dining room table.  So when a friend of mine asked me if I knew anyone interested in some old barn wood I was really excited.  "Yea ME!" I told him.

This half off I finally got down there and start tearing some wood down.  My Dad came down to join in the fun so my friend, my Dad and I started to take apart some of the barn.  It is a big barn (see picture below), so I was trying to be picky when we were taking it apart.  I took a small roof section that had fallen in, and the front pieces off of one side. I also grabbed some awesome 2 x 6 support pieces for the legs of my table.

As with everything that I jump into head first, there is a learning curve. One day I might learn to do some research before I go tearing things down, but today was not that day, tomorrow probably won't be either.  So below is a list of things that I learned in my first week of working with old barn wood.

Wear a Hard Hat

You would think this one might be obvious, but those guys on TV never do it, so why should I?  Well I have a lovely knot on my forehead to prove that you should.  I was cutting some rotted wood out from around the big 2 x 6 supports and even though it was rotted, it still left a dent when it fell and smacked me in the head.  

Wear a Hat While Sanding and Ripping

My dad got me a new orbital sander and a biscuit joiner for my new project (Yea, he is a pretty fantastic Dad) and I had to play with them as soon as we got home.  So I put some safety glasses on and proceeded to sand away.  After I was done with that, my Dad suggested we use the radial arm saw to rip the uneven sides down so we could play with the biscuit joiner.  Well YEA!  I love new toys, so I grabbed a piece that I had sanded and went to work.  That saw flings little chunks of wood everywhere and by the end of the night I was covered in sawdust and wood shavings.

My Outdoor Work Shop

Don't Wet Your Hair if it is Covered in Wood Shavings

If you decide not to wear a hat while sanding and ripping and you have long hair like I do, don't wet your hair and think it will shampoo out.  Nope, the stuff just sticks to your hair and gets nice and clean.  I probably got some sawdust out, but there were still plenty of shavings left in my hair after I got out of the shower.  My husband wouldn't let me come to bed until my hair dried and I brushed most of the shavings out.  

Take More Than You Think You Need

Poplar Boards

After rough sanding all of the boards that I pulled down I found I had an issue, they are not all made of the same wood.  I decided my table would be made out of the long front boards, I had 7 good ones and 1 that was split. From them, I figured I would need 5, and if I needed to I could use the split board for the trim.  After I rough sanded the boards I discovered that I had 4 poplar boards and 3 oak boards, plus the split poplar.  Not quite enough. So on my way home this half I will be back at the barn tearing down some more boards.  

Oak Boards

All in all I am really excited about this project, I finally get my table and I get to make it.  Stay tuned for the next episode of "As the Table Turns"