Reclaimed lumber

oil pan 4 · 10-13-17, 02:05 PM

Yesterday I was about to demo an old building. I was about to take the chain saw to the rotted wood and just throw it all on the fire wood pile.
I figures I would remove the wood, pull the nails and attempt to rip off the deterioration with a table saw.

I took 2x12 and cut them down to about the sixe of 2x10, actually 10 inches wide and had some 2x6 that got turned into heavy 2x4, because they are actually 4 inches wide now. Saved at least a few hundred dollars, a tree or 2 and still got a little bit of fire wood.

ecomodded · 10-13-17, 04:02 PM

I like the raw wood / lumber it would look nice on a picnic table or stairway etc

oil pan 4 · 10-13-17, 05:05 PM

A good portion of the wood has developed a nice grey patina.
I have barely scratched the surface on reclaiming wood, I have one deck, made with about 300+ square feet of untreated 2x6 to reclaim I'm expecting to save 1/2 to 2/3 of it and another 2x6 deck about 250 square foot I believe is untreated and I am expecting to save nearly 100% of that wood.

mejunkhound · 10-14-17, 09:09 AM

From about 1985 till 2005 my 'hobby' was collecting old pallets from the local aerospace giant.
Some of the stuff was 5 ft by 10 ft 3/4" Baltic birch(rudder pallets from Ireland). and 11 ft 2x8s (cowling pallets from CA) and occasional 24 ft 2x12s (tubing crates) For some reason, after 2005 they started chipping it all vs. putting it out for salvage, probably liability aspect.

Anyway, in 2011, built a 1600 sq ft house for under $8000.00 with all the 'scrap' wood.

Biggest task was to document the EU markings on the plywood to satisfy permit folks that it was better than US grading to comply with IRC grading specs..

oil pan 4 · 10-14-17, 09:38 AM

I have a ton of pallets too.
I just picked up 21 more last week. They are just standard size. I go for the smashed and broken ones now.
Originally I was getting afew of them here and thwre to stack my fire wood on to keep the bugs, dirt, rot and moisture off my wood stove fuel.
Now I think I will just chop up the busted ones for fire wood and I will do a trial run where I carefully remove the nice pallet planks, run them through a planer and joiner and try and sell them on facebook and Craigslist, along with whole pallets.
I figure I could sell nice pallets for 2 or 3 dollars each, then sell finished hardwood planks for a $1 or $2 each and soft wood for a little less.

mejunkhound · 10-14-17, 10:17 AM

From about 1975 to 2000 we heated 5000 sq ft with wood, LOTs of it old standard pallets plus 8-10 cords regular firewood.

"furnace' could take 5 ft pieces, an ash pit below with a 2 yard capacity.

When cleaning the pit every other year, about 90% nails <G>

Whenever I saw a near clear piece of 2x4 on a pallet (1 in 100?), saved that. After a few years had enough to dip in penta and floor a 4 ft by 34 ft deck/balcony. Deck in good shape yet after 30+ years.

oil pan 4 · 11-06-17, 06:03 PM

First deck down.
I got:
28 metal 2x6 hangers
All 16 pressure treated 2''x6''x8' boards were good.
The deck was 15 or 16 2x6 wide then 12' plus 16' long (was made of 12 and 16 foot boards placed end to end).
9 ofthe 12' long boards were good
4 needed to be cut down partially, shortened or cut into 2x4.
3 I just chopped up for firewood.

The 16 footers I didn't do as well.
5 were good to reuse.
5 shortened and cut to 2x4
The remainder will be cut down or cut into fire wood.

Lastly 8 each 6' long ground contact pressure treated 4x4 posts. All good to go back in the ground or use something else.

Plus a bunch of screws and lag bolts.

Just wood alone is almost $400 retail. Counting the cut down wood as 50% original cost and the fire wood as nothing and the metal hangers as $1 each. Not counting the screws and lag bolts. Not counting the five 2'x6' I haven't decided if I'm cutting down or cutting into firewood.

Normally people just rip something like this out and throw it all in the dumpster. Posts, 2'x6's, hangers, screws.
I'm reusing, recycling or burning for heat every possible bit of it. Aside from pressure treated 2x6 cutoff bits, you shouldn't burn them and can't recycle them. Oh well.
Land fill waste reduced by 99% or so.
Trees saved, a few.
It took all day to do.

10-13-17, 02:05 PM	#1
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	Reclaimed lumber Yesterday I was about to demo an old building. I was about to take the chain saw to the rotted wood and just throw it all on the fire wood pile. I figures I would remove the wood, pull the nails and attempt to rip off the deterioration with a table saw. I took 2x12 and cut them down to about the sixe of 2x10, actually 10 inches wide and had some 2x6 that got turned into heavy 2x4, because they are actually 4 inches wide now. Saved at least a few hundred dollars, a tree or 2 and still got a little bit of fire wood. Attached Thumbnails

10-13-17, 04:02 PM	#2
ecomodded Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Vancouver Island,Canada. Posts: 1,037 Thanks: 116 Thanked 100 Times in 87 Posts	I like the raw wood / lumber it would look nice on a picnic table or stairway etc __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

10-13-17, 05:05 PM	#3
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	A good portion of the wood has developed a nice grey patina. I have barely scratched the surface on reclaiming wood, I have one deck, made with about 300+ square feet of untreated 2x6 to reclaim I'm expecting to save 1/2 to 2/3 of it and another 2x6 deck about 250 square foot I believe is untreated and I am expecting to save nearly 100% of that wood.

10-14-17, 09:09 AM	#4
mejunkhound Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: PNW Posts: 197 Thanks: 0 Thanked 47 Times in 31 Posts	From about 1985 till 2005 my 'hobby' was collecting old pallets from the local aerospace giant. Some of the stuff was 5 ft by 10 ft 3/4" Baltic birch(rudder pallets from Ireland). and 11 ft 2x8s (cowling pallets from CA) and occasional 24 ft 2x12s (tubing crates) For some reason, after 2005 they started chipping it all vs. putting it out for salvage, probably liability aspect. Anyway, in 2011, built a 1600 sq ft house for under $8000.00 with all the 'scrap' wood. Biggest task was to document the EU markings on the plywood to satisfy permit folks that it was better than US grading to comply with IRC grading specs..

10-14-17, 09:38 AM	#5
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	I have a ton of pallets too. I just picked up 21 more last week. They are just standard size. I go for the smashed and broken ones now. Originally I was getting afew of them here and thwre to stack my fire wood on to keep the bugs, dirt, rot and moisture off my wood stove fuel. Now I think I will just chop up the busted ones for fire wood and I will do a trial run where I carefully remove the nice pallet planks, run them through a planer and joiner and try and sell them on facebook and Craigslist, along with whole pallets. I figure I could sell nice pallets for 2 or 3 dollars each, then sell finished hardwood planks for a $1 or $2 each and soft wood for a little less.

10-14-17, 10:17 AM	#6
mejunkhound Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: PNW Posts: 197 Thanks: 0 Thanked 47 Times in 31 Posts	From about 1975 to 2000 we heated 5000 sq ft with wood, LOTs of it old standard pallets plus 8-10 cords regular firewood. "furnace' could take 5 ft pieces, an ash pit below with a 2 yard capacity. When cleaning the pit every other year, about 90% nails <G> Whenever I saw a near clear piece of 2x4 on a pallet (1 in 100?), saved that. After a few years had enough to dip in penta and floor a 4 ft by 34 ft deck/balcony. Deck in good shape yet after 30+ years.

11-06-17, 06:03 PM	#7
oil pan 4 Land owner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NM Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 12 Thanked 127 Times in 107 Posts	First deck down. I got: 28 metal 2x6 hangers All 16 pressure treated 2''x6''x8' boards were good. The deck was 15 or 16 2x6 wide then 12' plus 16' long (was made of 12 and 16 foot boards placed end to end). 9 ofthe 12' long boards were good 4 needed to be cut down partially, shortened or cut into 2x4. 3 I just chopped up for firewood. The 16 footers I didn't do as well. 5 were good to reuse. 5 shortened and cut to 2x4 The remainder will be cut down or cut into fire wood. Lastly 8 each 6' long ground contact pressure treated 4x4 posts. All good to go back in the ground or use something else. Plus a bunch of screws and lag bolts. Just wood alone is almost $400 retail. Counting the cut down wood as 50% original cost and the fire wood as nothing and the metal hangers as $1 each. Not counting the screws and lag bolts. Not counting the five 2'x6' I haven't decided if I'm cutting down or cutting into firewood. Normally people just rip something like this out and throw it all in the dumpster. Posts, 2'x6's, hangers, screws. I'm reusing, recycling or burning for heat every possible bit of it. Aside from pressure treated 2x6 cutoff bits, you shouldn't burn them and can't recycle them. Oh well. Land fill waste reduced by 99% or so. Trees saved, a few. It took all day to do.