Hey! You can get a lot of money for that wood!

[BungeeII]

How many out there with collapsing barns have heard that? I have an old 1880's dairy barn that's falling down and everyone that comes by says "hey, there's a lot of money in that wood." Each time I hear that I say "how much do you want?" To date, I've sold exactly nothing. Who are these unidentifiable people that buy beams and barn-wood? More to the point, how can I find them?

 

[Ductape]

I'd say good luck ! After the labor of dismantling and de-mailing....... who is gonna pay big bucks for it. Depending on the condition, I'd say best option is a contractor who disassembles the reassembles on someone else's site. At least as far as i can see from my area...................

 

[Lasgambler]

How many out there with collapsing barns have heard that? I have an old 1880's dairy barn that's falling down and everyone that comes by says "hey, there's a lot of money in that wood." Each time I hear that I say "how much do you want?" To date, I've sold exactly nothing. Who are these unidentifiable people that buy beams and barn-wood? More to the point, how can I find them?

I wish you were closer to me. Terry

 

[2manyrocks]

I guess put an ad on Craigslist. But do you have liability insurance to protect yourself if the guy dismantling the barn gets hurt?

 

[tallyho8]

New Orleans has more homes made before the 20th century with old virgin swamp cypress and heart pine than any other place in America. This is some of the best wood ever available for building and was generally used in sizes much larger than the standard sizes used today. There are a couple of shops there that get the old wood from buildings being demolished and resize it to todays standards. It comes out looking like brand new wood but is much stronger and less susceptible to rot. It is almost impossible to buy because they usually have a waiting list months long.

 

[tomd999]

Hiya,

With the state of the economy, the market for these products has dried up a bit. However that being said, it is still popular in upscale older urban areas with high incomes and old houses in need of repair/restoration. (Boston, NYC, Chi for example)

I would do a Google search of "recycled building materials" or "building restoration supplies" located in affluent urban areas. Also, keep in mind that the type, age, condition and size of the boards/planks make a vast difference in price.

Tom

 

[ToadHill]

I took a 125 year old barn down around 20 years ago. All the large beams were Chestnut, made some fine woodwork out of them.

 

[B8FISH]

We buy it for restoration projects on our ca.1825 house and 1841 Cobblestone building--redoing floors etc. There is a company in Rochester NY (New Energy Works/Pioneer Millworks) that buys whole barns/buildings and dismantles, de-nails, re-saws and then planes the beams and sells as flooring--really expensive, at least $10-15 per bd ft. We usually try to find an older home that is going down and take out the attic flooring or something like that--and do all the work ourselves. For my last (still current) project the lowest price I could find was $6.50/bd ft for older hemlock. The pine flooring was nearly double that!! I think that the NYC market for this wood is pretty good--the guys south of Albany are getting a lot of $$ for barn teardowns.

 

[polo1665]

There is a place about 10 miles down the road that sells old barn beams and barn stone. They travel all over Ohio and neighboring states to take down old barns. They take the old stones and beams back to their place and sell it by the pallet load. I am not real sure about the beams, but I know that the barn stones are very popular around here. People use them for building steps and and walls around patios for instance. They quite a bit of money for these shaped sandstone slabs, they have quit a bit of character. I have a few around my house.
I'll be driving by the place this afternoon. I'll get the name and post it for you.

Mark

 

[Wayne County Hose]

There's a company not far from me that is in this business. They say that business is very good. A lot of people ride around looking for this stuff for nothing. That's why you never hear from them again.