TRIMMING DOWN EXPENSES ON PROJECT SUPPLIES
Funny, I’ve had almost the exact same experience. I once spent an entire weekend sanding down old barnwood for a feature wall—looked amazing, but the hours added up fast. For me, it’s all about picking your battles. I’ll splurge on new for anything structural, but quirky reclaimed pieces for shelves or mantels? Worth the mess and extra elbow grease, at least when the client’s timeline isn’t breathing down my neck. Sometimes those imperfections are what make a space feel lived-in anyway.
TRIMMING DOWN EXPENSES ON PROJECT SUPPLIES
Here’s where I tend to draw the line:
- Time is money. If I’m spending a weekend sanding barnwood, that’s hours I could use somewhere else, or it’s extra labor cost. Sometimes buying new and distressing it a bit gets you 90% of the look in a quarter of the time.
- Reclaimed stuff can be a pain—hidden nails, warping, weird smells. Not every client appreciates “character” if it means their shelf is crooked or smells like old hay.
- For me, unless the client is dead set on authentic reclaimed, I’ll usually source new material and fake the patina. Less hassle, more predictable results.
- That said, I get the appeal. But I’ve had jobs where chasing “imperfections” just led to headaches and callbacks.
Just my two cents. Sometimes those quirks are cool, but sometimes they’re just...quirks.
Totally get where you’re coming from. I tried using some old wood for a feature wall in my place and honestly, the amount of time I spent pulling out rusty nails and trying to get it straight just wasn’t worth it. Ended up going with new boards and did a little DIY aging—looked good, way less hassle. I like the idea of reclaimed, but unless it’s super special, I’d rather save the headache (and my weekends).
TRIMMING DOWN EXPENSES ON PROJECT SUPPLIES
I hear you on the reclaimed wood hassle. I’ve been burned by that before—spent half a day just prepping old beams, and by the end, they still weren’t straight. Here’s what I do now: if I’m set on the look, I’ll buy new lumber, rough it up with a wire brush, stain it, and hit it with a little sandpaper. Way faster, and honestly, most people can’t tell the difference unless they’re staring at it up close. Reclaimed is cool in theory, but unless it’s got some history or character you can’t fake, I’d rather not spend my weekend fighting warped boards.
TRIMMING DOWN EXPENSES ON PROJECT SUPPLIES
I get where you’re coming from—reclaimed wood can be a total pain, especially if you’re not set up for all the prep work. I’ve had my share of “character” boards that turned out to be more trouble than they were worth. Still, I’ll admit, there’s something about using old materials that feels right to me, even if it’s just for a couple accent pieces. Maybe it’s just stubbornness or guilt about new lumber, but I can’t always bring myself to skip it.
That said, your method makes sense. Faking the look with new wood is way less hassle and, honestly, unless someone’s running their hands over every inch, who’s going to know? I do wish more folks would at least try to source FSC-certified or salvaged wood when possible, though. Not every project needs to be a sustainability crusade, but every little bit helps, right? At the end of the day, it’s about balance—sometimes convenience wins, sometimes the planet does. Just gotta pick your battles.
