I need advice & suggestions. I have about a dozen pieces of 200 year old heart of pine beams and I want to do something super interesting and fantastically tasteful with them. But, I’m just not sure what. These pieces were removed from the old lean-to section of the house during the renovation. Of course, we refused to let the contractor trash them. They are generally between 8 and 12 feet in length. They range in thickness from 4 to 6 inches and are between 2 and 4 inches wide.
I thought about an outdoor table for The Courtyard. I found a guy in Atlanta who does incredible pieces out of wood and metal. He especially likes to work with older wood. He can fabricate the pieces into a tabletop and make a mega metal base if I design it for him. Also, he can coat the table top in a clear composite material to weatherproof it. This would give it a finish similar to a surfboard. A high gloss coating would certainly not be my first choice to do on this old heart pine, but I think long term it would have to have some type of finish to protect it from the elements.
I just don’t know enough about how these pieces would stand up outside with no finish. They’re hard as rock and weigh a ton. Basically they’re like old barn wood beams.
The bigger issue is probably is getting them to his studio. That would be a problem! C has a truck, but it’s one of those cha cha gourmet trucks, the kind that normally is used to pull your yacht and it has a short bed. My beam stash would stick out the back of it about a half a mile, so I don’t see myself hauling it 70 miles to Atlanta.
I could probably find someone locally who could cut or plane them, but I’d have to be very specific with instructions. Otherwise, I could end up with a couple barrel chairs or a picnic table ala state park.
So, if you have any ideas on how to make the table work or other ideas on what to do with these please share.
Could it be split into thinner boards and used horizontally on a focal wall in the house, or on walls in the garden shed, something like that? It seems a shame to have a composite finish on 200-year-old wood or to let it deteriorate outside.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about this today and I think it should be used to build some kind of structure on the property, a temple of sorts, in the woods if you want, and it should be allowed to go back to the earth.
ReplyDeleteHow about an industrial type work bench to put on that fine dining porch...use it as a buffet for all the meals you'll have out there in the 100 degree heat this summer! Actually it would be beautiful there and more protected from the elements.
ReplyDeletewell, now that i am in serious covet mode thinking to myself 'old plantation, 70 miles out of atlanta'....hmmmmm
ReplyDeleteso, if they were stacked on my property i would build an outdoor garden structure, rustic benches, interior beams, split and line a wall.......have a table made.
do you happen to know a guy named dave leonard? an amazing artist with old wood and metal; is that who you were thinking of?
need some snaps? just email me
drool........
debra
Maybe build small sections of fence to place between the evergreens on the south walkway? 3-4 ft tall and about 4-6 ft in length (or whatever fits) with posts on each end and 2-3 horizontal planks. The aged, silver color of the wood beams would contrast nicely with the deep green and those pink roses could use some support and something to climb on.
ReplyDelete