from debris to salvaged...

Finding salvaged wood to use for framing is only the start of the process. The boards are full of nails, usually covered with dirt and weeds, and home to ants, spiders and snakes. Some wood is beyond salvage. It's too warped or splintered for framing.

When searching through a debris pile, I'm looking for the straightest boards and ones with flaky paint. Once I get the wood to Steve's World (my garage shop), I yank nails and stack the boards on a rack before milling.

The boards are next ripped to smaller widths for specific size frames and notched for glass and matting. Then the boards are mitered. Once the frames are glued and nailed together, each is cleaned with soapy water. After drying, a coat of tung oil and urethane seal the wood to finish the job.

Salvaged wood comes back to life with a little TLC.

Cleaned frames drying in the morning sun.