Uses for used lumber

Used lumber is often wasted, either by being dumped in landfills or burned. However, used lumber can be a valuable resource for the do it yourselfer looking to cut project costs. While some used lumber may be too rough or damaged to be used on the outside of your woodworking projects, used lumber can form the skeleton of many different projects. Used lumber can also be rehabilitated by using a sander or planer, and you can often find a "diamond in the rough;" a piece of used lumber that has an outstanding finish lurking just beneath a rough exterior.

Sources of used lumber

Used lumber can be found in a number of different places. If your city or town has a landfill nearby, you might consider picking through the wood waste section; although the wood in landfills is often there with good reason, you can sometimes find useful pieces of two by four, plywood, or other lumber.

If picking through trash is not to your liking, you can obtain used lumber from other sources. Discount lumber stores often carry used lumber that has been removed from commercial and residential buildings. You can also often find advertisements for use lumber in your local newspaper. Another place to look for used lumber is on the Internet. Many lumber liquidation web sites feature lots of used lumber available to auction, or even specific pieces of used lumber.

Uses for rough lumber

Let's face it, lumber that has until recently been a part of someone's walls or floor does not always look like a million dollars. However, rough lumber can very useful if you are building projects that require hidden wood frames, such as upholstered chairs, chests, bureaus, and many other pieces of furniture. As long as the rough lumber you use "behind the scenes" is sound and can support weight, you should not worry whether it looks good!

Using rough lumber is also somewhat like mining for gold: you can often find useful lumber in the most unexpected places. If you are using used lumber that dates back more than 40 years or so you may discover wood taken from old growth trees, which is extremely rare today. With some work on your part and a good planer, you can often use rough lumber as the outer finish of even the most delicate woodworking projects. Because of this possibility, many woodworkers are now combing the market for good used lumber.