Hi,
Any ideas/articles/tips on how a novice like myself could identify the type of wood a reclaimed door is made of.
There is a store near by that reclaims the materials from house demolitions and they have stacks and stacks of doors.
I can tell the difference between an MDF door and a wood door, but with them wood doors stained or painted I am finding it difficult to ID the species. I think this would be a great way to get wood planks inexpensively. The shop has no idea.
Please advise.
THANKS!
Respectfully,
MRod
Replies
Mrod,
I don't know what your use would be for the planks you are talking about,but any wood salvaged form old doors would have a lot of holes in them because most old doors were made with through mortise and tenon joints where the stiles and rails meet. Most old doors( 90%) are either white pine or red oak, but the odd door could be any species. Unless you are using shorts I think you would be wasting your time.
Terry
A lot depends on when the houses they came from were built, and where. In the upper midwest here some of the old (like 100 yrs) doors were built from oak. But even some of them are veneered oak rather than solid. The weight of the door would pretty much indicate if it's a solid hardwood versus veneer over pine for instance.
Out here on the left coast I have seen a lot of old doors made out of Doug fir with oak or mahogany veneers. Be careful of painted doors though the paint could have a lot of lead in it.
Troy
you might ask in breaktime.
espalier
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