ESLIE: Alright. Now we’ve got Elizabeth in Texas on the line who’s looking for a way to repurpose some found lumber.
ELIZABETH: Hi. We tore down my old house.
TOM: You didn’t need it anymore?
ELIZABETH: No, Hurricane Ike really broke it in three places.
TOM: Oh, Hurricane Ike did it for you, huh?
LESLIE: She got a head start.
TOM: OK.
ELIZABETH: So we salvaged what we could. I gave away a lot to the neighbors but we salvaged to make a 16×16 greenhouse that has now turned into a conservatory because it …
TOM: OK. That’s a cool idea, OK.
ELIZABETH: Well, it’s gotten better. And so the old wood is 15 years old. It was inside the old house and I don’t know what to preserve or seal it with.
TOM: So the area that you want to preserve is exposed to the weather?
ELIZABETH: No, it’s inside – it’ll be inside the greenhouse/conservatory.
TOM: Well, then I think you can use any really – like a wood stain on that.
ELIZABETH: A wood stain.
TOM: Yeah, do you still have – it’s sort of the natural wood, right? It’s not been painted in any way?
ELIZABETH: It’s never been painted. These are the roof rafters from the attic and the subfloor …
TOM: Yeah, OK. You can use any kind of wood stain on that. If it’s going to be an area that gets damp or moist, you might want to use an exterior wood stain. You could use semi-transparent or solid color.
LESLIE: Oh, I think I’d want to see the history and the natural patina on the wood. I’d go clear.
TOM: Yeah, you could do that, too.
ELIZABETH: That would be an idea.
LESLIE: Yeah, I think the benefit of repurposing and reusing this lumber from your old home is such an interesting and unique choice and sort of a good model for eco-design, if you will. And it’s, I think, a great opportunity to open a discussion and really showcase its beauty.
ELIZABETH: That is a brilliant suggestion.
TOM: Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
Leave a Reply