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You might have read some of this on here previously, but for any newcomers, I'll rehash the details of the source of the lumber that was used to build the dining table I recently completed. A few weeks ago, I had an opportunity to salvage some lumber from a house - "The Philip and Louisa Green Home", built in 1882 - that was hours away from demolition. Most of the house had already imploded - the roof had collapsed, fallen into the basement, and taken most of the internal structure with it - and what was left of it was pretty dangerous to be anywhere near. As a result, I didn't get to pick and choose or go after the cream of the crop, I had to accept whatever lumber was easily and safely accessible, regardless of condition, color, size, etc. I also had to get to it before the demo guy did; demo guys are in the business of making things go away, not preserving anything.  Reclaimed Wood Dining Table Anyways...I got a few boards. Maybe (10) 2x8s, and that was about it. But I was happy to have gotten anything, because the house was pretty bad ass. Here's a few lines taken from the house's National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: "The Philip and Louisa Green Home is an ornate Italianate house that was constructed on the western fringe of St. Louis’ developed neighborhoods in 1882. The stately home features prominent design elements such as stone quoins, an elaborate wooden cornice, and projecting octagonal bays. While many such homes associated with country estates were once common in the countryside surrounding the city’s central core, rapid urban growth in the late 19th and early 20th centuries destroyed most examples. The Philip and Louisa Green Home is a rare surviving example of a high style Italianate home that was originally constructed in a rural context and then managed to survive the boom and bust cycle of St. Louis’ urban growth from the late 19th through the late 20th century." If you nerd out to local history and/or architecture like I do, I'd highly recommend reading through the registration form, as it contains a lot of interesting stuff regarding the original owners, the surrounding area and the house's architectural details. Unfortunately, the house is now a memory. But this table, she's brand new...aside from the the fact that every last piece of lumber used in its construction came from a house built in 1882...which means the wood itself might very well be somewhere in the 200+ year old ballpark. So...here's the 3rd video in the build series; it doesn't cover anything too earth-shattering (unless planing and sanding and applying polyurethane are your thing), but it might still entertain ya for a few minutes. Comments are closed.
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