Pandemic Update - Vintage Lumber Is Open For Business

Considering continuing Covid 19 concerns, we ask that you call the office to schedule a visit to the showroom.

Please call 301-845-2500

We will do our best to accommodate your needs. Hope to hear from you soon.

Reclaimed Hand Hewn Beams 4 Sided

In addition to the flooring options presented in our collections, Vintage Lumber also supplies decorative /structural beams and mantels. Beams, when not reclaimed to be re purposed as part of our Vintage Collection flooring, can be used to add drama or a touch of warmth to any room. Vintage Lumber Beams are available in the following species: Oak, Fir, Yellow Pine, White Pine, Hickory, Ash, and other less common species. Eighty percent of the beams sold by Vintage Lumber are Oak timbers recovered from old barns and industrial buildings. The beams reserved for sale as decorative timbers are mostly “Hand Hewn 4 and 2 Sided” timbers of various sizes. These timbers are selected for the following criteria: Integrity-minimum of mortise holes (holes originally cut for mortise and tenon construction), length, straightness, and soundness.

A long-practiced technique for manually transforming logs into squared, construction-ready beams, hand-hewing with broad axe and adze produced a distinctive and unique pattern on each face of a beam. No longer an efficient method for squaring logs, the craft has been discontinued by all but the most devout traditionalists, although the beauty and rusticity of the hand-hewn surface remains a highly desirable texture and aesthetic. Hewing marks are enhanced by the weathered character of these beams, many of which are over 200 years old.

Vintage Lumber beams are usually sold power washed, metal detected as needed, sawn one or more faces as required, and BoraCare treated for insects and mold. Please contact to discuss your specific needs.

 

Reclaimed Hand Hewn 2 Sided Beams

Before the widespread use of sawmills, hewn 2 sided(HH2S) beams were hewn(sized) with a broad axe on two opposing faces of a log to produce a log of consistent thickness–usually about 7” from hewn face to hewn face. The remaining “live edges,” also known as “bark edges” were sometimes cleaned of bark, but otherwise unworked. Hand hewn 2 sided beams were used in two distinct functions as early building techniques advanced .  Originally, log cabins–both houses and barns–were built of “stacked logs” on the exterior and some interior weight bearing walls. The logs were stacked in a manner that the hewn faces were the vertical faces, allowing consistent thickness of the walls. The joinery of the corners of old log buildings are deceptively “nuanced” to provide a strong joint which remained tight, plumb, and dry. The skill and talent of the men and women who built these cabins is evidenced by the thousands of these buildings still standing, many hidden under layers of wood, asphalt, asbestos and aluminum siding. As techniques advanced, and demand for larger, open span buildings increased, “post and beam,” “mortice and tenon” joinery allowed the use of large, long timbers to accomplish this end. While most post and beam framing members were hand hewn 4 sided(squared or rectangle)(HH4S), most often the heavy duty floor joists were HH2S. As joists, the HH2S beams were laid flat to give a flat surface to attach the floor boards. While some “new” post and beam barns were built with freshly harvested logs–some 40 foot and longer–many floor joists are the HH2S logs used to build the original barn walls on the site.

Hand-hewn on two sides only and featuring natural tree trunk elements on opposing sides, these reclaimed beams offer an authentic glimpse of true pioneer living.

Vintage Lumber beams are usually sold power washed, metal detected as needed, sawn one or more faces as required, and BoraCare treated for insects and mold. Please contact to discuss your specific needs.

Reclaimed Box Beams

When using our solid beams is not possible, we offer our Box Beams as a design solution. The “skins” are created by sawmilling the face from hand-hewn or sawn beams to produce decorative planks that are used as outside faces of hollow beams.  Depending on the appearance and size of the box beams, we can use our planking product or faces milled from beams to create box beams. Due to the labor and waste involved in manufacturing, box beams are more expensive than solid beams. Box Beams are typically the best option for applications that require  the wrapping of exposed structural elements such as glu-lams, steel I-beams, steel columns, and LVLs, etc. Box Beams are also used as an alternative to solid beams in applications precluding the use of heavy solid beams.

Planks used to produce our box beams are kiln dried to minimize shrinkage. To achieve the appearance of a solid beam, we use a “lock-miter” corner joint–basically a T&G miter. The lock miter joint is usually invisible to most observers. All box beams are custom orders, so please discuss with us the required lead time.

Reclaimed Freshly Resawn Beams

For the freshest and brightest look in antique reclaimed beams, please consider freshly resawn antique beams. If original hewn or sawn face appearance is not part of your design, but you want to include reclaimed beams with authentic evidence of previous use, freshly resawn beams fill the bill. Because we resaw from larger beams, sizes can be exact, and the beams are straight and true. We have a band saw or a circle saw with which to saw your order to specified sizes.  Oak, chestnut, yellow pine, heart pine, and fir are available for consideration. Quantity, size and length may limit certain options.

The long-lost beauty and strength of these woods becomes available as beams are salvaged and recycled from historic sources. We resaw massive reclaimed wooden timbers sourced from industrial and agricultural demolition sites, providing home and business owners with unsurpassed clean-cut reclaimed beams.

Vintage Lumber beams are usually sold power washed, metal detected as needed, sawn one or more faces as required, and BoraCare treated for insects and mold. Please contact to discuss your specific needs.

Reclaimed Original Face Sawn Beams

As beautiful as our hand-hewn beams are, our Original Face Rough Sawn beams may be the “cleaner” rustic appearance for your project. Original Sawn beams feature the original circular and/or pit saw marks created from early saw milling practices of using water or steam-powered saw blades. Used as structural elements in late nineteenth and early twentieth century barns and other wooden buildings, original sawn timbers provide a “cleaner” and “smoother” surface than hand-hewn beams while preserving the patina and rustic texture found only in antique timbers.

Normally available beam girth sizes range from 3” x 4” to more than 12” x 12,” and lengths up to 40 feet. Vintage Lumber beams are usually sold power washed, metal detected as needed, sawn one or more faces as required, and BoraCare treated for insects and mold. Please contact to discuss your specific needs.

Mantels

Vintage Lumber offers unique pieces that can add charm and a unique conversation piece to any room. Vintage Lumber offers a wide selection of reclaimed rough sawn, hand hewn, and milled beam mantles in stock, as well as for custom order.

 We have the ability to custom cut any mantle piece to your specifications. Girth sizes are available from 3” x 4” to 12” x 12” and lengths are usually not a problem. Vintage Lumber beams are usually sold power washed, metal detected as needed, sawn one or more faces as required, and BoraCare treated for insects and mold. Please contact to discuss your specific needs.

Bar, Counter & Table Tops

Counters and tables are places of comfort and familiarity, where friends and family gather, personal items are stored, and meals are shared. For these reasons, lumber used to assemble kitchen counters, coffee tables, and dining room tables has traditionally been of premium quality. Vintage Lumber carries on tradition by milling select reclaimed Heart Pine, American chestnut, red oak, white oak, and other species into countertops.

Unmatched in ring density, grain pattern, and specificity of grading, our reclaimed table and counter tops are extremely popular in both residential and restaurant/bar applications.

All reclaimed table and counter tops are custom milled and assembled to order

Vintage Barn Doors

These door can be build to whatever specified size you need.

The number of planks (width side) will vary depending on the size of the door.

They are priced by the square foot.

The reclaimed barn wood is typically pine and poplar but can also be oak.

Color options are Grey, Brown, White or Red.

The color and character of the planks will vary as these doors are constructed from natural barn wood.

Call us today for a Quote

Rustic Barn Doors

These door can be build to whatever specified size you need.

The number of planks (width side) will vary depending on the size of the door.

They are priced by the square foot.

This Rustic  door material is new white pine with some weathering.

 

Landing Nosing

Characteristics of reclaimed wood – grain density, patterns, and color – make antique timber products distinctly coveted for finish applications.

Vintage Lumber millworkers transform a number of species into a wide range of finish products: stair treads, nosings, door and window casings, and custom mouldings.

Shoe Molding

Characteristics of reclaimed wood – grain density, patterns, and color – make antique timber products distinctly coveted for finish applications.

Vintage Lumber millworkers transform a number of species into a wide range of finish products: stair treads, nosings, door and window casings, and custom mouldings.

Stair Treads & Risers

Vintage Lumber also offers traditional stair components which add style and character to any home. Our stair parts, risers, treads and nosings, are custom crafted in the species of our flooring.

We also performs custom specification milling jobs for stairs treads, casings, thresholds, and moulding.  Our fully-equipped mill handles custom milling jobs of any size.

The following are the general specifications for our stair parts:

Wood Floor Vents