I have an old barn that I am converting to a home. Can I safely keep the beautiful wormwood beams? The barn was built in 1948.

In most cases you will find that the lumber the barn was constructed of is much more solid then the lumber used in today's homes. The beams that you are talking about could typically be 8" x 8" and probably rough sawn solid oak or other hardwood. So from that standpoint these are probably very solid an supportive.

The things you should look for is any signs of insect infestation or rotting. If you find some of this you can possibly treat the wood, and as long as there is only a little damage, the beams should still be great to use.

If you are in need of some lumber to match what you already have there are some great online suppliers that actually stock architectural salvages lumber and you can purchase from them and have the items shipped directly to you. Click on the following links to research this further.

Recycling the Past - Vintage Lumber

Winhom's Recycled Wood

Also, there is a man that has written an ebook about how to turn a barn into a house and he did this himself. If you want to find out more about his experience and about getting the book, you can click on the following link.

Converting a Barn Into a Home

I hope this helps. Rick

Rick Maselli

Founder of Showroom411.com