Turning the Broken into Something New on the Homestead!!!

We have an old tobacco barn on our homestead. It has been left to rot for about 30 years. The foundation is rotten and collapsing, most of the rafters are coming apart. The roof is blowing off. This barn is past the economical point to rebuild it. What I love though is that out of this broken down barn my family has been able to make some amazing things. I would like to share with you some of the things we have salvaged from this old barn.

The first is an American flag that we made out of the wood siding from the barn. My wife is the painter. I was just the builder of the flag, then she gave it the character. Also right below it is a bench that I made out of some of the rafters and some oak beams I ripped down. It weighs a ton but it will also hold a ton.

My wife saw one of those ladder blanket holders at an antique store one day and she really wanted to buy it. I told her I would just make her one. So out of some more lumber from that barns frame we were able to make our very own blanket holder ladder.

Next up is a sign that we made from the barn siding and this sign is on our fire place mantel.

The last thing I will show you that we have made out of that old barn wood is my son’s beds. This was by far my biggest wood working furniture project to date, and if I do say so myself…they turned out pretty well.

Those are the items that I have made from that old barn so far for the house. I will have to do another post sometime on all the outside items we have used that barn to make. I think it is amazing how a little time and effort can turn an old barn that is just rotting away into some good looking house furniture. The best part is that it was all basically free, we only had to buy some paint, wood stain, and a few nails. I hope this can inspire some of you to be on the lookout for things that are around you every day that might be considered junk or trash that you can repurpose and give new life back into.