We quite often stock slabs of timber from macrocarpa and totara. They’re usually a good couple of metres long and very thick, so they come with a lot of strength and a lot of beauty.
Renovation Warehouse is in the market of salvaging excellent quality second hand products from houses which are being demolished. One of these products is native timber, which can be extremely hard to get considering each council has strict rules protecting native trees from being harvested.
However, in houses which are being torn down there are always great finds. Not only does Renovation Warehouse regularly capture casement windows, French doors, plywood, fence posts and more, Renovation Warehouse also often stocks slabs of timber both new and old.
In wood, imperfections are perfect
A slab with plenty of imperfections for character is a good way to start. Fill those edges and knots in the grain with resin and sealant. Sand out any grooves left by saws and sanders, round out the corners, put aside pegs and offcuts, and get ready to begin. You’ll also want to have a good, hard think about how to stain your timber after you’ve turned it into something special.
- Ornaments – from lawn ornaments to clocks to wood chimes, offcuts from your native timber project always have a purpose
- Panels – if you don’t have much native timber to work with, it’s possible to bandsaw it into small strips offset against a more common wood
- Pedestal or plinth – a big, solid base to show off a sculpture. All you need is square edges on the piece of timber you’ve chosen.
- Chopping board – great as a gift and the ideal use for a small cuboid piece of your timber slab
- Steps/stairs – Renovation Warehouse does stock pre-built steps, salvaged, but you can accent stairs with some fresh native timber
- Something to sit on – from a Cape Cod chair to a bench. And remember, the legs can be common pine but you may with to use a slab for the show-off part.
Our timber slabs, whether macrocarpa or totara, usually start at 50mm thick and common thicknesses include 62 or 65mm.