My First Salvage Find

The first time I went to the local salvage store, I had no idea what I was going to find. All I knew was that I wanted a door to make a headboard for my master bedroom. My ability to see past dingy wasn’t as fine-tuned as it is now, but the first thing I saw was a dingy carved door.

$80 was a steep price for me, especially for a salvage yard door. But it was better than what I was looking for. I was sold.

I spent a few nights sanding, cleaning and staining the door. It was almost ready to mount on the wall, except the bottom of the door needed about 6” chopped off to make it even with the top – so I borrowed a circular saw from work. . I set up a guide using a strip of wood and some clamps to get a straight line.  



Measure the distance from the blade to the fence to ensure you're cutting at the right spot



At this point, I had just gotten my compound miter saw (best for cuts less than 10” long) from amazon.com and was hesitant using that. You would have never guessed I was nervous after seeing my excitement the night it arrived – here’s proof – apron and all!

January 2010

 

With hesitation, safety goggles, and one eye shut (like I was watching a horror movie) I put the circular saw to the door and started cutting. About 10 seconds later, it was over - and I had a straight line! Victory!

Since the door is solid wood and HEAVY, I used my miter saw to make French Cleats (pieces of wood cut at a 45 degree angle that provide a sturdy mount for heavy objects.) I found this image online for the best diagram.

From www.newwoodworker.com

I sanded the saw-cut until it was smooth and put on a few coats of stain, I chose not to varnish it because wanted a rustic, country feel.

I love the character of my headboard!

Kristin