6 Replies

A couple of questions. Will the wood come into contact with people directly? Will the shelves come into contact with food of any kind? Personally I would turn down the lumber if it was twisted in any way that made it hard to work with. But that’s just me. I have no qualms about turning a job down that would reflect on the product I built. I have told customers to find someone else because what you want built is not in my scope of work, but I would still like to maintain them as a customer just not on this project. You could even suggest someone else to offer up a solution for them.

No food contact. It goes into the living room for books and decorations. The client is a designer that is – with the exception of this one issue – easy to work with and I hope to get some future business from her. Actually, even with this issue, she’s been pretty flexible. She’s stuck on this lumber for the historic value of it – from the seaport to an apartment in the seaport (via a reseller 200 miles away LOL). This is just one component of a total renovation I’m doing.

Can’t you seal it with a clear matt finish. With no gloss It shouldn’t show at all, but it would seal away any possible ‘nastiness’.

I tried some poly, but as soon as the patina gets wet it gets dark and doesn’t come back after it dries. The gray stuff is dirt of some sort.

something probably stupid: a light coat of clear epoxy? Never done it of course.

I’d definitely get a signed waiver. There’s no telling what is in that wood. I’d also include a contractual obligation on her part that it will never be allowed to come in contact with food, drink, or children. Honestly I don’t use pallet wood because I’ve been in the transportation business for 22 years. I’ve seen where pallets go and what they get into. The same goes for the wood you are working with. I’d be exceptionally leery about that stuff.