Instructables user dwagner1 says he's always been fascinated by reclaimed beams, especially those converted into light fixtures. And he's right: There is something great about the time-worn character of old wood combined with modern lights.
He decided to try his hand at making one himself for his kitchen. Using reclaimed wood salvaged from an old mill, he was able to get a beam that was full of all kinds of character. It had even survived a fire.
Using reclaimed materials is great for a few reasons. First, they're usually cheaper, if not free, and they're a great way to reuse something that would otherwise languish in the trash.
And they also make us think outside the box and get creative to make something completely new, like the little red wagon that became slightly more grown-up as a storage bench.
Luckily, dwagner1 had a shop and a solid set of woodworking and metalworking skills, as well as some background in electrical work.
All of these skills would come together to create a chandelier that combined the rugged, rustic look of old wood with some industrial modernity.
And it really brought so much character to the kitchen, too. Check out how he made it below, and see if this is a look that might work in your home.
[H/T: Instructables]
First things first: getting the wood.
Instructables user dwagner1 got in contact with a local company who salvaged and sold old wood from barns, mills, and factories for projects just like the one he was planning.
This huge beam was once a support beam in a mill in Philadelphia.
This particular mill had burned down, and the beam dwagner1 ended up with still showed some of the charring from the fire.
There were also plenty of old, rusty screws to contend with.
First, he sanded the wood a bit to get it even and not quite as rough, but didn't sand so much as to remove the charring, which gave the wood a lot of texture and character.
After some deliberation, he marked out a length and made the cut.
Since this was going to be hanging over the kitchen island, he obviously needed to make sure it wouldn't fall — which would be really bad.
To lighten the beam, he carved a deep channel in the top, which no one would see once it was hung.
The channel would also do double duty as a hidden place for the wiring.
He also needed to do something about the cut end. The fresh-looking wood inside would look completely out of place against the dark, aged color of the rest of the beam.
He took some inspiration from the beam's past and charred the wood's surface.
Much better! And you can see the tree's rings more clearly this way, which is pretty neat.
To hang the large beam from the ceiling, he would need some pretty strong supports. That's where these metal bands came in.
The bands were bent…
… and fitted around the beam.
They were held in place with a bolt. A few more bolts would be added later, as would chains for hanging the chandelier to the ceiling.
Then it was time to put the bulbs together. For an eclectic look, dwagner1 used different styles of bulbs, and they all had to be wired together.
The wires and sockets were then arranged on the beam, each at different lengths.
The wires were all connected inside the groove on the top of the beam.
Here's the kitchen where the beam chandelier was to be hung. It's a perfectly nice kitchen, but dwagner1 just wanted to add a personal touch.
And the chandelier really adds that! The kitchen seems warmer and more unique immediately.
The wooden beam picks up the wood cabinets, and the industrial touches like the metal bands relate to the smooth, modern countertops.
And the mismatched bulbs give it a charming quirkiness.
Would you have a reclaimed wood chandelier? Or do prefer your recycled wood in a different form?
Let us know your favorite way to reuse materials in the home, and SHARE this cool DIY to inspire someone you know!
