# Roughing up boards



## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

I have 8 2x8 and 14 2x6 old doug fir boards I need to rough up pretty heavy. Is the best way to do this a twisted wire wheel or 24 grit sanding discs or some other way?


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## RYANINMICHIGAN (Dec 9, 2005)

I would think a wire wheel and your drill woudl work> Why are you ruining them?


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

To match the cedar posts on the pergola I am building.


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## Ed the Roofer (Dec 12, 2006)

Have them sandblasted.

It can age and pit the boards quite well.

Ed


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## Jeremy E (Jul 19, 2006)

I've "given some character" to new boards by working them over with chain, and by "sanding" with a brick (1-grit paper...). Mess around with a piece of scrap and a table full of weapons until you find the look you want.


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## firemike (Dec 11, 2005)

Give them to my grandkids for an hour or two... :laughing: :whistling


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## Tom R (Jun 1, 2004)

Beat some illegals all the way back to the border with 'em. :thumbsup:


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## Roger Manning (Jan 5, 2007)

Why don't you give them to a carpenter named Tom? I'm shure he could screw them up pretty fast:thumbup:


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## troubleseeker (Sep 24, 2006)

Tscarborough said:


> I have 8 2x8 and 14 2x6 old doug fir boards I need to rough up pretty heavy. Is the best way to do this a twisted wire wheel or 24 grit sanding discs or some other way?


When I repaired some cedar lookouts on a balcony a while back, I faced a similiar problem, how to make the pieces, which had been ripped to thickness on a table saw, not be obvious glued in fillers. After trying super rough grit papers and the wire wheel idea, it dawned on me that the tool that left similiar striations and raised grain in wood was a rough rasp. So I went to my truck and retrieved a small bull nosed rasp made to fit into a drill. I chucked it into one of those spade bit extensions, which enabled me to reach across the width of the material while holding the bit flat and easily running it parallel to the direction of the grain. It matched so flawlessly, that I could not find the new pieces after a coat of solid stain. I still pat myself on the back for this "brainstorm":clap:


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## In_Mexifornia (Mar 7, 2007)

If you want them to look old/weathered, sandblast them. That's what places like Disneyland and other amusment parks do to the wood to make it look old.


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## Tscarborough (Feb 25, 2006)

Well, here are the boards I roughed up. I still need to work on them some more, but they look OK as is. One thing for sure, I ain't no carpenter!












It drops the temp in that room about 10 degrees in the afternoon, though, and that was the goal. Total cost: $300 bucks (not counting beer).


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## MechanicalDVR (Jun 23, 2007)

Tom R said:


> Beat some illegals all the way back to the border with 'em. :thumbsup:


Doesn't leave marks on the wood, just blood stains and the occasional hair.


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## Tom R (Jun 1, 2004)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Doesn't leave marks on the wood, just blood stains and the occasional hair.




Spoken like a true New-Jerseyan!! . . . :thumbup: :thumbsup: :thumbup:


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## MVH (Jun 24, 2007)

We use an electric chainsaw held perpendicular to the board for the rough sawn look.

Mike


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## MechanicalDVR (Jun 23, 2007)

Tom R said:


> Spoken like a true New-Jerseyan!! . . . :thumbup: :thumbsup: :thumbup:


What can I say? Sicilian/American 1st generation


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## kapena (Aug 20, 2004)

I've used a powerwasher to make new boards look old. Use the tip that fans a little and pay attention or you will make it look more ugly than old.


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