How to Salvage Redwood Planks

Although beautiful, redwood planks can be costly. If you plan to use redwood planks for the flooring in your home or for your deck, instead of spending big bucks to purchase new planks, you can salvage old ones. You can acquire redwood planks from a salvage yard or estate sale and restore the beauty in the wood. In addition to saving money, you'll be saving a few trees from being harvested for your project.

Medium-grit sandpaper
Drum or orbital sander
Vacuum
Fine-grit sandpaper
Cloth
Stain
Handheld paintbrush

Instructions

- 1
  Lay a plank on a flat surface.
- 2
  Attach medium-grit sandpaper to a drum or orbital sander.
- 3
  Run the sander across the surface of the plank, starting at one end of the plank and sanding with the grain of the wood.
- 4
  Flip the plank over and sand as described in Step 3. Sand the sides of the plank as well.
- 5
  Vacuum all of the surfaces of the plank to remove the sawdust.
- 6
  Attach fine-grit sandpaper to the drum or orbital sander. Sand all of the surfaces of the plank, working with the grain of the wood.
- 7
  Vacuum the surfaces of the plank to remove the sawdust. Wipe down the surfaces of the wood with a clean tack cloth.
- 8
  Apply stain or finish to the surface of the wood. Use a handheld paintbrush to apply the stain, working with the grain of the wood.
- 9
  Allow the stain to dry for 12 hours. Flip the plank over and stain the opposite side, using the same approach. Stain the sides of the plank as well.
- 10
  Allow the stain to dry for 12 hours. Apply another coat of stain to all of the surfaces.

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