We’re back out at the Ranch Project and making some serious progress—starting with selecting and prepping reclaimed beams before the weather rolls in. What starts as a simple material pickup quickly turns into a deeper dive into working with antique timbers… including uncovering termites and navigating the challenges that come with old wood.

In this video, we cover:

• Picking through reclaimed beams for the bunk room and custom casing details
• Dealing with termites and inspecting antique lumber on site
• Cutting and shaping beams with a track saw (and avoiding hidden nails)
• Creating a custom coped fit to match the ceiling
• Unloading massive custom doors and getting the project moving again upstairs

We also walk through the process of shaping these beams to fit perfectly—using angled cuts, splitting techniques, and cleanup with a planer to get that tight, custom look. It’s not perfect on the first pass, but that’s part of working with real, reclaimed materials.

Why antique timber?
Because you simply can’t fake it. The character, grain, and history in these beams are unmatched—this wood has been around for hundreds of years, and it still looks incredible. As they say… you can’t copy God.

We wrap things up by installing the first beam and taking a look at some additional white oak details around the house, including a freshly cased window that really shows off the beauty of the material.

If you’re into real carpentry, reclaimed materials, and hands-on problem solving, this is one you’ll enjoy.

More progress coming soon from the Ranch Project—stay tuned.