Tried using reclaimed barn wood for a basement accent wall in my 1980s Edmonton bungalow and ended up with all the nails popping out after one winter.

The wood had been sitting in a dry garage for years but the humidity changes in my house made the old nails shift so bad I had to pull the whole thing down and replace it with drywall, has anyone else dealt with seasonal movement wrecking their reno plans?

2 comments

2 Comments

noahcampbell12d ago

Wait, aren't old barn nails usually cut nails, not square ones? lol

charlie_fisher4513d ago

The nails popping out wasn't really about the wood moving. Barn wood is usually kiln dried or has been sitting for decades, so it's pretty stable. What happened is the old square nails lost their grip when the drywall behind them expanded and contracted with the humidity. You'd get the same popping with new wood if you used the wrong fasteners in a basement. Treated lumber and ring shank nails would have held better but then you lose that reclaimed look. Drywall was the right call for a 1980s basement anyway.