–SOLD TO RICK OF PAXINOS, PA —
–January 9, 2023–

Here’s a unique, naturally streaked, white oak fireplace mantel with lots of character. White oak starts out as a wheatish tan but can become nearly java black in a barn environment. Because this was a sill timber, it was very rotten and rough looking to start (see pictures). However, with the rot resistance of white oak, there was some solid wood hidden underneath. We cut off just the right amount from each face to reveal some wonderful streaked color.

This particular piece was a sill timber from an old barn. It was a big beam that rested on the cement or stone wall foundation upon which they built the rest of the barn. You can imagine it was pretty wet right near the ground. They used white oak for sill timbers and fence posts back in the day because it has a good natural rot resistance. The wood was probably sawn on-site with a mill somewhat like the one pictured.

There are also a couple of “mortise pockets” in this piece — one on the top and one on the bottom. It was originally a rectangular hole where another beam came in and joined this one. We expertly filled it with a matching side grain plug so that blends nicely.

The original beam came from an old barn in Cologne, Minnesota. This area was largely settled by German immigrant farmers in the late 1800s. We see towns like Cologne, Hamburg, and New Germany all in close proximity. With circle sawn beams, mostly round nails, and a straight roof, this particular barn was built close to the turn of the century.

The ends are currently unfinished. Once we have an exact size from you, we can cut, sand, and finish the ends. We can cut this mantel shorter and refinish the ends for an additional for no additional cost.

It can be shipped anywhere in the lower 48 states via FedEx Gnd for $125

About the tag – Kelso Dip – This is an advertisement from a farming magazine during World War II. It is a sanitizer used prior to milking cows.