Old Stable Wood -- Any Good?

[David Stone]

This stable was built back in the early 70s:



The back and roof have collapsed, and I'm going to tear it down.  There are some good-looking, thick boards inside:





Any thoughts on whether they're worth salvaging?  They look to me like they might be oak, but I don't know about these things.
Any way to tell whether they're pressure treated or otherwise undesirable?

[tomsteve]

my guess, beings how it seems to be used often when horses are involved, is thats white oak.
theyre desirable if you feel they are. id pull em off, pull the nails, give em a wash, sticker and stack em, and eventually find a use for them.

[Large Wooden Badger]

My dad did something similar 30 years ago.  The boards still smell like manure.

[WilliamHodge]

It looks like White Oak to me, considering the grain and the fact that they didn't rot.

You could sell them to someone that doesn't mind, or notice, the smell of horses. The boards would work would work in a horse barn.

My neighbor used to have Beagles for hunting, and a nice little shed for them. When he got past hunting age, he didn't have Beagles any more. The shed sat empty for ten years, until 1976 when my parents bought it. They used it for a garden shed. Beagles, neighbors, parents, all gone to the great beyond, but that shed still smells like dogs, after 52 years.

[David Stone]

Ha.  Very important information.  
Thanks.

[MichaelMouse]

Ha.  Very important information.  
Thanks.

Remember the lead problem as well as the lingering odor.  Paint is likely lead based, so you will want to protect yourself and SCRAPe rather than plane or sand it off.  Mask, plastic under, proper disposal etc etc etc ....

Interestingly enough, I salvaged out a mess of old wood from a former outhouse and made a bunch selling weathered "barnwood" frames from it.  Of course, being elm, the smell from its use was the same as from the wood itself.

[David Stone]

I took a crowbar to the stable, and after 1.5 hours I had this:



Then my friend came by with the right tool.



Five minutes later:



Spent most of the rest of the day burning stuff and taking loads to the dump.  

Some nice looking boards from the inner partitions.  Looks like white oak to me.  Very heavy:






Doesn't smell bad -- kind has a cedar smell. There haven't been any horses in the stable for about 20 years.

I don't know if I'll be able to use it as my woodworking days are on hiatus.  If anyone is in the neighborhood (Dutchess County, NY) and wants some, just send an IM.

[Bibliophile 13]

Great job! Looks like there's some good wood there.

[Stwood_]

Yes, may have some good wood there.
Good luck on getting the nails out. You'll spend some time doing that. Hopefully they are not rusted/rotted inside the oak.