Custom Fabrication From Reclaimed Wood
Our craftsmen transform salvaged lumber into barn doors, mantels, tables, accent walls, and bespoke furniture. Every piece carries the character and history of its previous life — reimagined for yours.
Handcrafted From History
From statement furniture to architectural features, we build custom pieces that become the focal point of any room. Each one is truly one-of-a-kind.
Mantels & Fireplace Surrounds
Fireplace mantels crafted from reclaimed beams, live-edge slabs, and hand-hewn timbers. From rustic barn-beam mantels to refined, planed floating shelves above a modern fireplace. We build mantels that become the centerpiece of any room.
- Rough-hewn, hand-planed, or smooth finish
- Sizing from 4 to 12 feet long, 6" to 12" deep
- Species: oak, Douglas fir, heart pine, walnut recommended
- Hidden French cleat mounting system included
- Full surround builds with legs and header available
- Wax, oil, or polyurethane finishes
Barn Doors
Sliding barn doors crafted from reclaimed barn wood, industrial timbers, or mixed-species planks. We build single doors, double doors, bypass configurations, and oversized statement pieces. Hardware sourced or custom-fabricated to match your aesthetic.
- Single, double, and bypass configurations
- Custom sizes up to 10' tall and 5' wide
- Z-brace, X-brace, plank, and panel designs
- Hardware included or supplied separately
- Soft-close track options available
- Stain, seal, or natural finish options
Tables & Countertops
Dining tables, conference tables, desks, kitchen islands, and countertops built from reclaimed wood. Live-edge, butcher-block, plank-top, and reclaimed industrial styles. Edge profiles include natural live-edge, eased, bullnose, and waterfall.
- Live-edge and straight-edge options
- Epoxy river table capability
- Edge profiles: natural, eased, bullnose, waterfall
- Joining methods: biscuit, dowel, Domino, breadboard ends
- Metal or wood base fabrication
- Sizes from end tables to 16' conference tables
- Food-safe finishes for kitchen applications
Accent Walls & Paneling
Transform any interior wall with reclaimed wood paneling. We design, pre-cut, and can install accent walls using a curated mix of species, textures, and tones. Panels are attached to a backing system for clean installation and easy removal.
- Horizontal, vertical, herringbone, and chevron patterns
- Pre-cut kits with numbered boards for DIY installation
- Full design and installation service
- Backing system: furring strips or direct-mount panels
- Mixed species for visual depth
- Typical coverage: 50-300 sq ft per project
Shelving & Brackets
Floating shelves, bracketed shelving, and built-in shelving units from reclaimed wood. From a single floating mantel shelf to full-wall library built-ins. Load capacity engineered for the intended use — books, dishes, or display items.
- Floating shelf with hidden steel rod or French cleat
- Custom steel bracket fabrication
- Load capacity: 30-75 lbs per shelf depending on design
- Standard depths: 6", 8", 10", 12"
- Lengths up to 8 feet
- Matching wood or contrasting metal brackets
Ceiling Treatments
Solid reclaimed beams, hollow box beams, ceiling planking, and coffered ceiling panels. Add architectural warmth and character to any room without structural modification. Box beams wrap around existing structural members or mount directly to the ceiling.
- Solid and hollow box beam options
- Box beam wraps for existing structural members
- Ceiling planking in T&G, shiplap, or plank patterns
- Coffered ceiling panels with reclaimed wood accents
- Stain-matched to existing woodwork
- Mounting hardware and brackets included
- Lengths up to 30 feet
Stair Treads & Railings
Solid reclaimed wood stair treads, risers, and handrails. Each tread is milled to uniform thickness with a bullnose or square front edge. We match species and character to your existing flooring or create a contrasting statement staircase.
- Standard thickness: 1" to 2" solid
- Bullnose, square, or rounded front edge profiles
- Anti-slip texture options for high-traffic areas
- Handrail profiles: round, square, or custom
- Newel posts and balusters available
- Species matched to flooring or contrasting
Commercial Fixtures
Reception desks, bar tops, restaurant tables, display cases, retail fixtures, and branded signage from reclaimed wood. We work with architects, designers, and business owners to create commercial installations that tell a story.
- Reception desks and check-in counters
- Bar tops and back bar shelving
- Restaurant host stands and communal tables
- Retail display fixtures and shelving
- Hotel lobby features and signage
- Branded elements with embedded logos and lettering
From Rough Idea to Detailed Plan
Every custom project begins with a design consultation. Whether you arrive with detailed architectural drawings or just a rough idea and a Pinterest board, our team works with you to develop a concept that fits your space, budget, and aesthetic.
Our consultation process is free for projects that proceed to fabrication. We invest time upfront to understand your vision because getting the design right before cutting the first board is the most important step in the entire process.
Space Assessment
We can visit your home or job site to measure the space, evaluate lighting conditions, assess existing materials and finishes, and identify any installation challenges before designing the piece.
Species Recommendation
Based on your aesthetic preferences, intended use, and budget, we recommend species from our current inventory. We bring samples to the consultation so you can see the material in your actual space.
Sketch and Dimensioning
We produce rough sketches or CAD drawings showing the piece in its intended space, with exact dimensions, proportions, and joinery details. Revisions are welcome — the design is not locked until you approve.
Budget Alignment
We present options at different price points. A mantel can be a simple planed beam at $400 or a fully carved and finished masterpiece at $1,500. We help you find the sweet spot between vision and budget.
Choosing the Right Wood for Your Project
The species and character of the wood define the final piece. Here's a guide to help you understand which materials work best for different project types.
White Oak
Dense, durable, warm golden-brown tones. Tight grain with distinctive ray fleck on quartersawn faces. Extremely hard (Janka 1360). Resists moisture and rot.
Best For
Tables, countertops, bar tops, flooring, exterior applications
Douglas Fir
Warm reddish-brown with prominent vertical grain. Moderately hard (Janka 660). Old-growth fir has extremely tight grain rings — sometimes 20+ per inch. Takes stain beautifully.
Best For
Mantels, beams, ceiling treatments, barn doors, shelving
Heart Pine
Deep amber to reddish-orange with a rich, warm glow. Very hard for a softwood (Janka 1225). Only available reclaimed — not commercially harvested since early 1900s.
Best For
Flooring, tables, accent walls, built-ins, stair treads
Reclaimed Maple
Light blonde to warm honey tones with subtle grain. Extremely hard (Janka 1450). Often sourced from gymnasium and bowling alley floors. Very consistent and uniform.
Best For
Butcher blocks, countertops, tables, cutting boards
Reclaimed Walnut
Rich chocolate brown with purple and gray undertones. Moderately hard (Janka 1010). The most prized furniture wood. Increasingly rare in large dimensions.
Best For
Fine furniture, tables, shelving, decorative pieces
Mixed Barn Wood
A curated blend of species, colors, and textures from multiple sources. Creates visual depth and variety. Character-heavy with nail holes, saw marks, and weathering.
Best For
Accent walls, barn doors, rustic furniture, paneling
From Vision to Reality in Six Steps
Every custom piece begins with a conversation and ends with a hand-delivered, installed finished product. Here is what happens in between.
Consultation
We start with a conversation about your vision. Share photos, sketches, Pinterest boards, or just describe what you want. We discuss dimensions, species preferences, finish options, and budget.
Material Selection
Browse our inventory to hand-select the exact boards, beams, or slabs for your piece. We help you choose species and character that match your design intent — from clean and refined to heavily weathered.
Design & Proposal
We prepare a detailed proposal including dimensions, materials, construction method, finish specifications, timeline, and pricing. Revisions are welcome until the design is exactly right.
Craftsmanship
Your piece is built by hand in our Minneapolis workshop. We send progress photos at key milestones so you can see your vision coming to life and request adjustments if needed.
Finishing
We apply the agreed-upon finish — oil, wax, polyurethane, stain, or a combination. Each coat is hand-applied and cured properly. The finish protects the wood while enhancing its natural character.
Delivery & Installation
We deliver your completed piece and handle installation if applicable. Barn doors are hung, mantels are mounted, accent walls are installed. We do not leave until you are satisfied.
Protecting Beauty While Preserving Character
The right finish enhances the natural beauty of reclaimed wood while protecting it for decades of use. We offer a full range of finishes suited to every application and aesthetic.
Natural / Unfinished
No finish applied. The raw wood is left in its natural state. Best for pieces that will be finished on-site by the customer or installer. Common for exterior applications where a natural weathering patina is desired.
Danish Oil
A penetrating oil that soaks into the wood grain, enhancing color and providing moderate protection. Produces a warm, low-sheen finish that can be refreshed easily. Our most popular finish for mantels and shelving.
Tung Oil
A natural drying oil derived from tung tree seeds. Provides a durable, water-resistant finish with a slight amber tone. Food-safe when fully cured. Excellent for cutting boards, countertops, and kitchen applications.
Hardwax Oil (Rubio Monocoat)
A single-coat oil/wax combination that bonds molecically with the wood fiber. Extremely durable, easy to spot-repair, and available in dozens of tint options. Our go-to finish for tabletops and high-use surfaces.
Polyurethane (Water-Based)
A film-forming finish that sits on top of the wood surface. Available in matte, satin, semi-gloss, and gloss sheens. Provides the highest level of protection against moisture, spills, and physical wear. Used for bar tops, restaurant tables, and commercial applications.
Custom Stain + Topcoat
We match any stain color to your sample, existing woodwork, or design specification. Stain is applied in controlled layers to achieve the exact tone, followed by a protective topcoat of your choice. Multiple samples provided before final application.
Whitewash / Limewash
A diluted white or gray finish that lightens the wood while allowing grain and character to show through. Creates a coastal, Scandinavian, or modern farmhouse aesthetic. Intensity is adjustable from barely-there to heavily washed.
Food-Safe Mineral Oil
A non-drying oil used for cutting boards, butcher blocks, and food-contact surfaces. Requires periodic reapplication but is completely non-toxic. Often combined with beeswax for a more durable finish.
Lead Times by Project Complexity
Lead times depend on the complexity of the piece, current shop load, and material availability. Here are typical timelines from design approval to delivery.
Rush Fabrication
Need it sooner? Rush fabrication is available for most project types at a 25-50% surcharge, subject to current shop capacity. Rush timelines are typically 50% of standard lead times. Contact us to discuss your deadline and we will do our best to accommodate.
Professional Installation by the People Who Built It
For pieces that require installation — barn doors, accent walls, mantels, ceiling beams, and built-in shelving — our fabrication team handles the install. This is not a subcontracted crew; it is the same craftspeople who built your piece, ensuring that installation quality matches fabrication quality.
What We Install
Barn doors (including track mounting), mantels (French cleat or through-bolt), accent walls (furring strip or direct mount), ceiling beams (lag bolt or hidden bracket), shelving (floating or bracketed), and complete built-in systems.
What We Bring
All mounting hardware, fasteners, shims, and tools. We drill into studs, not just drywall — stud finder and level are standard equipment. For masonry and concrete applications, we bring hammer drill and masonry anchors.
Time on Site
Single mantel installation: 1-2 hours. Barn door: 2-3 hours. Accent wall: 4-8 hours depending on size and pattern. Ceiling beams: 1 day per 4-6 beam runs. Full room installations: 2-5 days.
Coordination
For new construction and renovation projects, we coordinate with your general contractor, electrician, and other trades to ensure our installation integrates seamlessly with the overall project timeline.
Built With Reclaimed Character
A sampling of recent custom fabrication projects from our Minneapolis workshop. Each piece tells two stories — the history of the wood and the vision of the client.
Brewery Taproom Feature Wall
A 40-foot accent wall for a Northeast Minneapolis brewery, built from mixed-species reclaimed barn wood in a herringbone pattern. The wood came from three different Minnesota barns, creating a rich tapestry of color and texture. Installation included integrated LED backlighting recessed behind alternating panels.
40' x 12' | Mixed hardwood barn wood | Herringbone pattern
Restaurant Harvest Table
A 16-foot communal dining table for a farm-to-table restaurant in the North Loop, built from a single reclaimed white oak beam. The live edges were preserved and sealed with food-safe epoxy, and the steel trestle base was fabricated in-house. Seats 14 comfortably.
16' x 42" | Reclaimed white oak | Steel trestle base
Residential Barn Door Set
A pair of 8-foot sliding barn doors for a Linden Hills home renovation. Built from reclaimed Douglas fir with original saw marks preserved. Matte black track hardware completes the industrial-farmhouse aesthetic. Soft-close mechanisms prevent slamming.
Two doors, 4' x 8' each | Douglas fir | Matte black hardware
Corporate Lobby Mantel
A 10-foot hand-hewn beam mantel for a corporate headquarters in Minnetonka. The beam was sourced from a Civil War-era barn in southern Minnesota and shows axe marks from its original construction. French cleat mounting system holds the 200-lb mantel securely.
10' x 10" x 8" | Hand-hewn white oak | Oil finish
Home Office Built-Ins
Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and a floating desk crafted from reclaimed heart pine for a home office in Edina. The warm amber tones of the heart pine create a sophisticated yet inviting workspace. Adjustable shelf pins allow reconfiguration.
Full wall installation | Reclaimed heart pine | Danish oil finish
Kitchen Island Top
A butcher-block style kitchen island top built from reclaimed maple gymnasium flooring. The original finish was stripped, the boards were resawn and edge-glued, then finished with a food-safe hardwax oil. A 2-inch-thick slab with waterfall edge on one side.
6' x 30" x 2" | Reclaimed maple gym floor | Hardwax oil
Hotel Lobby Reception Desk
A curved reception desk for a boutique hotel in downtown Minneapolis, built from reclaimed white oak planks with a live-edge waterfall front panel. Integrated cable management and power outlets hidden beneath the surface. Steel frame with brass accents.
12' curved | Reclaimed white oak | Live-edge waterfall front
Residential Coffered Ceiling
A coffered ceiling installation for a formal dining room in Wayzata, using reclaimed Douglas fir box beams in a 3x3 grid pattern. Each beam is hollow, wrapping around lightweight aluminum framing for structural support without excessive weight on the ceiling joists.
14' x 16' room | Douglas fir box beams | Stain-matched to trim
The Wood Remembers Where It Came From
When you commission a custom piece from Lumber Minneapolis, we can tell you exactly where the wood came from — which barn, which warehouse, which era of Minnesota history. That provenance becomes part of your piece's story.
Every nail hole, saw mark, and weathered surface carries decades of character that no new wood can replicate. Our craftsmen work with these features, not against them, creating pieces that celebrate the material's history.
100% Reclaimed
No virgin timber used
Provenance Tracked
Know your wood's history
Eco Finishes
Low-VOC and natural oils
Species Selection
Choose from our inventory of reclaimed oak, pine, Douglas fir, heart pine, maple, walnut, cherry, and rare species like American chestnut.
Character Level
Select your preferred character level: Clean (minimal marks), Character (moderate history), or Rustic (heavy patina, nail holes, and weathering).
Finish Options
Danish oil, tung oil, hardwax oil, polyurethane, or food-safe finishes. We also offer custom stain matching and whitewash techniques.
Hardware
We source and install hardware — barn door tracks, shelf brackets, table legs, and accent ironwork. Custom metalwork fabrication also available.
Frequently Asked Questions About Custom Fabrication
How much does a custom piece typically cost?
Pricing varies widely based on the size, species, complexity, and finish of the piece. As a general guide: floating shelves start around $150-$300 each, mantels range from $400-$1,500, barn doors from $800-$2,500, dining tables from $1,500-$6,000, and accent walls from $15-$35 per square foot installed. We provide a detailed, itemized quote before any work begins.
Can I choose the specific boards that will be used in my piece?
Absolutely — and we encourage it. Visiting our yard to hand-select material is one of the best parts of the custom fabrication process. You can choose boards based on color, grain pattern, character level, and species. For customers who cannot visit in person, we send photos of candidate material for remote approval before starting the build.
Do you handle installation, or just build and deliver?
We offer both options. For pieces that require installation (barn doors, accent walls, mantels, ceiling beams, built-ins), we provide full installation service using our own crew. For items like tables, shelving, and furniture, we deliver and place the piece in your home. Installation is quoted separately from fabrication and includes all necessary hardware and mounting.
What is your warranty on custom fabrication?
All custom fabrication comes with a one-year warranty covering defects in workmanship — loose joints, finish failure, and structural issues under normal use. Reclaimed wood naturally moves with seasonal humidity changes (minor expansion and contraction), which is not a defect. We design our joinery to accommodate this movement. Hardware issues (barn door tracks, shelf brackets) are covered by the hardware manufacturer warranty, typically 5-10 years.
Can you work from my architect or designer plans?
Yes. We regularly receive plans, shop drawings, and specifications from architects and designers. We can build to your exact drawings, or we can collaborate with your design team to refine details and suggest material options. For complex commercial projects, we provide shop drawings for approval before fabrication begins.
What if I just have a vague idea and no drawings?
That is perfectly fine — many of our projects start as a conversation. Describe what you want, show us inspiration photos, or explain the space you are working with, and we will develop the concept into a detailed proposal. Our design consultation is free for projects that proceed to fabrication. We can sketch concepts, recommend species and finishes, and provide pricing at various scales.
Can you build with a mix of reclaimed wood and new materials?
Yes. While our specialty is reclaimed wood, we can incorporate new materials where appropriate — steel bases for tables, new plywood for cabinet carcasses, modern hardware, epoxy fills for live-edge pieces, and structural elements that require specific engineering grades. We are transparent about what is reclaimed and what is new in every project.
Do you ship completed pieces outside of Minnesota?
Yes. We ship custom fabrication pieces nationwide via freight carriers. Pieces are professionally crated in our shop using scrap reclaimed lumber. Freight cost and transit time depend on the size and destination. Typical transit time within the continental US is 5-10 business days. We include insurance covering the full replacement value of the piece.
Have a Vision? Let's Build It Together.
Share your idea — a photo, a sketch, a description — and we will put together a proposal. No commitment, no pressure, just honest advice from people who love working with reclaimed wood.