# Salvaged beam - pine pitch - design asset or always something to work around?



## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

I rescued an old 4x6 timber framing beam a few years back from a burn pile. It's been stored outside, under cover. I haven't dressed the weathered sides at all, and best I can tell the grain is nice and straight.

Just 7ft long, the sucker is heavy, so I was assuming I was gonna find oak when I finally bit into it. Nope! I rough cut the ends with a circ last night and found a strong pine pitch smell. The end grain looks like this








Pitch pine? We are in Pennsylvania.... some other pine? I know about sealing pitch in so you can use wood you like despite the pitch. And about rough construction for decay resistance.

Do you guys ever design a project to use pitchy wood on purpose? How do you turn pitch into a design element?

Or do you just cuss at it, seal it in, and clean your tools after?


----------

