Salvaging furniture and architectural pieces has become an increasingly popular pastime, but a look into the process reveals the intricate work involved.
Members of Columbus Architectural Salvage, a group that focuses on vintage or antique building materials found in historic homes and sites throughout central Ohio, have found no shortage of unique pieces around the city. From old jail cell doors to items from the former Ohio Union station, there is plenty to salvage in central Ohio.
A look into the process
The process begins with acquiring salvage rights to a home or building, which entails paying for items being removed from the property. Individual pieces are also bought from individuals renovating old houses. After getting rights to a property, the salvagers work to find value in every piece.
Deconstructing may take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of months. Finally, the group works to list them on its website. When choosing which articles to sell, store manager Mallory Patterson works to save every piece.
“We take everything, or what we can, and realize what there is a market for and what there isn’t,” she says. “Finding value in salvaging comes from experience.”
The most difficult part of the job is being able to make a profit on the find, Patterson says. The job is labor-intensive, and it is also necessary to have a big space available to store the items.
“Salvaging is a risk. Money is invested in retaining the pieces, and then it is a waiting game to selling,” she says. “We are taking a risk and hoping it works out.”
With the demand for fast and easy, quality items are harder to find.
Patterson points out that the job is not as glamourous as it may seem. However, it’s fellow salvagers and antique lovers that make the process worth it. Salvaging provides people with the opportunity to find and fall in love with unique and even historical pieces to keep forever.
Madeline Malynn is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
