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-   -   Value of oak church pews? (https://www.diybanter.com/woodworking/78393-value-oak-church-pews.html)

Ryan November 23rd 04 04:18 PM

Value of oak church pews?
 
My church is switching from using pews to chairs. We would like to
sell the pews. Since the chance of finding another church nearby in
need of the same size, type, and quantity of pews we have is very low,
they will probably be sold as lumber.

I'm going to start contacting lumber places and woodworker clubs in
the area. But I'd like to get an idea of what the pews are worth
first.

There are around 20 of them, I think they are 17 feet long each.
Solid oak, in good condition, but would probably need to be refinished
before using in anything you would want to look nice. The buyer would
have to pick them up; we are not able to deliver.

Any guesses?

Thanks,
-Ryan

Charlie Self November 23rd 04 04:28 PM

zirconx asks:

My church is switching from using pews to chairs. We would like to
sell the pews. Since the chance of finding another church nearby in
need of the same size, type, and quantity of pews we have is very low,
they will probably be sold as lumber.

I'm going to start contacting lumber places and woodworker clubs in
the area. But I'd like to get an idea of what the pews are worth
first.

There are around 20 of them, I think they are 17 feet long each.
Solid oak, in good condition, but would probably need to be refinished
before using in anything you would want to look nice. The buyer would
have to pick them up; we are not able to deliver.


Actual length, thickness of the lumber, width, type of finish that will have to
be removed for use in other applications, number of rosettes and brass
dedication plates that will need removing.

And location. Worth more, sometimes a lot, in some areas than others.

Charlie Self
"Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of
nothing."
Redd Foxx

Joe AutoDrill November 23rd 04 04:33 PM

Check eBay and see if they are a hot commodity for someone doing some sort
of home decoration, etc. You never know what people desire...

--


Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
http://www.autodrill.com
http://www.multi-spindle-heads.com

V8013


"Ryan" wrote in message
om...
My church is switching from using pews to chairs. We would like to
sell the pews. Since the chance of finding another church nearby in
need of the same size, type, and quantity of pews we have is very low,
they will probably be sold as lumber.

I'm going to start contacting lumber places and woodworker clubs in
the area. But I'd like to get an idea of what the pews are worth
first.

There are around 20 of them, I think they are 17 feet long each.
Solid oak, in good condition, but would probably need to be refinished
before using in anything you would want to look nice. The buyer would
have to pick them up; we are not able to deliver.

Any guesses?

Thanks,
-Ryan




J November 23rd 04 05:44 PM

It will help if you make up a story. Say that they are the pews from the
church where some celebrity was -- um... doing it. And that after finding
this out the church ordered them burned.

Throw in some velvet ropes and a nun's habit with each one sold.

-j


"Joe AutoDrill" wrote in
message ...
Check eBay and see if they are a hot commodity for someone doing some sort
of home decoration, etc. You never know what people desire...

--


Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
http://www.autodrill.com
http://www.multi-spindle-heads.com

V8013


"Ryan" wrote in message
om...
My church is switching from using pews to chairs. We would like to
sell the pews. Since the chance of finding another church nearby in
need of the same size, type, and quantity of pews we have is very low,
they will probably be sold as lumber.

I'm going to start contacting lumber places and woodworker clubs in
the area. But I'd like to get an idea of what the pews are worth
first.

There are around 20 of them, I think they are 17 feet long each.
Solid oak, in good condition, but would probably need to be refinished
before using in anything you would want to look nice. The buyer would
have to pick them up; we are not able to deliver.

Any guesses?

Thanks,
-Ryan






RonB November 23rd 04 05:49 PM

Are these older pews with some 'classic' detail and trim or more modern?
Around here the older pew's have about a 10 minute life span at estate and
garage sales. Pretty popular for front porches, family rooms, hallways,
etc. I have seen the shorter ones go at auction for $250 and up.

You might try ebay, local classifieds or an advertised sale.



Joe AutoDrill November 23rd 04 05:53 PM

It will help if you make up a story. Say that they are the pews from the
church where some celebrity was -- um... doing it. And that after finding
this out the church ordered them burned.

Throw in some velvet ropes and a nun's habit with each one sold.


Evil. True, but evil.
--


Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
http://www.autodrill.com
http://www.multi-spindle-heads.com

V8013




Andy Dingley November 23rd 04 06:26 PM

On 23 Nov 2004 07:18:14 -0800, (Ryan) wrote:

Any guesses?


Crude and brutal (and needs some woodworking).

Saw them down so that each end is separated by a two or three seat
spacing. Sell the new "deacon's bench" to the decorator trade, sell
the long leftovers as timber.

The price of a pew goes up the shorter it is. Lots of people want
them, but the high-spenders are intimidated by something the normal
size.

--
Smert' spamionam

WoodMangler November 23rd 04 06:26 PM

Ryan wrote:
My church is switching from using pews to chairs. We would like to
sell the pews. Since the chance of finding another church nearby in
need of the same size, type, and quantity of pews we have is very low,
they will probably be sold as lumber.

I'm going to start contacting lumber places and woodworker clubs in
the area. But I'd like to get an idea of what the pews are worth
first.

There are around 20 of them, I think they are 17 feet long each.
Solid oak, in good condition, but would probably need to be refinished
before using in anything you would want to look nice. The buyer would
have to pick them up; we are not able to deliver.

Any guesses?

Thanks,
-Ryan

You'll probably get a better price selling them whole. Not necessarily
to churches, but to individuals. Consign them to a local antique shop.
put a few on ebay. You might be surprised.

GregP November 23rd 04 07:28 PM

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 08:44:52 -0800, "J" wrote:

It will help if you make up a story. Say that they are the pews from the
church where some celebrity was -- um... doing it. And that after finding
this out the church ordered them burned.


And then what did the church do, scatter the ashes over the
pews ?

Throw in some velvet ropes and a nun's habit with each one sold.


Short church pews/benches went quickly at auctions.

George November 23rd 04 08:50 PM

Running through my mind is the headline in the Detroit News when the old
Gaiety Burlesque theater sold its seating to a storefront church. Over a
picture of the members hauling out a row was the headline "BurleyPews."

Wonder what those good churchgoing ladies would say if they knew what they
were sitting on?

"WoodMangler" wrote in message
.. .
Ryan wrote:
My church is switching from using pews to chairs. We would like to
sell the pews.


You'll probably get a better price selling them whole. Not necessarily
to churches, but to individuals. Consign them to a local antique shop.
put a few on ebay. You might be surprised.




Phisherman November 24th 04 01:45 AM

On 23 Nov 2004 07:18:14 -0800, (Ryan) wrote:

My church is switching from using pews to chairs. We would like to
sell the pews. Since the chance of finding another church nearby in
need of the same size, type, and quantity of pews we have is very low,
they will probably be sold as lumber.

I'm going to start contacting lumber places and woodworker clubs in
the area. But I'd like to get an idea of what the pews are worth
first.

There are around 20 of them, I think they are 17 feet long each.
Solid oak, in good condition, but would probably need to be refinished
before using in anything you would want to look nice. The buyer would
have to pick them up; we are not able to deliver.

Any guesses?

Thanks,
-Ryan


Very difficult question. $200 is a bargain, but at an auction it
might bring in $2000 or more. Maybe the church can give parishioners
first choice? I'd be curious to know what the church got for these.


Ryan November 24th 04 10:55 PM

Very difficult question. $200 is a bargain, but at an auction it
might bring in $2000 or more. Maybe the church can give parishioners
first choice? I'd be curious to know what the church got for these.


We've got an offer of $50 each from a local custom lumber place. But
after your comments I'm wondering if we should put an ad in the paper.
It's kind of tough, after a sunday service in a few weeks they need
to be GONE to make room for the chairs that will probably be here the
next day.

They are only 11 feet long so that is more manageable than I thought.

They are from the 60's, and are not too fancy, but definately don't
look like modern pews.

Thanks,
-Ryan

Dave Hinz November 24th 04 11:03 PM

On 24 Nov 2004 13:55:36 -0800, Ryan wrote:
Very difficult question. $200 is a bargain, but at an auction it
might bring in $2000 or more. Maybe the church can give parishioners
first choice? I'd be curious to know what the church got for these.


We've got an offer of $50 each from a local custom lumber place. But
after your comments I'm wondering if we should put an ad in the paper.


I asked some friends of ours about this last night, they did an
ad in the paper with "freewill offering". Got 200 bucks each, on
average. Try it - if the numbers aren't turning out, you can always
defer to the dealer.

It's kind of tough, after a sunday service in a few weeks they need
to be GONE to make room for the chairs that will probably be here the
next day.


Yes, the logistics of storing a whole church worth of pews, when you
don't have a church-sized space to store them in, can be a problem.

They are only 11 feet long so that is more manageable than I thought.
They are from the 60's, and are not too fancy, but definately don't
look like modern pews.


Well, you could sell them with the terms that they are to be removed
between (date) and (other date). 50 bucks each seems low, but if
there are any left over after you try to sell what you can, it's
a decent bottom-end.

Dave Hinz


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