[1][2] The album was recorded by Phil Elverum, Jason Anderson and Kjetil Jenssen on October 30, 2006 in Anacortes, Washington.

[3] It was released alongside an 11-song bootleg recording of the same group of musicians featured on the album live in concert at the Department of Safety in Anacortes, WA.

[3] Elverum found the inspiration for the song "Domesticated Dog" from his time spent riding in a minivan across Montana with Calvin Johnson and his mother in September 2006.

wrote that "The record shows him having a bit of fun with his work and to the listener's benefit, including three superb reinterpretations of older, more reserved Mount Eerie tracks" and that "Factor in some added live tracks and there's no denying Black Wooden is an important and enjoyable part of the Elverum catalogue".

[1] "JSPICER" of Tinymixtapes wrote that "Black Wooden Ceiling Opening isn’t so much about reinvention as it is about reinterpretation."