Thinking about building or remodeling with less money and reused building materials- maybe salvaging and even dumpster diving? I can attest you can save a lot of money by using reclaimed building materials. The best part about reusing is not only are you saving the environment-landfills – you can also create a unique eco-friendly home!
Where to Find:
- For a list of your local reclaimed building materials outlets you can click on any state on my sidebar, which will give you local listings. (Salvage or Reclaimed Resources)
- Google alert yourself with key words. (i.e. reclaimed pine wood floor in Tucson, AZ- salvage wood floors in Tucson, AZ)
- Keep checking Craigslist (www.craigslist.com) and Giving Away (www.givingaway.com) for building materials and Planet Reuse-(www.planetreuse.com) as well as Salvo Web (www.salvoweb.com)
10 Tips To ReUsed Building Materials
- Make sure you have room to store
- Make a list of things you want-wish-need to buy for the house. Keep measurements of house space and space of wanted salvaged items.
- Make a list of types of materials you do not want- it will weed out what not to buy.
- Keep a list in car and by the computer (for online searching)
- Inspect- Inspect and Inspect again
- Inspect every aspect of the material- make sure if damaged if you can repair,
- If you are using a builder or a handyman- make sure they understand what you are trying to achieve. They might have to be re-sizing to make fit- Some may not have the skill set to do that or may not want to.
- When buying reclaimed wood for floors, walls or to make cabinets, make sure they have been dry stored. Leave in the home a few days before usage (floors)
- When buying used tiles and bricks- double check the bases (may have concrete attached) and the depth. Mixing and matching sizes and depths can lead to uneven surfaces.
- When buying reclaimed sinks, iron radiators- make sure there are no cracks!
excellent article, thank you for sharing this.
Great tips on salvaging building materials. I work at a reuse warehouse in the south Bronx section of NYC called Rebuilders Source. These tips are definitely worth saving for our customers. Some are prepared to buy materials when they come in to shop but there are always a few that don’t come with measurements or even a clue of what they want but thanks for the great tips will be sure to refer back to them for our customers awareness.
Seriously amazing article, no one is take that much care about these issues. anyway thanks for this article.
I like that you said that we need to have room to store. If I was going to reuse building materials I would want to make sure I would have enough in good quality. Having your materials inspected before you use them might be a good idea.