Better Options for Leftover Building Materials

(Page 2 of 2)

May 15, 2008
By Peyton Baldwin 
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Recycle

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The third option is to recycle your leftovers. Earth 911 will give you a list of places in your area where you can recycle materials. Contact your local household hazardous waste site to find out how to properly recycle or dispose of paint or other hazardous material. Steel paint cans are recyclable, and paint can be reprocessed or reblended.

Search the Yellow Pages or online for other recycling centers that take materials such as tile or laminate flooring. Check the Internet for contractors or companies that use secondhand or leftover materials — you may be able to donate your extras to them. Try Building Materials Reuse Association or Build.Recycle.Net for more resources.

You have plenty of options for those leftover materials, so don’t let them collect dust in your basement or go to a landfill. Find the option that works best for you and consider buying used materials for your next project. You’ll save money and add character to your remodel with unique materials.

For more information, check out these articles:

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Comments

  • hhunt 7/17/2009 11:43:55 AM

    M T Nester – You’re right, thanks for pointing that out. We’ve clarified the language about Freecycle. - Mother

  • Jeremy Holt 7/16/2009 10:40:06 PM

    When filling a wall with scrap pieces of osb board I use short 2x4's (2' to 3') to run between the studs to meet the edges of the osb board. Sure it takes longer than using standard store bought pieces but how long would it take to work for the money to buy thousands of $ in new materials. Then stuff that wall with scrap pieces of free insulation. You'll be twice as warm if the wall is 2 2x4's thick that's 7" of free scrounged insulation.

  • M T Nester 7/16/2009 2:18:50 PM

    For those who are not familiar with it, Freecycle is not an organization that takes your old building materials off your hands. Instead, it is a network that allows people who HAVE to find people who NEED and help them make a connection. Their objective is to keep usable items out of the landfills. Their philosophy is that you should make at least one offer for every request that you post so some are not always begging with their hand out. There are branches in all areas of the country, so try going to www.freecycle.org and plugging in your state and region. You might want to check it often--offers and requests change constantly and you never know what you might find. It's a great place to get rid of extra clothing and yard-sale leftovers too.

  • Scott 2/18/2009 8:01:31 PM

    We offer a free service to sell your excess material. One the flip-side, we're a great resource to look for used material to save on costs. Our website is www.cmdepot.com

  • Roy Pfz 11/5/2008 10:40:08 AM

    Other thing to think about in planning is to try to design the project around standard sizes. If you are building a building try to plan around standard dimensions. I built a building this summer 16x24, I had zero drop on sheeting and the interior the most drop I will have is 16" (it is a double 2x4 wall) and I can use 16" pieces easily else where.

    Also make the ceiling height 8', they get more studs out a tree that way and you save on energy not heating that extra 2'.

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