Forum: sustainability.stackexchange.com
Tags: <reuse><building-materials>
Title: What reuses are there for surplus building materials?
Question: I am remodeling a room in my house and have a bunch of material that may end up in the garbage.  I would be throwing away carpet, plaster and planks, trim and etc.  I would like to not throw this stuff away if there is any clever/ helpful use for it.    Does anyone have any ideas on if I can reuse this stuff in/on any other project/activities?

Answers:
sents: text: There's a growing market for reclaimed/salvaged building materials.
text: Check out Planet Reuse or http://www.build.recycle.net/ , or there are probably similar local organizations in your area.
text: I believe Habitat for Humanity tries to use reclaimed material as well; you might look into donating yours.
text: If you're talking DIY projects, I'd say your imagination is the only limit there!
text: It's a little hard to say more without knowing more specifics about what kind of materials and project.
text: (As a start, I've seen some pretty neat projects using old trim to make picture/mirror frames, or shelves.)
answer_details: author: sustainability.stackexchange.com/users/57/Yumecosmos
score: 12
sents: text: Obviously, the most effective way to avoid generating a lot of waste is not to do the remodeling project, or to do only a small part of it that gets you the most value.
text: Construction generates a lot of waste !
text: Drywall & plaster can be broken up and used as a soil amendment.
text: The older trim and lumber , the better that wood will be.
text: If you have any old growth, wood, you could reuse it in your project.
text: You might even look at exposing the wood as part of the beauty of the new room.
text: Old carpet can be hard to reuse.
text: It's usually pretty nasty.
text: Google had a few suggestions, like insulating your compost pile.
text: Carpet is also hard to recycle, but your municipality may have a carpet recycling option.
answer_details: author: sustainability.stackexchange.com/users/27/Jay Bazuzi
score: 10
sents: text: If you are in a large city, drywall can be recycled into drywall.
text: Check with your local agency.
text: The grey stuff in drywall is mostly gypsum -- Calcium magnesium sulfate.
text: Yes it can be used as a soil amendment if you have neutral or acidic soils.
text: Read up before you do it.
text: It rototils reasonably easily.
text: Wood: See above. Carpet.
text: Works great upside down as weed barrier cloth.
text: Cut in widths to fit the aisles in your garden, use around trees.
text: Decorate with wood chips if you want.
answer_details: author: sustainability.stackexchange.com/users/400/Sherwood Botsford
score: 4
sents: text: You could try to pass on whatever you don't want to other people, free-of-charge, via the Freecycle Network .
text: The Wikipedia article provides an overview of that organization.
answer_details: author: sustainability.stackexchange.com/users/450/Ciaran McHale
score: 2
sents: text: Junk to useful: Plastic barrels: Take a vertical slice off of one side, leaving an opening about 16" Adjust as needed.
text: Good bad weather generator cover.
text: Would also make a good barbecue cover.
text: Plastic pails:
text: I scrounge them by the thousand, wash them
text: put 12 1" holes in the sides as use them for nursery pots.
text: Carpet:
text: Lay upside down in the garden for mud free paths.
text: Roll up and store dry overwinter will double their life.
text: Wood scraps:
text: We have a company in industrial centre that collects all the 2x4 and 2x6 off cuts from several truss companies, a millwork company, and three mobile home/camp unit makers.
text: They chip and shred them and sell it as horse bedding.
text: Pallets:
text: Lean against each other in pairs, and tie one edge with baling twine.
text: Instant snow fence.
text: Assemble 9 as and extended E or 8 in a swastica
text: and you have a 4 bin composter.
text: Sawdust, wood chips.
text: Wood pellet heating.
answer_details: author: sustainability.stackexchange.com/users/400/Sherwood Botsford
score: 1

Summary of the answers:
There's a growing market for reclaimed/salvaged building materials. Surplus materials can also be passed on through the Freecycle network. One way to avoid generating a lot of waste is to simply do the most important part of a remodelling project.
There is a growing market for building materials, which can be recycled or re-used via Freecycle schemes. Waste can be minimised by limiting building projects to the essential.