Remodeling Debris Solutions

Are you in the middle of a home remodeling project and don't know what to do with all the construction debris from demolition and construction? Read on. You probably have heard the phrase reduce, reuse, recycle. Want to help save the planet and possibly save some money while doing so? We'll tackle each of these options here and you can see what might work for you.

Reduce

Reducing your construction debri should be your first goal. For example, when doing demolition, only remove what's needed for completing the job. Taking a wall down? Don't over do it and be careful not to remove more drywall, plaster, or framing than needed. This might save you time in the long-run too.

Getting rid of kitchen cabinets or a toilet? Remove these items carefully. Don't smash them with a sledgehammer. Think: careful deconstruction - not swinging sledgehammers. If you manage to salvage cabinets, toilets, vanities, flooring, etc. - great! Now that you have gently used construction materials, here's what you might consider:

Reuse Removed Materials

The most direct way of dealing with removed construction items is to directly reuse them yourself. See the list below for some ideas.

Note: Any painted items such as doors, cabinets, or trim from 1978 or before has a high likelihood of having lead paint. These items should be considered toxic and should not be reused. Contact your local waste management authority to determine how and where you can discard these items.

Bricks may need a little work to remove stuck on mortar but they can be reused to build another brick structure or can be used in landscaping projects as pavers or edging. Want to see how to remove brick mortar? Check out this video.

Ceramic tile if carefully removed may be reused as well. You will need to remove any thinset or mastic from the tiles. Sometimes the the thinset or mastic will come off with not too much trouble (see video here) but other times it won't and they won't be reusable. Try a variety tools to see what works best. It's worth a try to reclaim the tiles especially if you have a project with smaller square footage and you don't need to clean all of the salvaged tiles.

Kitchen cabinets if carefully removed can easily be repurposed if they are in good shape. Need extra storage in your garage, workshop, or basement? Salvaged cabinets can be a great addition.

Doors in good shape might be just stored away in case you need a replacement in the future for a broken/damaged door or for a new project. If you reuse the door later, it has the advantage of matching you existing home doors. If you're feeling creative, you can repurpose your salvaged door(s) into tables, headboards, shelves and more. See this article for some great ideas.

Plank flooring

Wood flooring in good shape that is carefully removed may be reused. The best chance for reuse is for flooring that was installed with nails only. Flooring that was nailed and glued or glued only will be much more difficult to remove without damaging. In addition, the glue would have to be removed before reuse. Make sure to check for and remove any nails. A nail finder can be used to scan the wood to check for hidden nails. You don't want to damage a saw blade later by hitting a nail when the flooring is reused.
Laminate flooring, especially "floating" installations can be removed and reused. You can watch this video to see how you can remove your laminate flooring.

Moulding can be saved and reused. To remove the trim, first use a carpenter's knife to score the edges of the trim where paint or caulk may be attached to the wall or ceiling. This step will minimize any damage to the surfaces left behind. Then, use pry bars to work the trim loose starting at one end and work down to the other. Pry the trim back along the way being careful not to break it. Once you have freed the trim, remove the nails as soon as possible to keep your worksite safe. Tip: use a pair of pliers (channel lock pliers work great) and a small block of wood for leverage and pull the nails through the wood from the backside. By removing the nail from the back, you will minimize damage to the trim and making it a better candidate for reuse.

Studs and joists if in good shape (not warped or checked) can be saved and reused. Make sure to remove nails, screws, hangers, etc. so the wood is ready for sawing later. Keep in mind pressure treated wood holds harmful chemicals and should only be used in appropriate applications where contact to food, vegetable gardens, people, etc, is not possible.

Carpeting is easily removed and can be reused if in good condition. Tip: you can use a salvaged piece of carpeting as an area rug by cutting it to size and then applying a binding for a finished look.

Plumbing fixtures such as sinks, toilets, vanities if carefully removed are ideal candidates for reuse. Plumbing pipe if removed most likely won't be reusable but be sure to keep and copper pipe which has inherent value and can be sold to a scrap yard by the pound.

Wiring and conduit if removed probably won't be reusable but like plumbing, keep any copper wiring to be sold for scrap at a salvage yard. Switches, switchplates, dimmer switches, GFCI outlets if in good order may be reused. Just make sure older electrical items meet today's electrical codes.

Vintage wallpaper if carefully removed can be reused for a variety of project. See some ideas here.

Steel I-beams or steel support posts can possibly be reused in if good shape but check with local building codes before repurposing the items.

Windows can be reused if carefully removed. Make sure older windows have adequate insulating R-value for your new application.

Concrete removed and chopped up can make great fill on you property for you current or a new project.

Save It!

Okay, you've done a great job carefully salvaging your construction materials. Before you think of offloading these items, consider saving them. If you don't have an immediate use for your salvaged or spare items, you can opt to stow away these items to later use. Of course, you'll need the space to do so but it may be well worth it. Having spare doors, trim, or flooring may save the day later when you need replacement material. To boot, since these items were removed from your house, they have a good chance of making a good replacement match.

Return Unused Materials

You planned on returning unused construction materials, right? Easier said than done. Be sure to follow these tips if you plan on returning any items to the store where you made the purchase.

Save you receipt! Although some stores will accepts returns without a receipt you may only get store credit. In addition, without a receipt, you may receive the lowest sale price for the item(s) which may be less than you paid.
Plan carefully. You can't return a cut piece of stock. Maximize use of full pieces of lumber, trim, drywall, plywood, etc. during your project.
Be aware of store return policies to make sure you will be able to actually return any unused items. Check store policies regarding:

Time limits for returns (less than 30 days only?)
Can you return only full boxes of tile, flooring, etc.?
Make sure the items are unused in new condition with any original packaging.

Remember to keep you construction materials in good shape during your project. Keep anything you might return clean and dry. A job site can get messy and materials in the job site can easily get damaged making them unreturnable.

Can't Reuse, Save, Or Return?

Okay, you now have salvaged or unused construction material but you don't have a need for them now or in the future. Or maybe you just don't have the space to save these items? Or maybe items can't be returned to the store for some of the reasons mentioned? Here's some options for you.

Sell

Why not cash in on your bounty of salvaged materials?

Sell any gently used items or materials. Use sites like Craigslist, Nextdoor, OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace or your favorite social media site to offload your materials.
Materials such as copper pipe and wire have an inherent value and can be sold for scrap by the pound at a local salvage yard.
Heavy steel I-beams or support posts can be scrapped at a salvage yard by the pound and net you some extra cash.

Giveaway/Donate

You might ask a friend, relative, or neighbor if they could use your leftover building supplies. Maybe you could even workout a barter for something or some service they might offer for your goods.

Another great option is to donate your gently used or leftover materials to an organization suited to accept your materials.

One such national organization called Habitat for Humanity operates home improvement and donation centers called ReStores. These locations accept a variety of used or leftover building supplies. To learn more, see their website.

There are also many local organizations that will accept used or leftover materials. Do a web search and see what might be a good local donation center option for you.

Recycle

Okay, you made it to this point and you have materials that can't be reused, donated, or even given away. Recycling takes resource - power, fuel, people, etc, so it's not as good as having your items reused but its better than dumping them into a landfill.

One of the best online resources to find a recycling solution for your materials is earth911. This organization has the largest recycling database in the nation. Simply go to their website and enter the items you have to recycle and your zip code and they'll provide some options.

Source: earth911.com

Summary & Last Resorts

Well that's it. Hopefully we've given you some options for handling your project construction debri and leftover materials so they don't end up in a landfill. Of course, there will always be some materials that will ultimately be trashed. Before you put items in the garbage, be sure to follow the guidelines provided by your local waste management company. Also, be aware of any potentially toxic materials (lead painted wood for example) and make sure you know how to disposed of those items properly.