Most people are happy to recycle when it comes to paper, plastic or glass household items, but when the word ‘recycle’ is mentioned in relation to household renovation they are often left confused or skeptical. This is a shame, because instead of thinking ‘recycled’ to mean broken or in need of repair, think of it as reusable and sustainable without sacrificing the quality, style, or utility of your renovation. Recycling materials from recent renovations can be a positive and sustainable source of home improvement. Using recycled materials can not only save you money but provide the same quality look and warm feel to your home renovation project as non-recyclable materials.
SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND
Recycled materials are closer than they appear. From timber to concrete to steel, it’s possible to find quality recycled products that look as good as new materials. Search around and you will be able to find many recycled materials for your home renovation. A quick search around a heritage building centre or demolition yard and it’s amazing what recycled materials you can find to use in your home. From bathroom fixtures (e.g. tubs, sinks) to windows and fireplaces, you will find such second-hand items at a greatly reduced price than buying them new. For carpets you may want to consider commercial grade wool carpets, which are usually recycled from hotels and office buildings. If you’re looking to do some landscaping, keep your eyes peeled for recycled fencing or old reusable paving stones.
RECLAIM AND REUSE
Reclaimed wood is a perfect recycled material. It is environmentally friendly and considered an ideal ‘green’ building material. Also known as barnwood, it is lumber from barns, factories and warehouses. Use reclaimed wood for furniture, floors, doors, decking, and even bench tops for the kitchen or garage. Many people are pursuing the vintage look, so the use of reclaimed, antique lumber is growing in popularity. Most of this wood is weathered, with varying degrees of texture and markings. But it is precisely these imperfections that serve to give each piece of wood its own distinctive look as well as lending a sense of history to its use. Not to forget the fact that it is considerably cheaper to buy reclaimed wood than new wood. Also, a lot of new wood is marked and stained to look old, when in fact it isn’t. So go for the real deal and pick reclaimed wood. The environment will thank you, and it’ll be considerably lighter on your wallet.
BUY IT GREEN
As recycling various materials has gained in popularity, there are now companies that sell recycled materials to people looking for a more cost effective and environmentally friendly way to do their renovations. These businesses do the searching for you and find the scrap or recycled materials and clean, rework, and refurbish them for you. The cost of such items, naturally, is cheaper than buying new. Auction houses are another good option where you can often find old but good quality materials, furniture, fixtures, and accessories.
So if you have a ‘green’ mindset, are in to environmental sustainability, and are on a tight budget, then using recycled materials on your next renovation is the ideal way to go. You will get all of the quality, style and comfort you want at a lower cost for a much more environmentally-friendly solution.
At Accent Renovations, our policy is to always recycle, refurbish, or re-use materials from our projects whenever possible and reduce our carbon footprint while supporting the local economy. We make considerable efforts to source materials from local companies and environmentally responsible manufacturers. In addition we are proud to be sustainable by donating a lot of usable old materials to Habitat for Humanity. Contact us today to learn how we can use recyclable materials to help make your renovation ideal a reality.