Recycled Building Materials

3 Useful Facts about Recycled Building Materials That Probably Did Not Cross Your Mind

What produces something new out of the old? Hint - it represents the colour green. You guessed it, it is RECYCLING.

We are used to hearing about recycling daily household items such as paper, plastic, aluminium, and more. However, did you know that there is such a thing as recycling building materials, for example, wood, metal or concrete? These items are normally scrapped but still carry a certain value to it. It can be reconstructed into something new, to be used in many different ways as well. When you use recycled building materials, not only will you be doing the earth a huge favour by continually increasing its natural resources, you will also contribute to the construction business’ bottom line.  

So, how did recycled building materials come about? It is produced by leftover materials found at construction and demolition sites. According to concreterecycling.org, materials that can be salvaged through deconstruction include: plywood, lumber, hardwood flooring, bricks, windows, concrete, plumbing fixtures, doors and knobs, hinges, paneling, insulation, stairs and railings, asphalt roof tiles, mouldings and baseboards, countertops.

In order for it to be a valuable recycled building material, it has to contain feasible recycled content that can benefit the environment. In other words, instead of allowing construction materials go to waste, you can ‘deconstruct’ it in any way you see fit.

Now that we have filled you in a little on recycled building materials, here are some facts that will remind you why recycling building materials are the absolute best way to go.

It automatically reduces the use of natural raw resources in an effective manner.

By producing a brand new item out of recycled building materials, you will not need to search high and low for natural raw materials. Many people have a misconception of recycled building materials. They immediately assume that the condition will be very poor. Honestly, it really depends. If you get these recycled materials from reliable vendors and suppliers, you will find that the materials offered are sold in pretty good shape. It may have a slight imperfection but if you engage in a trusty contractor or architect, they will be able to make it look brand new.

Proper recycling will greatly help in saving cost.

The lesser natural raw resources you use, the more you get to save. Choosing recycled building materials will help you stretch your budget by reducing construction cost and allowing you to spend your savings on other construction tools. As for your consumers, they will get to benefit too because the materials they purchase will be more affordable. It is a win-win for all, if you ask us.

Using recycled building materials can help solve environmental issues

Apart from saving energy which is a result of decreased consumption of natural resources, recycling building materials keep other materials away from landfills. Besides environmental benefits and allowing you to save cost, recycling building materials can reduce hauling of unwanted items and saves disposal cost. Really Group, a construction company based in Melbourne, also highlights this on their website - You in turn save energy, decreasing harmful emissions, and reducing space needed for landfills (Thormark, C (2000), Environmental analysis of a building with reused building materials, International Journal of Low Energy and Sustainable Buildings, Vol. 1, Pp. 1-18).

Being an option that makes the most sense since reusable wastes are accessible at industrial and construction sites, not all recycled building materials are suitable for all projects. So, before deciding on a particular recycled building material, make sure that it is practical and can be safely used according to your building desires.

So lets explore what you can do with recycled building materials for your space renovation or interior design.