Wood Recycling Projects
Every year hundreds of thousands of tons of usable lumber and wood scraps are sent to U.S. landfills. It is estimated that wood constitutes 17 percent of urban landfills, which includes lumber, scrap wood and yard waste. Much of this wood can be recycled into useful and artistic objects ranging in size from commercial-scale buildings to in-home projects. Local and national companies selling reclaimed lumber can be found on the Internet or in local phone books, depending on the region.
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Home Redecorating
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Recycled wood can be used in all sorts of home redecorating projects, from hardwood floors to ceilings to door frames and more. Reclaimed wood can be especially gratifying, since many exotics and hardwoods used in the past are no longer available to modern contractors and builders. Old wood architectural details can add charm and personality to your home that cannot be recreated using new lumber.
Outdoor Projects
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Interior recycled wood can be expensive, especially if you are using historic pieces or exotics. Outdoor projects using reclaimed lumber can help you save money since the wood available is often sold in unusual quantities or sizes. This type of mismatched lumber is suitable to outdoor projects like woodsheds and fences, especially if you plan on painting the wood.
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Furniture
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Recycled wood can be used to make new pieces of handmade furniture or to replace damaged furniture. Reclaimed wood is especially nice since it can match the look and feel of existing wood in antique furniture. Just because wood is recycled does not mean that it is not in excellent quality or lacks aesthetic appeal. If you are considering making furniture, look into recycled teak and walnut, which can otherwise be expensive and extremely difficult to find.
Arts and Crafts
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Not all recycled woods are hard to find or have to be purchased in large quantities. Recycled wood is suitable for any arts and crafts project that uses wood. Amateur wood carvers and sculptors can make lasting and less costly objects using recycled wood. Small boxes, wooden toys and ornaments are just a few of the projects adults and children can make using recycled wood.
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References
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- Photo Credit Woods house image by Galyna Andrushko from Fotolia.com
