Difference between revisions of "Re-use & Recycle"
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===Plasterboard & plaster=== | ===Plasterboard & plaster=== | ||
* Add to heavy soils to improve porosity | * Add to heavy soils to improve porosity | ||
| − | * Papercrete | + | * [[Papercrete]] |
* A slice of plasterboard can be used as a stick of chalk. | * A slice of plasterboard can be used as a stick of chalk. | ||
===Lightweight internal doors=== | ===Lightweight internal doors=== | ||
| − | * Shelf units for garage/shed use | + | * [[Shelves|Shelf units]] for garage/shed use |
* Add legs or blocks for a kid's bed | * Add legs or blocks for a kid's bed | ||
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===Bricks, damaged=== | ===Bricks, damaged=== | ||
| − | * Brick dust increases the strength of cement by [[Pozzolan|pozzolanic]] action. Tumble bricks in mixer to produce dust. Add a little brick dust to cement mixes. | + | * Brick dust increases the strength of cement by [[Pozzolan|pozzolanic]] action. Tumble bricks in [[Cement Mixing|mixer]] to produce dust. Add a little brick dust to [[Mortar Mixes|cement mixes.]] |
* Red brick dust colours concrete | * Red brick dust colours concrete | ||
| − | * Brick dust & grit can be used in papercrete | + | * Brick dust & grit can be used in [[Papercrete|papercrete]] |
===Broken tiles=== | ===Broken tiles=== | ||
| − | * Smash with a hammer, use the small pieces for mosaic work. Put tiles upside down when breaking. | + | * Smash with a [[Hammers|hammer]], use the small pieces for mosaic work. Put tiles upside down when breaking. |
| − | * Tumble tiles in mixer with a brick to produce dust and small aggregate. Add this to concrete, it acts as [[Pozzolan|pozzolan]] and aggregate. (Any other hard weight could be used.) | + | * Tumble tiles in [[Cement Mixing|mixer]] with a brick to produce dust and small aggregate. Add this to [[Mortar Mixes|concrete]], it acts as [[Pozzolan|pozzolan]] and aggregate. (Any other hard weight could be used.) |
===[[Pozzolan]]s=== | ===[[Pozzolan]]s=== | ||
| − | * These react with cement to increase set strength. They thus permit reduced cement use. | + | * These react with [[Mortar Mixes|cement]] to increase set strength. They thus permit reduced cement use. |
* Upto 30% of cement powder may be substituted with a [[Pozzolan|pozzolan]]. | * Upto 30% of cement powder may be substituted with a [[Pozzolan|pozzolan]]. | ||
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===12mm & 18mm chipboard=== | ===12mm & 18mm chipboard=== | ||
* Loft flooring (12mm is for non habitable use only) | * Loft flooring (12mm is for non habitable use only) | ||
| − | * Shelves, either long ones or small corner shelves. | + | * [[Shelves]], either long ones or small corner shelves. |
| − | * Very narrow strips of chip, ply, wood & mdf can be used as card shelves. Fix with 1" brackets above. | + | * Very narrow strips of [[Sheet Materials|chip]], [[Sheet Materials|ply]], wood & [[Sheet Materials|mdf]] can be used as [[Shelves|card shelves.]] Fix with 1" brackets above. |
===Brick acid=== | ===Brick acid=== | ||
| − | * Descaler | + | * [[Limescale|Descaler]] |
| − | * Pipe unblocker | + | * [[Unblock a Drain|Pipe unblocker]] |
===Lime=== | ===Lime=== | ||
| − | * Paint | + | * [[Paint]] |
* Plaster | * Plaster | ||
| − | * Mortar for repointing | + | * [[Mortar Mixes|Mortar]] for repointing |
===Earth rod=== | ===Earth rod=== | ||
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===Cable offcuts=== | ===Cable offcuts=== | ||
* Small pieces: | * Small pieces: | ||
| − | ** as general purpose metal wire, for binding etc | + | ** as general purpose [[Roll Materials|metal wire]], for binding etc |
| − | ** place in paint to create copper compounds to discourage mould growth | + | ** place in [[Paint|paint]] to create copper compounds to [[Mould Resistant Paint|discourage mould growth]] |
===Dead drill bits=== | ===Dead drill bits=== | ||
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===Electrical accessories=== | ===Electrical accessories=== | ||
* Re-use square pin accessories in outbuildings | * Re-use square pin accessories in outbuildings | ||
| − | * Round pin sockets can be added to new lighting circuits to enable plugin lamps to be controlled by the lighting wall switch. However the appearance of new ones is usually preferred. | + | * Round pin sockets can be added to new lighting circuits to enable plugin lamps to be controlled by the lighting wall switch. However the appearance & reliability of new ones is usually preferred. |
| − | * Round pin socket systems & fusebox can be left in place and supplied from 12v or 24v and used to run small appliances, lamps etc. Eliminates many wall warts. | + | * Round pin socket systems & fusebox can be left in place and supplied from 12v or 24v and used to run small appliances, [[Lighting|lamps]] etc. Eliminates many wall warts. |
* Round pin sockets can be used for loudspeaker wiring, particularly 100V line. | * Round pin sockets can be used for loudspeaker wiring, particularly 100V line. | ||
===Paint=== | ===Paint=== | ||
* Re-use small tins of grotty old (waterbased) colours by adding a little to white emulsion to make pastel colours. | * Re-use small tins of grotty old (waterbased) colours by adding a little to white emulsion to make pastel colours. | ||
| − | * Re-use disliked colours of emulsion by changing the tint with other coloured paint, and adding white to lighten it. | + | * Re-use disliked colours of [[Paint|emulsion]] by changing the tint with other coloured [[Paint|paint]], and adding white to lighten it. |
* Donate to local school for art and craft use | * Donate to local school for art and craft use | ||
| − | * Dip tool handles in gloss paint to identify tools and discourage theft | + | * Dip tool handles in [[Paint|gloss paint]] to identify [[:Category:Tools|tools]] and [[Tool Theft|discourage theft]] |
===Weeds, leaves, clippings etc=== | ===Weeds, leaves, clippings etc=== | ||
* Apply to ground to feed plants & as mulch | * Apply to ground to feed plants & as mulch | ||
| − | * grow a new hedge: stick tree/hedge clippings in ground, keep shaded and watered | + | * grow a new hedge: stick tree/hedge clippings in ground, keep shaded and watered. 25% success rate is typical for hardwood cuttings, so several sticks per location is good. |
* Grow a new plant border for free: stick lots of assorted clippings in ground, keep shaded and watered. | * Grow a new plant border for free: stick lots of assorted clippings in ground, keep shaded and watered. | ||
* Nettle tops make nice soup if not old | * Nettle tops make nice soup if not old | ||
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===Pipe=== | ===Pipe=== | ||
| − | * Many things can be constructed from plastic pipe. See [[Make Things from PVC Pipe]] | + | * Many things can be constructed from [[Make Things from PVC Pipe|plastic pipe]]. See [[Make Things from PVC Pipe]] |
* Metal pipe also makes various goods | * Metal pipe also makes various goods | ||
* Cut into short pieces (2-3") and screw to wall as tool holder | * Cut into short pieces (2-3") and screw to wall as tool holder | ||
* Cut into short pieces and let the kids solv weld them together side by side to make a desk tidy | * Cut into short pieces and let the kids solv weld them together side by side to make a desk tidy | ||
| − | * Large quantities of flexible pipe can make an effective solar preheater for very little. | + | * Large quantities of flexible pipe can make an effective [[Solar Thermal|solar preheater]] for very little. |
===Gravel=== | ===Gravel=== | ||
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===Grinder discs=== | ===Grinder discs=== | ||
| − | * Small worn down discs enable a grinder to get into some places a full disc can't. | + | * Small worn down discs enable a [[Angle Grinder Discs|grinder]] to get into some places a full disc can't. |
* Hand grindstone | * Hand grindstone | ||
* Dead Diamond Discs: Repair plates | * Dead Diamond Discs: Repair plates | ||
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===Expanded polystyrene=== | ===Expanded polystyrene=== | ||
| − | * Insulation | + | * [[Insulation]] |
| − | * Papercrete | + | * [[Papercrete]] |
| − | * Lightweight concrete | + | * [[Mortar Mixes|Lightweight concrete]] |
===Silicone=== | ===Silicone=== | ||
| − | * Make a mould of a small items, cast a few replicas in cement mortar or plaster, build them into a new wall for decoration. | + | * Make a mould of a small items, cast a few replicas in [[Mortar Mixes|cement mortar]] or plaster, build them into a new wall for decoration. |
===Expanding foam=== | ===Expanding foam=== | ||
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===Breeze blocks=== | ===Breeze blocks=== | ||
| − | * Kids can carve them with a breadknife. | + | * Kids can carve them with a [[Saws|breadknife.]] |
| − | * blocks + sheet wood = basic bed. Make sure its stable. | + | * blocks + [[Sheet Materials|sheet wood]] = basic bed. Make sure its stable. |
===Clinker=== | ===Clinker=== | ||
* Path surface | * Path surface | ||
* Path base | * Path base | ||
| − | * Crush & add to mortar | + | * Crush & add to [[Mortar Mixes|mortar]] |
===Ash=== | ===Ash=== | ||
* Paths | * Paths | ||
* Woodash is an unbalanced fertiliser when used in small amounts. In bulk it kills everthing. | * Woodash is an unbalanced fertiliser when used in small amounts. In bulk it kills everthing. | ||
| − | * Coal ash is a main ingredient in black mortar, but this is best only used to match existing pointing. Black mortar is prone to premature failure sometimes, so is not recommended for general uses. | + | * Coal ash is a main ingredient in [[Mortar Mixes|black mortar]], but this is best only used to match existing pointing. [[Mortar Mixes|Black mortar]] is prone to premature failure sometimes, so is not recommended for general uses. |
===Glass=== | ===Glass=== | ||
* Secondary glazing | * Secondary glazing | ||
| − | * Solar panel - a huge range of types and designs exist, see [http://www.Builditsolar.com] | + | * [[Solar Thermal|Solar panel]] - a huge range of types and designs exist, see [http://www.Builditsolar.com] |
* Shed window | * Shed window | ||
* Small toughened glass sheet: hygienic chopping board | * Small toughened glass sheet: hygienic chopping board | ||
| − | * Sparkly concrete surface for moulded concrete: break glass into small bits (mixer & brick), place some in mould & pour in concrete. | + | * Sparkly concrete surface for moulded concrete: break glass into small bits (mixer & brick), place some in mould & pour in [[Mortar Mixes|concrete.]] |
| − | * use as a minority percentage of concrete aggregate | + | * use as a minority percentage of [[Mortar Mixes|concrete aggregate]] |
* Glass cullet is even being used as garden mulch now | * Glass cullet is even being used as garden mulch now | ||
===Timber=== | ===Timber=== | ||
| − | * A lot of substandard and damaged timber can be used in stud walls. | + | * A lot of substandard and damaged [[:Category:Wood|timber]] can be used in [[Partition Wall|stud walls.]] |
* Small pieces are usable as noggins | * Small pieces are usable as noggins | ||
| − | * Rarely it can be worth gluing bits together to use for stud wall uprights. | + | * Rarely it can be worth [[Adhesive|gluing]] bits together to use for [[Partition Wall|stud wall]] uprights. |
* Wood strips 4mm or more thick can be used as very light [[Shelves|shelves]]. | * Wood strips 4mm or more thick can be used as very light [[Shelves|shelves]]. | ||
* Large quantities of short pieces can make a shed or playpen using a lattice or geodesic dome construction. A good kids project. | * Large quantities of short pieces can make a shed or playpen using a lattice or geodesic dome construction. A good kids project. | ||
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===Clay & Clay Subsoil=== | ===Clay & Clay Subsoil=== | ||
| − | * Use in making concrete blocks | + | * Use in making [[Making Concrete Blocks|concrete blocks]] |
| − | * Papercrete | + | * [[Papercrete]] |
* Adobe building blocks | * Adobe building blocks | ||
* Cob walls. | * Cob walls. | ||
* Cast earth | * Cast earth | ||
| − | * If you roll a sausage with it and can dangle the end of the sausage over the edge of your hand, and it bends over without breaking off, its probably good enough for pottery. Offer such clay to someone with a kiln, or a local organisation using clay. | + | * If you roll a sausage with it and can dangle the end of the sausage over the edge of your hand, and it bends over without breaking off, its probably good enough for pottery. Offer such clay to someone with a kiln, or a local organisation using clay, eg a school. |
* Clay subsoil also makes clay plaster, which is a perfectly good plastering material. | * Clay subsoil also makes clay plaster, which is a perfectly good plastering material. | ||
| − | * Make a mud oven in the garden. (Cooks & looks better than barbecue.) | + | * Make a mud oven in the garden. (Cooks & looks better than a barbecue.) |
* Small clay goods may be baked by putting them in a coal fire once completely dry. | * Small clay goods may be baked by putting them in a coal fire once completely dry. | ||
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==Other Uses== | ==Other Uses== | ||
===Kids=== | ===Kids=== | ||
| − | * Kids are not usually recommended for re-use, but they can use many scrap building materials for play. They can learn to tile, make cement, plaster or breeze block ornaments, wendy houses, tree houses and so on. Some especially like creating mosaics. | + | * Kids are not usually recommended for re-use, but they can use many scrap building materials for play. They can learn to tile, make [[Mortar Mixes|cement]], plaster or breeze block ornaments, wendy houses, tree houses and so on. Some especially like creating mosaics. |
* A small minority of kids have good concrete reinforcing properties. | * A small minority of kids have good concrete reinforcing properties. | ||
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===Block filling=== | ===Block filling=== | ||
| − | * Almost any non-expanding material can be put into the middle of concrete blocks to reduce cement use and dispose of it free. | + | * Almost any non-expanding material can be put into the middle of [[Making Concrete Blocks|concrete blocks]] to [[Mortar Mixes|reduce cement use]] and dispose of it free. |
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[[Disposal Methods]] | [[Disposal Methods]] | ||
| + | [[Special:Allpages|Wiki Contents]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Special:Categories|Wiki Subject Categories]] | ||
[[Category:Garbage]] | [[Category:Garbage]] | ||
[[Category:Save Money]] | [[Category:Save Money]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Mortar]] | ||
Revision as of 23:30, 11 June 2007
Here are a few re-use & recycling options for building & DIY leftovers.
DIY Uses
Plasterboard & plaster
- Add to heavy soils to improve porosity
- Papercrete
- A slice of plasterboard can be used as a stick of chalk.
Lightweight internal doors
- Shelf units for garage/shed use
- Add legs or blocks for a kid's bed
Bricks, new
- Barbecue
- Parking stops for car wheels
- Flower bed edging
Bricks, damaged
- Brick dust increases the strength of cement by pozzolanic action. Tumble bricks in mixer to produce dust. Add a little brick dust to cement mixes.
- Red brick dust colours concrete
- Brick dust & grit can be used in papercrete
Broken tiles
- Smash with a hammer, use the small pieces for mosaic work. Put tiles upside down when breaking.
- Tumble tiles in mixer with a brick to produce dust and small aggregate. Add this to concrete, it acts as pozzolan and aggregate. (Any other hard weight could be used.)
Pozzolans
- These react with cement to increase set strength. They thus permit reduced cement use.
- Upto 30% of cement powder may be substituted with a pozzolan.
Pallets
- 3 or 4 make a compost bin or potato planter.
12mm & 18mm chipboard
- Loft flooring (12mm is for non habitable use only)
- Shelves, either long ones or small corner shelves.
- Very narrow strips of chip, ply, wood & mdf can be used as card shelves. Fix with 1" brackets above.
Brick acid
Lime
Earth rod
- Curtain pole
- Novel bathroom lockbolt
Plastic tub
- General purpose bucket
- With lid: suitable container for lime putty
- With secure lid: add 1 or 2 strips of wood and use it as a cement mixer.
Masonry nails
- Enable plants to climb walls
Cable offcuts
- Small pieces:
- as general purpose metal wire, for binding etc
- place in paint to create copper compounds to discourage mould growth
Dead drill bits
- Regrind to make high speed wood bits. See Drill Bits
Dead power tools
- Extension leads
- Drill chucks are reusable. Open the chuck jaws, remove the screw down the centre, and the chuck unscrews.
Electrical accessories
- Re-use square pin accessories in outbuildings
- Round pin sockets can be added to new lighting circuits to enable plugin lamps to be controlled by the lighting wall switch. However the appearance & reliability of new ones is usually preferred.
- Round pin socket systems & fusebox can be left in place and supplied from 12v or 24v and used to run small appliances, lamps etc. Eliminates many wall warts.
- Round pin sockets can be used for loudspeaker wiring, particularly 100V line.
Paint
- Re-use small tins of grotty old (waterbased) colours by adding a little to white emulsion to make pastel colours.
- Re-use disliked colours of emulsion by changing the tint with other coloured paint, and adding white to lighten it.
- Donate to local school for art and craft use
- Dip tool handles in gloss paint to identify tools and discourage theft
Weeds, leaves, clippings etc
- Apply to ground to feed plants & as mulch
- grow a new hedge: stick tree/hedge clippings in ground, keep shaded and watered. 25% success rate is typical for hardwood cuttings, so several sticks per location is good.
- Grow a new plant border for free: stick lots of assorted clippings in ground, keep shaded and watered.
- Nettle tops make nice soup if not old
- A pile of twigs & branches houses wildlife over winter that will eat lots of garden pests in the summer.
Paper
- Cardboard: weedkilling blankets
- Cardboard, b&w newspaper: Compost heap if torn
- Wallpaper, lining paper: kids art paper (use reverse of wallpaper)
- All paper: Papercrete
Crockery
- see Broken tiles
Pipe
- Many things can be constructed from plastic pipe. See Make Things from PVC Pipe
- Metal pipe also makes various goods
- Cut into short pieces (2-3") and screw to wall as tool holder
- Cut into short pieces and let the kids solv weld them together side by side to make a desk tidy
- Large quantities of flexible pipe can make an effective solar preheater for very little.
Gravel
- Paths
- On flower beds
Sand
- Yellow sand: kid fun. Red sands tend to stain.
- Add to heavy soils to improve porosity/drainage
Grinder discs
- Small worn down discs enable a grinder to get into some places a full disc can't.
- Hand grindstone
- Dead Diamond Discs: Repair plates
Expanded polystyrene
Silicone
- Make a mould of a small items, cast a few replicas in cement mortar or plaster, build them into a new wall for decoration.
Expanding foam
- Make fake dog turds. Helps keep some kids off site.
Breeze blocks
- Kids can carve them with a breadknife.
- blocks + sheet wood = basic bed. Make sure its stable.
Clinker
- Path surface
- Path base
- Crush & add to mortar
Ash
- Paths
- Woodash is an unbalanced fertiliser when used in small amounts. In bulk it kills everthing.
- Coal ash is a main ingredient in black mortar, but this is best only used to match existing pointing. Black mortar is prone to premature failure sometimes, so is not recommended for general uses.
Glass
- Secondary glazing
- Solar panel - a huge range of types and designs exist, see [1]
- Shed window
- Small toughened glass sheet: hygienic chopping board
- Sparkly concrete surface for moulded concrete: break glass into small bits (mixer & brick), place some in mould & pour in concrete.
- use as a minority percentage of concrete aggregate
- Glass cullet is even being used as garden mulch now
Timber
- A lot of substandard and damaged timber can be used in stud walls.
- Small pieces are usable as noggins
- Rarely it can be worth gluing bits together to use for stud wall uprights.
- Wood strips 4mm or more thick can be used as very light shelves.
- Large quantities of short pieces can make a shed or playpen using a lattice or geodesic dome construction. A good kids project.
- See Ash
Clay & Clay Subsoil
- Use in making concrete blocks
- Papercrete
- Adobe building blocks
- Cob walls.
- Cast earth
- If you roll a sausage with it and can dangle the end of the sausage over the edge of your hand, and it bends over without breaking off, its probably good enough for pottery. Offer such clay to someone with a kiln, or a local organisation using clay, eg a school.
- Clay subsoil also makes clay plaster, which is a perfectly good plastering material.
- Make a mud oven in the garden. (Cooks & looks better than a barbecue.)
- Small clay goods may be baked by putting them in a coal fire once completely dry.
Other Uses
Kids
- Kids are not usually recommended for re-use, but they can use many scrap building materials for play. They can learn to tile, make cement, plaster or breeze block ornaments, wendy houses, tree houses and so on. Some especially like creating mosaics.
- A small minority of kids have good concrete reinforcing properties.
Freecycle
- Offer your leftovers on Freecycle, Craigslist etc.
[www.freecycle.org] [uk.freecycle.org/] [www.freecyclefinder.org/] [www.craigslist.org/] [2]
Firewood
- Sometimes people will take wood away free for burning.
Block filling
- Almost any non-expanding material can be put into the middle of concrete blocks to reduce cement use and dispose of it free.