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build with recycled materials
To the global village of those who build green: Notably these conditions and sources of supply are in South Africa and if you live elsewhere your contribution and advice would be most welcome, because markets differ so much.
bricks
WASTE DISPOSAL CENTRES
Mostly broken and some whole bricks, available free of charge from our local municipal waste disposal centre for building materials, metals and garden waste. Somewhat smeared or caked with dags of plaster, but there are often clean sides, or whole clean bricks, apparently they can be cleaned with acid. I’ve never tried it so that I cannot endorse this process, but here is a direct link: acid cleaning of bricks
advantages: using free waste bricks for paving, the broken bricks look ‘aged’ and break up any regular patterning so that they immediately fit into the environment as if they have been there for centuries
disadvantages: the plaster staining tends to make the areas of paving patchy looking, that is very uneven in colour. In dry summers the paving looks bleached and dusty.
SECOND HAND BRICK SUPPLIERS
I’ve used these suppliers. The bricks were sort of cleaned up, and a fraction of the price of new bricks. Just google second hand bricks and look for a supplier in your area. Some of them deliver.
advantages: perfect for the retaining wall of a pond that was going to be covered.
disadvantages : may be too patchy for a wall that is on show, unless your design works around the irregular colour and sizes, and the grey staining. I am not sure about the weight bearing capabilities of a wall built of odd unevenly sized bricks.
Mostly broken and some whole bricks, available free of charge from our local municipal waste disposal centre for building materials, metals and garden waste. Somewhat smeared or caked with dags of plaster, but there are often clean sides, or whole clean bricks, apparently they can be cleaned with acid. I’ve never tried it so that I cannot endorse this process, but here is a direct link: acid cleaning of bricks
advantages: using free waste bricks for paving, the broken bricks look ‘aged’ and break up any regular patterning so that they immediately fit into the environment as if they have been there for centuries
disadvantages: the plaster staining tends to make the areas of paving patchy looking, that is very uneven in colour. In dry summers the paving looks bleached and dusty.
SECOND HAND BRICK SUPPLIERS
I’ve used these suppliers. The bricks were sort of cleaned up, and a fraction of the price of new bricks. Just google second hand bricks and look for a supplier in your area. Some of them deliver.
advantages: perfect for the retaining wall of a pond that was going to be covered.
disadvantages : may be too patchy for a wall that is on show, unless your design works around the irregular colour and sizes, and the grey staining. I am not sure about the weight bearing capabilities of a wall built of odd unevenly sized bricks.
garden paving
bricks, see above, and broken pieces of plaster and concrete slabs :
WASTE DISPOSAL CENTRES
Broken up slabs of concrete and plaster of all thicknesses are available and can be used for paving.
advantages: They are free of charge, age well and I’ve used them to blend with an old ugly concrete slab, to change its outline, and create a paved area for a table and chairs.
disadvantages : as with the bricks, one needs to sort through containers of rubble with bare hands, and lug it home in a trailer or flat bed truck. One ends up getting in the way of other people a little, working men in a hurry.... and its hot hard work. Warning: the resultant paving was termed "rustic" by a visitor, so if anything that looks old and doesn't have straight lines is not for you, neither is this. I think its really beautiful.
WASTE DISPOSAL CENTRES
Broken up slabs of concrete and plaster of all thicknesses are available and can be used for paving.
advantages: They are free of charge, age well and I’ve used them to blend with an old ugly concrete slab, to change its outline, and create a paved area for a table and chairs.
disadvantages : as with the bricks, one needs to sort through containers of rubble with bare hands, and lug it home in a trailer or flat bed truck. One ends up getting in the way of other people a little, working men in a hurry.... and its hot hard work. Warning: the resultant paving was termed "rustic" by a visitor, so if anything that looks old and doesn't have straight lines is not for you, neither is this. I think its really beautiful.
other building materials: wooden floors, bathrooms, light fittings, and stone
DEMOLITION YARDS
wooden floor beams and planks
I’ve bought many building materials second hand. I prefer them to new things really. My favourite demolition yard, which I’ve used on and off for twenty years has Oregon pine floor beams and ceiling and floor planks, a vital material for the authentic restoration of old buildings locally. It also has parquet blocks, and lots of old windows and doors made of wood. When the floor of my lovely Victorian cottage caved in, they sold us some old Oregon beams and planks and with the help of my partner, we restored the floor for a mere R3000 ! when the market price would have been at least ten times that. This second hand yard is Ross demolition in Cape Town. You can look up demolition yards in your area, even small scale city dumps to find used building materials.
antique light fittings
DEMOLITION YARDS
I’ve even picked up what I think was a Venetian blown glass lamp shade for R40 at Ross demolition.
PAWN SHOPS
There is a pawn shop opposite the Maitland Library and civic centre in Voortrekker Road Maitland which has been going for decades. Their selection of old lamps, and brass electrical fittings is awesome.
bathroom ceramics
DEMOLITION YARDS
I found an old fashioned art deco ceramic toilet cistern in really good shape, for a very low price, that went with our old bathroom fittings.
DEMOLITIONS – ceramics, as well as a lot of other materials
When buildings are being knocked down or renovated, you may find lovely old stuff, like the art deco wash basin I picked up for free when the office complex we worked in was renovated. I checked first to make sure it was OK for me to help myself from the heap of rubble.
wooden floor beams and planks
I’ve bought many building materials second hand. I prefer them to new things really. My favourite demolition yard, which I’ve used on and off for twenty years has Oregon pine floor beams and ceiling and floor planks, a vital material for the authentic restoration of old buildings locally. It also has parquet blocks, and lots of old windows and doors made of wood. When the floor of my lovely Victorian cottage caved in, they sold us some old Oregon beams and planks and with the help of my partner, we restored the floor for a mere R3000 ! when the market price would have been at least ten times that. This second hand yard is Ross demolition in Cape Town. You can look up demolition yards in your area, even small scale city dumps to find used building materials.
antique light fittings
DEMOLITION YARDS
I’ve even picked up what I think was a Venetian blown glass lamp shade for R40 at Ross demolition.
PAWN SHOPS
There is a pawn shop opposite the Maitland Library and civic centre in Voortrekker Road Maitland which has been going for decades. Their selection of old lamps, and brass electrical fittings is awesome.
bathroom ceramics
DEMOLITION YARDS
I found an old fashioned art deco ceramic toilet cistern in really good shape, for a very low price, that went with our old bathroom fittings.
DEMOLITIONS – ceramics, as well as a lot of other materials
When buildings are being knocked down or renovated, you may find lovely old stuff, like the art deco wash basin I picked up for free when the office complex we worked in was renovated. I checked first to make sure it was OK for me to help myself from the heap of rubble.
HEWN STONE AND COBBLES
DEMOLITIONS:
I've picked up a ton of large hewn stones, of local dark slate, and granite cobble stones, during the renovations of our factory block, which are integral to my garden landscaping, for dry walls and edging. Always ask for permission though, because other people may be budgeting for making money out of the resale of some of the materials.
On the more innovative side, building with glass and plastic bottles, sandbags, and so forth, I have no personal experience of, but I would like to write on it as soon as possible. I have worked with clay though, and I’ll do a feature on that. For more tips on green building and recycling, go back to our home page and the links below it.
I've picked up a ton of large hewn stones, of local dark slate, and granite cobble stones, during the renovations of our factory block, which are integral to my garden landscaping, for dry walls and edging. Always ask for permission though, because other people may be budgeting for making money out of the resale of some of the materials.
On the more innovative side, building with glass and plastic bottles, sandbags, and so forth, I have no personal experience of, but I would like to write on it as soon as possible. I have worked with clay though, and I’ll do a feature on that. For more tips on green building and recycling, go back to our home page and the links below it.