Repurposing building materials by Your Green Remodel Guy

I strongly advise wearing work boots, gloves, head and eye protection  whenever doing construction and demo work. Use quality sawsall and carbide circular saw blades.  Dull blades resist cutting wood and are more prone to kick back or bind possibly causing personal injury.

While doing demo we save and set aside as much usable lumber as possible.  Some of the materials have an extra advantage beyond saving money, dumpster and landfill space by being reused.                                                                                                                                                

 Older growth lumber has denser fibers that will not shrink as the lumber and moisture are acclimated to your location.  When reusing for roof framing supports and trimmers and king studs for doors and windows all the shrinking has taken place already, insuring a secure and tight fit now and later. This material is also excellent for using it to install door knob, towel bar, toilet roll holder, curtain rod, closet shelf, hand rail and cabinet backing behind the drywall.

This is a real green savings of the environment and your wallet.  

Some tricks can help save the materials and saw blades.

Cut the bottom nails with a bi-metal/ wood sawsall blade. Then pull the bottom of the stud towards you into the room twisting and pulling down at the same time. This leaves a stud with no nails at one end so trimming that end will not damage the saw blade. So always stack the lumber with all the clean ends pointing the same way.

Another trick that works is to put a block of wood against the bottom of the stud on its flattest side. Hit it repeatedly until the stud comes loose. Then follow the same pulling and twisting method as before. You may get more cracked and broken studs using the method.

Richard Sims                                                                                                             Sims Construction