How to Use, Repurpose, or Sell Leftover Repair Supplies
Renovating your home is exciting, expensive, and stressful. You might think that the difficulty will disappear once the last coat of paint has dried, but there is almost always one last step: working with the leftover building materials. Repair is far from an exact science , and you have almost no choice but to buy more material than you need. The tile will break, the wood will warp, and at some point in the repair, you’ll run out of paint, putty, or nails, requiring a hurried trip to the hardware store for a whole bucket of screws when you only need four.
Keeping some of those leftovers as insurance against future repairs is a good idea. But sometimes we have a lot of leftover repair materials or leftovers that can’t be stored (nobody wants to keep a ton of bricks in the garage forever). So, what can you do with all these things other than throw them away? Lots of.
Donate extra
The easiest way to get rid of excess repairable material is to donate it. Habitat for Humanity operates a networkof ReStores , which accept donations of building materials that keep them out of landfills and help people in need repair and maintain their homes. You can deliver your items to the ReStore store yourself or contact the nearest point and arrange pickup. (You will receive a receipt for your donation so you can claim it for taxes as well.)
For smaller repair supplies, visit the Freecycle website or Buy Nothing group to donate to people in your area. It often takes less work (and stress) than trying to sell everything, and helps someone else as well.
Sell your leftovers
In many cases, you can sell your leftover items on Craigslist or Facebook – you can even get someone to pay for the materials you remove from your home if they’ve been handled with care – other people may find your flooring, furniture “outdated” or other more “classic” materials.
Ask your contractor if you have used one. Many contractors keep a stock of building materials to use on the job as a last resort, or purchase interesting architectural details, such as light fixtures or old doors, to use on renovation projects. Another option for things like doors, cabinets, and old drawers is to find an architectural waste store near you and see if they buy it. People are always looking for vintage pieces to spice up their new home, so there’s a chance someone might want to buy the stuff you just (delicately) ripped out of your house.
Create something new with them
Another option for using the leftover materials is to make something cool out of them. Depending on how practical, creative, and energetic you are, you can turn a surplus of building materials into something beautiful:
- Tile. The remaining tiles can be turned into many things. One of the easiest projects to make from leftover tile is a cheese board or serving tray . Another very easy way to use extra tiles is to buy cork and make coasters . Seriously, there are many ways to turn extra tiles into beautiful things .
- Wood. Wood is incredibly flexible. If you have a little woodworking skill, you can make a cool barn door to close off your newly renovated room, or a bookshelf for extra storage . Additional wood flooring can be built into benches, tables, desks or shelves .
- Doors. Do you have a few old Renault doors left? They make gorgeous tables, headboards, desks, and even eclectic wall art .
Extend Repair
What’s left of the repair? Think about the possibility that the universe is telling you to keep going. If you have enough of some materials, just keep repairing:
- Bricks. Who doesn’t look at a pile of bricks and imagine Lego from real life? If you have enough, leftover bricks can be used to frame your gardens, create fire pits or planters, and create patios or backyard paths .
- Dye. Accent wall for whom? While it’s wise to store some leftover paint for future touch-ups, paint won’t last forever, so gallons of it in the basement won’t be of much use. However, paint is hard to get rid of , so it’s best to use it to spice up another room (or rooms) with an accent wall and a bold color.
- Wood. You can use leftover pressure-treated wood to build a trellis over your patio and additional studs to build a dividing wall to turn one of your other rooms into two rooms.