more articles like this

Unwanted Wood
updated: Mar 06, 2013, 10:30 AM

By Edhat Subscriber

I'm in the processes of building furniture for my house; To be eco friendly and hopefully cost effective, I plan to build it all from reclaimed (recycled) wood. Beside poking around for pallets, are there any places in town that may be able to offer old, unwanted wood? I can use anything, old fences, construction materials, discarded furniture, etc.. The kind of thing that would normally end up in a landfill.

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

NATURE BOY	2013-03-06 10:34 AM
Search "pallets" on Craig's List -- there are some free ones in Summerland right now.
NATURE BOY	2013-03-06 10:34 AM
Oops didn't see the pallet reference in the body of your post.
COMMENT 381898	2013-03-06 10:41 AM
The Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Goleta.
COMMENT 381901	2013-03-06 10:44 AM
Any tree service
COMMENT 381903	2013-03-06 10:45 AM
I have a pile of construction tear-out wood that would be available for you. It has nails and glue and things like that in it, but it's all wood I had kept as 're-usable' material that I'm thinking I won't need now. It's perhaps 20 or so pieces of 4' to 8' 2x2 and 2x4.
COMMENT 381907P	2013-03-06 10:49 AM
ReStore in Goleta. But be careful that place is very addicting. It has become almost a weekly obsession for me. So many cool used things.
ROGER DODGER	2013-03-06 10:57 AM
I could say something here but I'd probably be deleted.
COMMENT 381914P	2013-03-06 10:59 AM
I'm sorry I didn't see this a few weeks ago. I finally sent lots of older furniture pieces and scrap wood I was keeping to the landfill less than a month ago, because I knew I wasn't going to have time to use them. My feelings about the ReStore are mixed -- great idea, insanely high prices. Perhaps contacting some remodeling specialists and asking them to notify you when they've got appropriate materials & posting the same request in Craig's list might get results? Also, Channel City used to have a "free" wood bin, with odd shapes and sizes in it that they couldn't sell. I find it funny that the old rural value of 'reuse, recycle, make do, use it up' are now in fashion again. In my family, they never went out of fashion. We've got wood that's now in it's 4th or 5th use.
COMMENT 381916	2013-03-06 11:04 AM
You're awesome, OP.
COMMENT 381924	2013-03-06 11:12 AM
I used to get lots of wood from the scrap bin at the lumber yard. They frequently have broken pieces that are not salable.
COMMENT 381950	2013-03-06 12:08 PM
ReStore throws a lot of stuff out. Get permission to dig through their roll-off bin and you'll find a bonanza of salvageable wood. Or... go after hours.
COMMENT 381968	2013-03-06 12:50 PM
Call up the big construction and framing firms in town (Allen & Assoc, Gordan Fiano, etc). If they'll give you the location of their current projects you can likely get some nice cut offs and scrap. Besides DF, you might get some nice exotic woods from their Montecito projects. A friend did finish work for a huge library with wall paneling and all casing in black walnut...not my style of design but the wood was beautiful.
COMMENT 381987	2013-03-06 01:22 PM
@981: You got the "old & un-wanted" part right
COMMENT 382001	2013-03-06 02:06 PM
Try the Milpas underpants
COMMENT 382015	2013-03-06 02:44 PM
Want some seasoned 1x6 tongue and groove redwood? I am taking out two 5foot gates tomorrow in the city.
COMMENT 382017P	2013-03-06 02:45 PM
Two weeks ago The Sentinel ran a story about a guy up on San Marcos Pass that cures local woods. He uses local tree trimmers as sources. I don't have any more info but it might be of use to you.
COMMENT 382063P	2013-03-06 04:12 PM
Yes, 017, good call. Great article on Rob & the business from '08: http://www.independent.com/news/2008/jul/10/scrap-wood-gets-new-life-sb-foothills/ OP, I realize that lumberyard scraps might be more in line with your request, but I found this article really interesting, enough so to remember it still.
COMMENT 382083	2013-03-06 04:46 PM
You might check with Architectural Millwork. They have a huge rolloff dumpster for all their scrap trash, but I've often seen plenty of useable pieces in there.
COMMENT 382094	2013-03-06 05:21 PM
Good call, Roger ;)
COMMENT 382153	2013-03-06 08:44 PM
OP here. Wow! This is why i love Edhat. Hadn't thought of contacting construction companies, I might try that 903&015- Id be more than stoked to come by and pick those up, I'm not really sure if posting my # is a good idea but feel free to shoot me a text or call at 805-453-6636. I may not be able to answer as I'm working 7-2 then will be in class into the evening but I'll do what i can to return any missed calls Roger- Not in the market for your wood, sorry. To everyone else- Thank you to everyone else who took the time to help a stranger out.
COMMENT 382169P	2013-03-07 12:17 AM
914P. Why didn't you put your scraps/furniture pieces on Craigslist for free? I don't get it. Especially since you're an advocate for recycle/reuse.
COMMENT 382208	2013-03-07 08:24 AM
Might be worth checking over at SBFreecycle · Santa Barbara Freecycle (tm) or posting a wanted listing there: It's a Yahoo Groups site /group/sbfreecycle/
COMMENT 382272	2013-03-07 10:14 AM
ReStore IS insanely over priced. Seems that all the thrift stores and budget places are upping their prices trying to make a buck and not trying to help those of us who cannot afford to buy new. It's sad. Isn't that what the ReStore is SUPPOSED to BE about???!!! I hope they read this.
DOG MOM	2013-03-07 10:18 AM
Someone told me an instructor at UCSB was using old furniture for his students' wood sculpting projects. That as well as art studios, SBCC, Adult Ed sculping sites, may have leftover pieces. Another vote for CL Free & Wanted categories, SB FreeCycle on Yahoo, the current construction co. sites as well as Curb Alerts! Any wood from trees could have insects that a person could inadvertently be introducing into their home so ask a pest control or "archive saving" savvy person the procedure to prevent this potential problem.

38% of comments on this page were made by Edhat Community Members.

*** 2 comments were deleted from this thread by the Edhat Board Nanny for violating Edhat Comments Board policy. Click Here to see them.