Building with Secondhand Stuff: How to Reclaim, Repurpose, Re-use & Upcycle Salvaged & Leftover Materials

by Chris Peterson

From Craig's List, your basement, and estate sales, you can salvage what you need to upcycle all kinds of cool things. You can build tables, install vintage hardwood floors and salvaged windows, mason reclaimed stone walls, and do much more using free or very inexpensive, high-quality, reconditioned materials.

You'll encounter opportunities to upcycle usable building materials everywhere. By using Building with Secondhand Stuff, 2nd edition, good judgment, and a few salvage tricks, you can take advantage of these chances to gather free (or nearly free) project supplies and put them to work in your house.

This second edition of the best-selling book includes new projects such as a pallet chair, pallet table, chalkboard message door, door-backed island, and a reclaimed window greenhouse.

Genres: Nonfiction

160 pages, Paperback

Published March 15, 2017

Reviews

[Dave Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent beginner's book on how to reclaim and prepare materials for a second life, with several unique project ideas. The only reason I didn't give it a full five stars is that as a complete novice, there was some terminology I'm not familiar with. A glossary in the back would have been a good idea. Otherwise, this book is a good investment for anyone who's looking to start a project.

[Terry Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sent a copy of this book to review.

I'm one of those people who can instantly look a piece of junk , love it, and know how I want to repurpose it.

Christopher Peterson's book is a treasure trove of helpful information, ideas, and projects. What I love best about the entire book is it gives me information I would never have thought or known about but is necessary to know when you are upcycling salvaged materials, especially if you are going to resell it. Were you aware that there are different stamps on pallets to identify which ones were safe to use for home and garden products? That a stamp can tell you the origin of the pallet? That you need to avoid pallets stamped with MB because it stands for Methyl Bromide which is a banned insecticide? Or that colored pallets often signify that the pallet was used by a pool supplies manufacturer which means it carried chemicals? Do you know how to clean salvaged brick. How about lumber? Can you identify different types of wood or pipe of brick? Do you know how to re-silver a mirror? You will after reading this.

Best of all about the book is my favorite part; upcycling. Filled with numerous re-purposing ideas, the ultimate is the Old Door Greenhouse. I originally had my designs on a greenhouse from another book but have had that on the back burner until I see if my Association will permit me to build this one instead. In my opinion, it is reminiscent of an English Greenhouse and has that quaint cottage appeal.

Throughout the book there are Safety First tips on various subjects. These are very helpful to know before you start any project so be sure and read them to avoid any injury.

Two Thumbs Up!

[Ligaya · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a good place to start if you know nothing about upcycling salvaged materials. But I wish there were more and better projects to show off what can be done. The Door-Backed Island (on the back cover) looks wonky, the two pallet projects aren't very transformative (one is basically put on wheels, and the other is put on end), and the tin backsplash is painted a garish blue. The quality and styling of the photographs is noticeably variable. There is a sidebar on resilvering mirrors - something I'd never seen done - but there are zero photos on that how-to.

[emyrose8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5- Different than I expected. Most of the book teaches the reader how to salvage various types of materials, which was interesting, but not something I'm planning to do in the near future. The last 50 pages give you project ideas and how to do them. A few seemed like things I'd want to try (doorknob coat hanger, reclaimed window cabinet, and a window greenhouse).

[Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad but more how to than inspiration.

[Besha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful, but overladen with adjectives.