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dmps_gw

Where can I recycle my wood floors?

dmps
9 years ago

We are thinking of replacing our 10 year old butterscotch oak floors. It is about 500 sq feet of wood flooring that is still in good shape. I will not let my husband move forward with this plan unless we can find a good home (i.e. NOT a landfill) for the wood flooring. I have called Habitat's "re-stores" and 2 other places and I can not find a place that will take them. My question is two fold 1) Does anyone know where I can recycle this wood and 2) how hard would it be for us to relocate the wood flooring to another room or my cousins' bedroom in her house (is it DIY?)

Thank you!

Comments (12)

  • weedyacres
    9 years ago

    Try posting them on freecycle or CL.

  • lazy_gardens
    9 years ago

    What kind of floor is it?

    How was it installed?

    What kind of subfloor do you have?

  • gregmills_gw
    9 years ago

    If they were stapled down then you will have the best option to get rid of them opposed to if they were glued.

    Oak is already cheap so don't plan on getting rich by selling. Unless you have some crazy 8in wide planks.

    Things to consider. Denial them first. No one will want to do that. And two. Since they have been sanded at least once people will have to know that they won't get the full lifespan from this wood.

    You best option is to post an add on Craigslist

  • live_wire_oak
    9 years ago

    Why are you removing the flooring rather than having it refinished to match any new additions that you want to make. That would be the greenest option of all.

  • glennsfc
    9 years ago

    You may find an architectural salvage company or other restore/recycle type business or concern that will take it off your hands. If you are in the NYC area, Build it Green NY would take it.

    On the topic of Habitat...I have heard some negative chatter about the mission or performance of some of the stores, as some think they are "antique" dealers and want to charge as such. I was in one two weeks ago and I was not impressed. Perhaps they need to evaluate the mission of the reuse outlets.

  • dmps
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    to live_wire_oak i looked into refinishing but the air pollution created by that didn't seem healthy for my family (i realize putting in new wood isn't great for vocs either, but it's better) also, to refinish this particular area, we would need to move out of the house with kids and pets for 3-7 days and that is not very feasible. i wanted refinishing to be the solution, i really did. i thought it was a nice compromise until i started reading about the dust and chemicals and vocs.

    glennsfc, interesting about habitat

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    9 years ago

    compost it???

    ken

  • threepinktrees
    9 years ago

    Dmps--
    We had to remove about 300 square feet of wood flooring in part of our last home due to the fact that previous owners had cut floor joists and caused some major issues. Anyhow, we quickly and easily found someone who in order to get the free flooring (and ours was fir in pretty bad shape) was willing to come, remove it all, and take it for their own project.

    So I second putting it on Craigslist as a free, remove yourself kind of thing. If you're going to pay your floor guys to pull it up it will be even easier to find someone who will want it.

  • lazy_gardens
    9 years ago

    to refinish this particular area, we would need to move out of the house with kids and pets for 3-7 days and that is not very feasible

    And you think that to remove and reinstall new flooring will be faster?

  • cluelessincolorado
    9 years ago

    IF you feel the need to replace rather than refinish, and that is a big if in my opinion, then yes you can move it with some work. we moved 60 year old oak floor boards that had been laid down over southern pine from a hallway to a kitchen and we did not DIY. It was done by a very experienced professional but it worked well. I don't really understand why you don't want to refinish them. New floors are going to have VOCs at some point during the manufacturing.

  • weedyacres
    9 years ago

    to refinish this particular area, we would need to move out of the house with kids and pets for 3-7 days and that is not very feasible

    And you think that to remove and reinstall new flooring will be faster?

    My thoughts exactly. It's a way bigger project to remove and reinstall than to refinish, even if your replacement wood is factory-finished.

    You still have VOCs with the new wood, they're just mostly at the factory, not your house.

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