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Posts categoriezed as Salvage

Salvo Web

Salvo Web published on 1 Comment on Salvo Web

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Salvo Web is a UK based website (because they do salvage right over there) with world wide listings, including the good ole’ USA directory. They do have info on shipping items to the US if you purchase from an overseas vendor, but the prices aren’t all that cheap to begin with….add shipping…..forget it!

There is a low value section with some cool stuff from an old theater in The Bronx, but the listing was back in August. Be sure to look at the dates as they don’t seem to take down older listings.

Salvo Blog

Used Building Material: Resources

Used Building Material: Resources published on 11 Comments on Used Building Material: Resources

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We’ve covered salvage quiet a bit here, but what if you’re not looking for an 1890 mantle? Maybe you just need some metal studs or new windows. Hold off on your trip to Home Depot. Here are some resources for used building supplies.

It’s hit or miss with these places, because every builder wants plywood, sheetrock or hardwood flooring. You’ll have to be quick or lucky to come across these items, but you should check them out if you need cabinets, bath fixtures, windows, doors or molding.

Habitat For Humanity has “Re-stores” in almost every state, including one in Bridgeport, CT and several in New Jersey.

Build It Green, in Astoria, is THE place for used building supplies in the city. They currently have a large selection of pretty decent kitchen cabinets (not top of the line, but not the worst: think Ikea), high end appliances (Viking refrigerators for $4400, $2000 off the original price), some stone remnants and many other items housed in the huge warehouse.

Green Demolitions has 3 locations and re-sells everything from oak staircases to high end kitchens. They often hold sales and there is one on now until November 30th.

Online, Freecycle and NY Wastematch are two organizations where members can list items for exchange. And don’t forget the Craigslist material section!

Hudson Valley Materials Exchange in Newburgh is a great source for used building materials and art supplies. They are moving soon and will be closed for the winter. Please call first and make sure they are open.

Recycled Bottle Houses

Recycled Bottle Houses published on

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Oh yeah! You know I want one of these! I saw this on Treehugger originally and then found a few other fascinating sites from that post. So fascinating, in fact, that I’m inspired to work on some new projects.

Web Urbanist featured the bottle house, along with 4 other types of recycled architecture. The bottles are my favorite because they look like jewels. The oldest known bottle house was built in 1907. Since then, many bottle homes have been built around the world out of necessity where building supplies are scarce.

Agility Nut has links to many of them.

Antique Kitchen Cabinets

Antique Kitchen Cabinets published on

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Who says all of your kitchen cabinets must match? Someone show me where that is written as law. Period homes didn’t have consistent Kraftmade or Ikea cabinets lined up neatly in a row. They had pieces of lovely one of a kind furnishings.

I must disclose one minor fact now. I have never been, nor will I ever be, a cook. I’m coming at this from the perspective of someone whose most important appliance is her microwave. Followed by the telephone if nothing is available to reheat. So, all I really want is for my kitchen to look bitchin’ cool.

Hoosiers, cupboards and vintage iceboxes can all be used as storage. Antique farm tables can make lovely countertops. Vintage cabinet doors seem to be easier to come by than full cabinets. If you’re handy, you can build the rest of the cabinet around the doors. If you’re lucky, they’ll fit your existing cabinetry (but chances are, they won’t).

You know where to look….antiques fairs and shops, Craigs, Ebay, salvage places. Keep in mind these old pieces can be repainted or stripped and embellished with vintage hardware.

This Old House
The Kitchen Designer

Sterling Place: Vintage Finds

Sterling Place: Vintage Finds published on 2 Comments on Sterling Place: Vintage Finds

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The NY Times featured an article on the couple behind the Sterling Place shops this weekend. The article was titled “The Ultimate Recyclers“, so they had me at “The”.

First of all, check out the pictures of this couple’s house! I damaged my keyboard from all the drool. Ms. Cromwell lets us know they haven’t changed any of the detail in the house and the craftspeople who created stuff like this no longer exist. It’s funny….Eddie said the exact same thing. Someone told him that over 30 years ago. Sad, but true.

Mr. Wilson on his introduction to collecting: “My parents were always going to auctions and buying unusual pieces. Their house just became more and more filled until they literally had boxes and boxes and boxes of stuff. They kind of lost control of the house.” I shouldn’t let my husband see this. We’ve already lost control of a number of rooms in 2 homes, the garage, driveway and basement.

Sterling Place has 2 locations, in Park Slope and Boerum Hill, as well as the online store.

Salvage Web

Salvage Web published on 1 Comment on Salvage Web

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I love the idea of this site, but unfortunately, not enough people utilize it. I wish there was one big salvage classifieds, like a Craigslist, but just salvage. I want my own forum to be like that, but nobody listens to me.

Anyway, if you’re getting rid of architectural salvage or looking for some, Salvage Web does have a classified section and forum for all things salvage. It is a great resource and there are some local listings, such as all the good stuff being taken out of a Manhattan tenement.

Dutchess Salvage and Antiques

Dutchess Salvage and Antiques published on 1 Comment on Dutchess Salvage and Antiques

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Hoffmans

Hoffman’s Antique Barn, located behind a movie theater at 19 Old Farm Road in Red Hook, is my upstate Eddie. They have windows for $9, wooden mantles for $195 and tables of small items listed from $2-5. There are plenty of doors, sinks and tubs as well. 845-758-5668

The Stormville Antiques Market is this weekend! Another favorite of mine for bargain hunting. The show opens at dawn and that’s when you should try to get there. Although some vendors are still setting up, others sell out of their best stuff by 8am. And traffic is killer by 9am! Good to go up Friday night and get an early start.

A shout out to Junk To Jems, from Long Island. He’ll be at Stormville this weekend in booth #265. I was going to do a write up about him this week, but it’s going to be next week instead. People line up at his booth before he even arrives.

Antique Stoves

Antique Stoves published on 1 Comment on Antique Stoves

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I’ve seen plenty of vintage stoves around in antiques shops and on Craigs and I’ve always been tempted. Some are free. Some are only a few hundred bucks. What worries me is the cost of restoration. I mean, you’re dealing with gas and fire….scary. This probably isn’t a DIY job.

Restoration companies can’t really give quotes without knowing about the stove, so it’s hard to say how much that “bargain” will cost you in the end. I’m sure I’ll find out when it comes time to redo our kitchen. Until then, check out some of the already restored models and classifieds:

Antique Appliances: Classifieds
Bryant Stove
Barnstable Stove
Antique Stove: Classifieds
Belgrove Appliance now Stove Lady
Stove Hospital

Salvage Road Trip: Albany

Salvage Road Trip: Albany published on 6 Comments on Salvage Road Trip: Albany

I recently took a trip up to Albany looking for inexpensive salvage. Here’s what I found:

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Stoves at Historic Albany Warehouse

The Historic Albany Foundation Architectural Parts Warehouse is a private, non profit working to promote the preservation of Albany’s buildings. They do not ship, nor do they have inventory on their website. They are chock full of doors and windows and have some great antique stoves and good prices.

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Silver Fox Enterprises

Next I hit Silver Fox Enterprises. This was like shopping in style for salvage. It was bright, well organized, spacious and clean. And the best part is the prices are pretty good! They transform salvaged items into functional home furnishings, kind of like what we intend to do, but haven’t gotten around to yet. On weekends, there is live music and vendors.

Next I went up to Troy, about 8 miles north of Albany. There’s a whole “antiques district”, which is about 2 blocks long. Because these were antique furnishings and not salvage, the prices were higher. However! You would have to search far and wide for prices this good closer to NYC.
Bournebrook Architectural Salvage, across from Bournebrook Antique Center (closed) has tubs and sinks which are in great condition. They also have some vintage refrigerators, mantles, stained glass and hardware.

Vintage Fridges

Vintage Fridges published on 2 Comments on Vintage Fridges

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1926 GE

Last week we explored retro fridges. The prices were better than new run of the mill high end appliances, but still too high for the budget conscious (and poor). We thought we might do better with actual antique appliances, but alas, we were wrong. Shipping costs alone could total nearly as much as that little baby on sale at Sears.

Fully restored models range from $3000-15,000. Ouch! The restoration process means they are as good as new, both internally and externally. Insulation and parts are replaced, making them energy efficient. Best of all, they are being saved from the landfill.

You can always find inexpensive vintage appliances locally on Craigs, but we wonder how much it would cost to restore them properly?

Antique Appliances
Antique Vintage Appliances
Unlimited Appliances

Salvaged Bath

Salvaged Bath published on 7 Comments on Salvaged Bath

Design by Craig and Ebay

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After restoring 3 floors of our house, there was no money left for the 4th level. The bathroom had to be put in from scratch and we didn’t have time to DIY it. Not that we would’ve spent a cent more on materials if we had it, but we were REALLY on the lookout for bargains this time.

How do you think we did? Is this high or low compared to others? Our big ticket item was the shower enclosure.

Clawfoot Tub: Free. Craigslist
Sink Vanity: $ 40. Craigslist
Glass Counter/Backsplash: $ 50. Craigslist
Sconces: $ 220. Ebay
Stained Glass: $ 250. Ebay
Copper Sink: $ 110. Ebay (Mexicopper)
Vessel Faucet: $ 92. Ebay
Medicine Cabinet: $ 50. Water St Market, New Paltz
Octagon Floor Tiles: $ 250. Bergen Tile
Mariner Toilet: $ 180. Lowes
Shower Enclosure $ 660. Clawfoot Supply
Hunter Exhaust Fan: $ 98. Lowes
Towel/Toilet Holders: $ 16. Ikea
Door: $ 20. Eddie’s Salvage (Greene and Grand, Brooklyn)
Doorknob: Free Came with house

TOTAL: $ 2036

PS:We still need molding, but we can probably come up with enough scrap from our basement.

Antiques and Salvage, Newburgh area

Antiques and Salvage, Newburgh area published on

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Hudson Valley Materials Exchange is the only re-used building materials warehouse in the area that we know of. They don’t have antique artifacts, but it is a good source for newer windows, doors, molding and paints.

The antiques shops would be the ones to carry architectural salvage. Below is a list of the ones we frequent, which = the less pricey ones.

Brian Ferraro Antiques
Hudson Valley Showcase
Dickenson’s, 440 Main Street, Beacon, 845-838-1643
Past Tense, 457 Main Street, Beacon, 845-838-4255

The Zen of Rewiring Antique Fixtures

The Zen of Rewiring Antique Fixtures published on 2 Comments on The Zen of Rewiring Antique Fixtures

 

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Disclaimer: We’re not responsible if you fry yourself. This is a summary of what to do. Please click on links for expert advice.

So, you bought yourself an inexpensive, lovely old chandelier from a salvage joint and now you find out that lighting places charge $25 per arm to rewire. Wasn’t that much of a bargain after all, huh? Don’t stress. Rewiring isn’t rocket science.

Tools and Materials You May Need

  • Needle-nose pliers
  • Screwdrivers (small as well as regular size)
  • Lamp wire (Comes in different colors. Keep the fixture color in mind when purchasing.)
  • Wire cutter
  • Wire stripper
  • Wire nuts
  • Electrical tape
  • Continuity tester
  • Sockets (Type depends on fixture. Some antique fixtures may take irregular sockets that need to be special ordered.)

Just Do It

Sit down with your fixture. Take a deep breath. Relax.

Carefully disassemble. Don’t break your irreplaceable glass shades and don’t lose your screws! The fixture may be held together by the finial or screws. To get at the wiring, gently disconnect the sockets from their caps by squeezing or pressing. If you think you might want to use these, test them with a continuity tester. I usually just go for new sockets to be safe. Make sure you don’t take the whole thing apart without remembering where each cord was connected. If you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s a good idea to take this a step at a time.

Replace the old wiring with new lamp cord. For a single-socket fixture, work from the socket up to the mount. For multi socket, feed the cord from above. First mount the socket cap to the fixture, then do the wiring. Connect wires to the socket terminals, route each socket’s cord back through the cap into the fixture. Leave at least 6 inches of wire out of tube and then snap the socket in place. Strip the wires where all cords meet up with the main cord in the body of fixture, then splice with wire nut.

Check with tester before plugging it in. Both for safety and sanity. You don’t want to install fixture only to find out it doesn’t work. D’uh!

How To Resources

Corner Hardware
HGTV
EHow
How Stuff Works

Supplies and Expert Advice

Antique Lamp Supply
Paxton Hardware
Aurora Lampworks
Lamp Doctor
Rt 9 Lamp and Light

Building Materials: Get ‘Em While You Can!

Building Materials: Get ‘Em While You Can! published on

This was posted on the forum yesterday. Since I haven’t yet figured out how to allow folks to post photos, I asked her to send me some pics so I can post here. Looks good!

Selling off contents of a modified Post and Beam house in Greenwich, CT. Walls/ceilings of knotty pine, white oak and red oak floors,fir stairs, lofts, loft railings,, Exterior/interior doors, Anderson casements, picture windows, Velux sky lights, French doors, double French doors XO, 6 ft sliders, Trane XL 80 gas furnace, ducting, 40 gal gas hot water tank, toilets, bidet, whirlpool tub, frameless shower doors, electric garage motor,amd more. All materials in EXCELLENT condition. Buyer removes. Cash only.

Also have materials in 9 other houses, includine 4 gorgeous kitchens which are on my website and available NOW. All in EXCELLENT condition. Contact Cathy @203-869-5365 or deepdiscount@optonline.net

If you are a “Dumpster Diver”, and you know if you are one, get to know me! Check out my web site www.deepdiscountdemolition.com, email me your address and I’ll add you to my list for notice of sales. Let me know what you need, if I don’t have it today, I will soon. Recycle, get great stuff at “deep discount” , Thanks

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