Heard about this on NPR. This guy builds hobbit cabins out of reclaimed material. His first one was called the Hickshaw. Because he’s a hick.
See also: Plywood Chateau
Posts tagged reclaimed
Brooklyn Flea Finds
This Saturday I was back selling at the Ft. Greene Brooklyn Flea after an extended absence to work on my house. It was kind of nice to go away and come back because it made me appreciate it even more.
The photo above shows a sampling of upcycled light fixtures by Peg and Jon Van Dyne. It’s one of those things that makes me say “Damn, why didn’t I think of that first?” Because I checking out the market only for a few minutes when I was on a an extended bathroom break, I didn’t get a chance to get much info. The company is called French Vanilla. No website, but the phone number is 765-513-0255. No idea what prices are like, but I did notice that they take credit cards.
That large film reel on the right? Still has film on it.
Fat Dog Fabrication is living in this century. Owner Don Wood has a website. A rather cute one, with a photo of Henry the fat dog on the main page (He doesn’t look so fat). Don also has an Etsy store .
I didn’t get a chance to have a chat (another bathroom break) but I gathered from the internets that Don is a contractor who creates on the side. He uses recycled materials when he can, such as the pallet bench. The prices are surprisingly low for the quality, concept and location. $25 hand made concrete dog bowl/planter in Brooklyn? I think I spent that on a cup of coffee just yesterday.
Reclaimed Wood Straight Outta Bklyn
While searching for porch flooring I came across a reclaimed lumber company that gets it’s wood from places such as exotic Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan.
Well, it IS exotic woods like Ipe and Kumaru. New York City is the largest consumer of tropical woods for boardwalks, benches and other outdoor uses. The city has curbed the use of these woods due to protests from environmental groups, but not completely. The reclaimed Ipe is a way to use these woods sustainably.
So, enter Sawkill Lumber. Partners Alan Solomon and Klaas Armster of Solomon Wood and Armster Lumber have inventory from the Coney Island and Rockaway boardwalks as well as from those water tanks you that enhance the NYC skyline.
I haven’t received a price quote yet, but I’m not too bothered for my current project. I suspect this stuff isn’t cheap. I mean, who doesn’t want to say their floor is made from the Coney Island boardwalk?!
So, I wait until I build a deck on the Brooklyn house. If I can’t afford a whole deck, there will be SOMETHING!, a piece of the Coney Island boardwalk in my house.
No matter what the cost.
There’s a sucker born every minute. And I was minute 947823230492734 of 1965.
Ulster County Antiques and Salvage
There’s only one huge salvage place in Ulster County that I know of. Zaborski Emporium in Kingston has a 25,000+ square foot warehouse off of Broadway. You will most likely find what you are looking for here; however, you’ll have to dig for it. Prices are good on some items, so-so on others. It depends upon what Stan the Junkmana paid for it himself. Layer up in winter….there’s no heat!
Check out the Antiques and Collectibles Street Market if you’re in Ulster this weekend.
Zaborksi sinks
Ulster Antique Shops
Water Street Market, New Paltz
Cat House Antiques, High Falls
Reclaimed Flooring
5 years ago, we paid around $6000 for reclaimed wide plank pine for a 600 square foot room (installed and finished). And that was the best price. Maybe we had more money to throw around back then, but we would never dream of paying that much for a single floor now.
Reclaimed wide plank is still pricey, but many companies run internet specials. There are also smaller local mills that may charge less.
The least expensive option, if it exists in your home, is to carefully pull up the existing subfloor/planks and scrape them down, then reinstall. Tons of work, but saving all that dough…..priceless.
$6000 Floor, Marbletown, NY
Original Planks, Bed Stuy Home
Scraped and Installed Ourselves: $0
Companies Offering Internet Specials
Antique and Vintage Woods
Craftmark