Recycled Building Materials

Every year hundreds of older homes in the Portland metro area are torn down and the debris sent to landfill. It's such a waste of high quality seasoned lumber. There must be a better way!

Portland is on the leading edge of home recyclability.
Instead of sending these homes to the landfill, local home owners can choose to have them deconstructed, saving 99% of the building for recycling and reuse.The benefits are very obvious. It is much less wasteful, and recycled lumber has a much warmer, richer look than new lumber. More interesting, too.

Here are a few companies in Portland that specialize in recycled or reclaimed building materials:

The Rebuilding Center
3625 N. Mississippi Ave.
Portland, OR 97227
503-331-1877
At the Rebuilding Center you can buy recycled clear fir flooring at $5.00 per square foot, which is comparable to buying a lower grade of new fir flooring. The ReBuilding Center is a popular destination for homeowners, and do-it-yourselfers interested in building with affordable, environmentally low impact materials. The ReBuilding Center is the largest non-profit used building materials resource in North America.

The ReStore
66 SE Morrison St.
(Red building under the Morrison Bridge)
(503) 283-6247
You can buy new and recycled building materials at The ReStore, with all profits benefitting the Habitat for Humanity program.

Second Use
7953 2nd Ave S.
Seattle, WA 98108
206-763-6929
Second Use has an oline inventory search for recycled building matrials, and vitage fixtures. The inventory changes daily. Seattle is only a few hours drive North, so it might be worth the trip for a hard to find items.

Bear Creek Lumber
495 East County Rd.
P.O. Box 669
Winthrop, Wa 98862
Phone (800) 597-7191
Bear Creek Lumber specializes in recycled Framing lumber, Hardwood flooring, Cedar siding, Interior paneling, Fir flooring, Redwood siding, Timbers/Beams, Shakes and shingles, Decking, and Trim. This lumber is often superior to today's new lumber, as it is often clear grain, and with fewer knots. A great source for large exposed beams and timbers.

Craig's List Building Materials-Portland OR
Why not find vintage flooring or timbers someone else has already salvaged?
New items added daily.