If you've been following along on our journey, you know we complete a lot of our projects using scrap wood. Have you ever wondered where we get it, or how we can make something new out of scraps? What even is "scrap" wood?
Surprisingly (or perhaps unsurprisingly), these are questions I never really thought about until we started building things. We want what we want, but we don't want to spend a fortune to get it. With two small kids, buying new materials for every project is unrealistic. Once we began really digging into our projects, we had to figure out how to create what we wanted and stay within our budget -- and let's not forget stay as low-waste as we can.
JP is the brains behind all of our scrap keeping, so this is where I turn it over to him.
As Pask Makes, one of my favorite youtube channels, states in his “Scrap wood Challenge” intro, “It’s scrap, it’s crap, it’s fire wood, but some of the wood is good.”
How do you decide what to you keep? Where do you store things? What can you use scrap wood for? These are frequently asked questions when it comes to scrap wood. Here is my most recent build out of scrap wood:
So let's get into some of the basics:
What is scrap wood? Scrap wood is any wood that is leftover from other projects (yours or someone else's). It's generally discarded or repurposed for something else.
What to keep:
My general rule of thumb is to keep hand-sized pieces and bigger. I also keep some small(er) pieces. These are great for filler pieces, shims, small jigs, or anything random DIY -- our baby monitor once needed to be pushed out a few inches to see over a curtain rod, cue scraps! If you’re unsure whether to keep certain boards, think about their size and type. Is the board something that could come in handy during any upcoming DIY projects? Is the wood in good condition? Hold on to hardwoods. Some pallet wood can be maple or oak, which is usually worthy of space, no matter the size.
Here’s a good site to help identify what you have if you’re unsure.
Where to store:
We don't have a garage, so we have to be creative with storge solutions. In our laundry room below my tools, I keep a 5 gallon bucket with smaller, long pieces of scraps. These are useful for quick fixes around the house because they are small and versatile. Other (bigger) scraps, I store in our shed. These are any pieces over 3” wide and 3’ long. These include any usable plywood cutoffs (longer ones with a factory edge make for great circular saw guides), longer dimensional lumber, or pallet wood.
What to do with your scrap savings:
My goodness the possibilities are endless. To some, my scrap wood pile is tiny; others, huge. You have to find what works for you. Ask yourself: How much room do I have for scraps? I recommend planning your projects using materials that you already have one hand. Sometimes it can feel like you're on an episode of Chopped - you have an idea of what you want to make, but your materials are a bit of a mystery. Looking to make a small planter, shelf, or a picture frame? Think about what you have to make it work. Try not to think of this as a hurdle. It's really an opportunity to be creative!
The bigger the projects you complete, the more valuable scraps you can accumulate from cutoffs. Keep the bigger items and see how far you can get with them. You can also check on buying/selling sections of social media in your area for pallet wood or free scraps. Our local zoo frequently lists pallets for free here. You may be surprised how easily scrap wood is to come by!
I use scrap wood for all those random projects that come up last minute, and projects that are still works-in-progress. Anything that is a first draft is also a great use of scrap wood.
Here are some of my favorite projects that used scraps:
Recycle. Upcycle. Save money.
There you have it! You're only limited by your imagination on what you can create out of scrap wood. - K + J Still have questions? Leave it here.👇
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