Building with Secondhand Stuff, 2nd Edition: How to Reclaim, Repurpose, Re-use & Upcycle Salvaged & Leftover Materials

Price: $20.99
(as of Sep 23, 2026 05:28:41 UTC – Details)


Learn how to turn trash into treasure with this updated edition of Building with Secondhand Stuff—filled with clever tips, ingenious projects, and step-by-step photo instructions.
Secondhand building materials—salvaged wood, metal, stone, glass, fixtures, and architectural accents—are not only beautiful and full of character but cost less money and are a good choice for the environment. Building with Secondhand Stuff, 2nd Edition shows you how to identify materials that can be salvaged efficiently and gives you easy-to-follow instructions on how to build cool things with what you find.
With new projects, including a pallet coffee table, door-backed kitchen island, and a reclaimed window greenhouse, this hands-on, do-it-yourself guide shows you how to:
  Mill and install tongue-and-groove reclaimed plank flooring Hang a reclaimed door in an existing jamb Install a reclaimed tin backsplash Build a granite-slab kitchen island Build an accent doorknob coat rack And much more
Turn high-quality salvaged materials into clever, useful things for your home.

From the Publisher

Assemble each bin frame

by fitting the ends between the sides so all edges are flush. Drill pilot holes for three screws at each joint. Apply glue and fasten the joints with 2″ deck screws. Use a square or measure diagonally between opposing corners to ensure the frame is square. Let the glue dry as directed.

Measure the outside

dimensions of each assembled frame and cut a piece of hardware cloth ¼” smaller than the frame’s width and length. Center the mesh over the frame, leaving a ¹∕8″ margin along all edges. Fasten the mesh to the frame edges with ¾” washer-head screws spaced about 4″ apart.

Add the 1 x 2 edging

that serves as handles and ledges so that the bins can nest into one another. Position the edging against one side so the top is ½” above the frame’s top edge, and the edging is flush with the frame ends. Drill pilot holes, apply glue, and fasten the edging to the frame with 1¼” deck screws. Install the rest of the edging in the same fashion.

Sand the edges at the lid

as necessary and add a handle to the center of the panel. Note: Oil the wood parts of your bins to add moisture protection and to help keep the wood from absorbing liquids from the compost. Use a food-grade oil, such as walnut oil, and apply as directed.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cool Springs Press
Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 15, 2017
Edition ‏ : ‎ 2nd
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1591866812
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1591866817
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.37 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 0.5 x 11 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #274,657 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #176 in Carpentry #443 in Home Design & Construction (Books) #512 in Do-It-Yourself Home Improvement (Books)
Customer Reviews: 4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars (83) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });