Post from Random Musings:
How to Recycle a House!
| By sean - Jul 28, 2008 1:45:53 PM ET |
| Also listed in: Certified Green Partners | Green Living | Northern Kentucky Environmental Advocates | Taking Action | The Green Group | Tree Huggers |
A few hollows down the road from me there is a guy who has built his house in a novel way. For three years he spent his summers tearing down old out buildings on local farms. By saving all the lumber and some very creative use of a saw he built a house. Now there is nothing unusual in this you might say but this place is different. IT'S BEAUTIFUL! When I went to see it I was expecting this tumble down eco-cabin and was floored. As you drive up a short gravel drive-way you round a corner and see a natural wood structure that has the darkened appearance of old furniture achieved by an oil based stain (I know its not eco but it was used for a very valid reason... It preserves and waterproofs the wood beautifully and the idea is never to have to do it again) which was applied liberally over several years. The overall effect makes it look as though it grew from the landscape. He has used fruit trees and herbs along with such flowers as lavender and rose to achieve a garden as nice as any I have seen on HGTV.
Inside he didn't skimp on his flooring. Natural bamboo makes for one of the most beautiful floors I have ever seen (I am not sure what color stain he used but it looks deep red like cherry or rosewood). For his kitchen and bathroom tile he used, GETS THIS, old slate roofing tiles. They, due to age and damage, had to be cut in irregular shapes that make for a beautiful random patterns and look as nice as the $3.00/sq foot stuff at Home Depot. His kitchen counters are old bowling alley lanes cut to fit and make a fantastic overall look by lightening an otherwise dark space. Cabinets were taken fro a remodel of his neighbor and refaced to match the flooring. His fireplace is built of an assortment of foundation stones and river rock that, while cacophonous, is not unpleasing. He didn't skimp on windows... Pella double hung... or insulation. Keeping the house as energy efficient as possible was a priority. Now here's the rub... he didn't build the house as an eco project. He built it to save cost. This amazing structure (I only covered half of it) cost him less than $20,000 to build and looks nothing like an eco home is generalized to appear like.
I wanted to bring that up because it occurs to me that he did a fantastic thing that deserves mention (He asked that I omit any reference of his name or actual location.). I wonder if I could do that as well. It could be carried farther I suppose but it would, I think, compromise the overall look of the place.
Without meaning to he created a house that is over 70% recycled material and while other eco options exist that could be used in place of paints and stains I believe that the recycled material more than offsets the footprint. Further he did this project on the cheep and it was so successful he is doing his garage in the same manner.
Now that's solving a problem!
world without end,
sean
Inside he didn't skimp on his flooring. Natural bamboo makes for one of the most beautiful floors I have ever seen (I am not sure what color stain he used but it looks deep red like cherry or rosewood). For his kitchen and bathroom tile he used, GETS THIS, old slate roofing tiles. They, due to age and damage, had to be cut in irregular shapes that make for a beautiful random patterns and look as nice as the $3.00/sq foot stuff at Home Depot. His kitchen counters are old bowling alley lanes cut to fit and make a fantastic overall look by lightening an otherwise dark space. Cabinets were taken fro a remodel of his neighbor and refaced to match the flooring. His fireplace is built of an assortment of foundation stones and river rock that, while cacophonous, is not unpleasing. He didn't skimp on windows... Pella double hung... or insulation. Keeping the house as energy efficient as possible was a priority. Now here's the rub... he didn't build the house as an eco project. He built it to save cost. This amazing structure (I only covered half of it) cost him less than $20,000 to build and looks nothing like an eco home is generalized to appear like.
I wanted to bring that up because it occurs to me that he did a fantastic thing that deserves mention (He asked that I omit any reference of his name or actual location.). I wonder if I could do that as well. It could be carried farther I suppose but it would, I think, compromise the overall look of the place.
Without meaning to he created a house that is over 70% recycled material and while other eco options exist that could be used in place of paints and stains I believe that the recycled material more than offsets the footprint. Further he did this project on the cheep and it was so successful he is doing his garage in the same manner.
Now that's solving a problem!
world without end,
sean
Comments are closed for this post.