Recycling of waste products into building materials has lately become the norm in the construction industry. The essence of this practise is to put waste into good use and reduce the amount of trash that goes to landfills. Interestingly, contractors are increasingly joining the green building bandwagon by advocating for the use of recycled waste products, to reduce the costs of construction and save the environment.
The major problem faced by many people is identifying waste products that can be turned into building materials. Therefore, outsourcing your waste management process to a professional company can be the only viable solution.
Below are 10 surprising building materials made entirely out of waste products.
1) Wine Cork Panels
Sydneysiders are renowned for their taste for good wine. However, very few people know that wine corks are reusable. Recycled wine corks make great floor tiles, wall and ceiling panels. You can recycle your used wine corks to create stylish, mosaic flooring and wall panels instead of dumping them into your rubbish bin.
2) Newspaper Wood
Unbelievably, it is now possible to make wood from your old newspapers and cardboard. This innovative recycling process involves compressing newspapers and solvent-free glue to create log-like pieces that you can cut, mill or sand for various construction applications. What is more amazing is that the paper wood is non-combustible and waterproof.
3) Bottle Bricks
The recycling of plastic and glass bottles into different products is not anything new. However, very few people know that bottles can also be used as building materials. This can be achieved by stuffing them using sand or gravel until they become compact and sturdy enough for construction.
4) Recycled Glass Tiles
Old windows, broken glasses and damaged solar panels can be converted into useful building materials for glass tiling and countertops. A special machine is used to crush and compress the waste glass pieces into layers, which are ideal for making glass tiles and countertops.
5) Nappy Roofing
With advancements in recycling technology, used nappies no longer belong to the rubbish bin. Remarkably, you can now reprocess old nappies into roofing tiles. The recycling process involves turning old nappies into plastic by separating the polymers from organic waste. You may then use the resulting plastic to make roof tiles or plastic wood.
6) Mushroom Walls
Mushrooms are not only nutritious but also important building materials. Their roots can be moulded into wall insulators and packing materials using special technology. The most exciting part is that mushroom walls are arguably stronger than concrete, and they are entirely compostable.
7) Plasphalt
As the name implies, Plasphalt is made from a combination of waste plastic and asphalt, hence the name “Plasphalt.” The plastic waste replaces the sand and gravel used to make asphalt. Plasphalt is considered more durable and less vulnerable to wear compared to traditional asphalt.
8) Cow Dung Bricks
Animal waste is also an ideal option for making building materials. You could use animal dung to make bricks or for flooring purposes. The best part is that cow dung bricks are much more resilient and, they do not produce bad odour once they are turned into bricks.
9) Recycled Plastic Blocks
Plastic bags are a nuisance to the environment, considering the fact that they are not biodegradable. However, they can be put into good use by turning them into decorative building blocks. The only downside is that these blocks are extremely light and they cannot be used to make load-bearing walls.
10) Bark Siding
Sawdust, tree barks and other waste from lumber can be used to make exceptional wood siding. The best part is that you do not have to cut down any tree for siding, as you only need to source for barks and sawdust from the construction site.
Outsource Your Waste Management to the Pros
For over 10 years, Paul’s Rubbish Removal has helped Sydney residents, office spaces and construction sites clean up their unwanted waste and safely dispose of it. We have vast experience in collecting and removing all types of waste materials and garbage.
Whether you are a homeowner or a construction contractor looking for ways to turn your waste products into building materials, then worry no more. We have highly trained personnel who can help you put your waste products into good use.
Please do not hesitate to contact us on 0407 125 125 for all your rubbish removal!
