Whether you are adding a room, renovating your house, or starting from scratch, construction can be an arduous and lengthy process. Not only can it turn your life upside down, but it also can generate a lot of waste. To help “green” the construction process, many companies are creating innovative recycled home building materials – from plastics.
Recycled Building Product #1: Composite Lumber
I-Plas creates composite lumber from recycled plastics and wood that can be used like traditional lumber, from structural support to decking, fencing and retaining walls. Natures Composites also produces lumber made from recycled high-density polyethylene (plastic) mixed with wheat straw cellulose. You can cut and fasten this lumber substitute just like wood, but the plastic composite lumber generally outlasts wood and is easier to maintain.
Recycled Building Product #2: Plastic Roofing Tiles
Plastic Lumber Yard creates recycled plastic roofing tiles that look like slate but are lighter and easier to install than their traditional slate counterparts.
Recycled Building Product #3: Plastic Insulation
To help keep your home warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and green all year around, Insulastics is developing insulation made with recycled plastics. The insulation is designed to form “air pockets” that help improve insulation performance. Stay tuned for the commercial debut of these green building products.
Recycled Building Product #4: Plastic Rocks
Innovative recycled home building materials span the globe. For example, across the pond in Wales, Affresol creates Thermo Poly Rock, a concrete alternative made with recycled plastic from electronics such as televisions and computers. These recycled plastics are mixed with another liquid plastic and once hardened, Thermo Poly Rock is stronger and more flexible than concrete, and is expected to last more than eighty years according to Affresol.
These are just a few of the many construction products that are made with recycled plastics. Ask your builder, contractor or home improvement store for these and other recycled home building materials for your next project.
