Up to one-fourth of the wood used in new home construction ends up as waste. To combat this problem, some contractors employ eco-friendly building practices, such as reusing leftover scrap lumber for blocking when framing, then grinding up any remaining waste wood for use as mulch in landscaping the home.

Watch the video above to find out more.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

A recent study showed that up to 25% of the wood used in new construction winds up as waste, which is pretty disturbing. It’s like throwing a hundred dollar bill away for every $400 worth of lumber you purchase.

Fortunately, more contractors are starting to think green, and recycling has become a big part of the building process. Instead of winding up in a dumpster or a burn pile, scrap pieces of lumber are gathered up and used on other jobs for blocking.

Or contractors will use a service, like this one called Grindzilla, to come in and grind the scrap lumber down to use for mulch on the job site. Some contractors are even going as far as renting an industrial chipper and grinding down the scraps themselves.

The best thing we can do is to support and use these contractors or ask the tough questions to all the others about why they aren’t doing the same things.

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Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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