Green Renovations – A refinishing challenge!
I recently was asked to refinish a dresser but do it using green techniques and materials, and have it match the rest of the suite. What I found was the project required both research and experimentation. There are not many options in large home improvement stores other than Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) for stripping and refinishing. But I did succeed. The removal of the old finish went well – with lots of TLC sanding. In consultation with my professional paint supplier we were able to determine the existing finish so as to come up with a rematch process. As it was a natural finish I commenced with a water-based polyurethane. Tannins (looked like I spilled tea all over my project) soaked into the wood from the water based polyurethane, darkening some areas of the wood. Solution - sand again! Anyways, after sanding, applying water based sanding sealer, sanding and 4 layers of water-based polyurethane with sanding between coats – we have the match to the old finish. At first if you do not succeed, sand and sand again!
Summary - research, test, do, and enjoy – a green solution.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Friday, September 7, 2007
Green Renovations – What I learn at the dump.
When I bring demolition materials to the local recycling centre, I like to see what is coming in. It reminds me of my childhood when my father would take me on an outing to the township dump. The dump was the place to take your garbage as we had no collection service. It was a place pick up “treasures” and to see the wild life. With a hand full of stones I enjoyed trying to “stir up” the lunching rats.
Today it is pleasing to see renovators sort out materials in scrap metal, drywall, wood, paper products plastics and general waste at local recycling centres. But it is usually the small guys at the sites. At so many large jobs, the monster bin sits out front, filled with everything. It’s easy to throw it all in the bin. There is no infrastructure to sort at job sites and move to end sources. Have you ever asked where the monster bins go? In the Toronto area, most likely they go to a transfer station and then to Michigan landfill. When I do a tear out, I sort by layers in the truck or trailer so that the materials can be recycled.
In Peel Region the recycling centres wood goes to power generation and park mulch. The drywall gets reworked back into wall board. Metal goes to back into the metal industry. Paper and plastics are recycled into other products.
Let’s put in a little sweat, a lot of recycling, but hold the rats
When I bring demolition materials to the local recycling centre, I like to see what is coming in. It reminds me of my childhood when my father would take me on an outing to the township dump. The dump was the place to take your garbage as we had no collection service. It was a place pick up “treasures” and to see the wild life. With a hand full of stones I enjoyed trying to “stir up” the lunching rats.
Today it is pleasing to see renovators sort out materials in scrap metal, drywall, wood, paper products plastics and general waste at local recycling centres. But it is usually the small guys at the sites. At so many large jobs, the monster bin sits out front, filled with everything. It’s easy to throw it all in the bin. There is no infrastructure to sort at job sites and move to end sources. Have you ever asked where the monster bins go? In the Toronto area, most likely they go to a transfer station and then to Michigan landfill. When I do a tear out, I sort by layers in the truck or trailer so that the materials can be recycled.
In Peel Region the recycling centres wood goes to power generation and park mulch. The drywall gets reworked back into wall board. Metal goes to back into the metal industry. Paper and plastics are recycled into other products.
Let’s put in a little sweat, a lot of recycling, but hold the rats
Green Renovations – Green is Boring?
A lot of the information I see on websites and in blogs is kind of dry – lots of lists and lots of dire warnings. There is a lack of problem solving using the green stuff in practical terms. We also need to lighten up with a dose of humour. So I will try and provide green solutions for real issues which I have encountered and from other sources I come across. And I will add some humour to this series. Please feel free to comment at info@muskokainthecity.ca
"Has anybody seen the Al Gore movie about global warming and the environment? Well, the Bush administration has seen it and they are very annoyed about the whole thing. As a matter of fact, earlier today, Dick Cheney shot a projectionist. ... One very dramatic scene in the Al Gore global warming movie is when a glacier melts and they find more Al Gore ballots from the election." --David Letterman
A lot of the information I see on websites and in blogs is kind of dry – lots of lists and lots of dire warnings. There is a lack of problem solving using the green stuff in practical terms. We also need to lighten up with a dose of humour. So I will try and provide green solutions for real issues which I have encountered and from other sources I come across. And I will add some humour to this series. Please feel free to comment at info@muskokainthecity.ca
"Has anybody seen the Al Gore movie about global warming and the environment? Well, the Bush administration has seen it and they are very annoyed about the whole thing. As a matter of fact, earlier today, Dick Cheney shot a projectionist. ... One very dramatic scene in the Al Gore global warming movie is when a glacier melts and they find more Al Gore ballots from the election." --David Letterman
Step 5 – Green Renovations – Energy Grants and Rebates
Now the renovation is done, the mess is gone you have just enjoyed your first dinner with friends in your new dining room and kitchen and the question is asked. “Bob – you’ve got the power. How much savings did you get from the renovation?” And that is when you remember that the process has one last step.
The second energy audit is conducted following the completion of the recommended improvements to evaluate and verify the actual work performed. (This is where an unbiased auditor is important). The auditor submits the report to the ecoENERGY retrofit program. ecoENERGY issues the grant money. Local municipalities may also offer low ware usage rebates. See links below for more details.
Check out:
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/retrofit-homes/questions-answers.cfm#q19
http://www.toronto.ca/watereff/flush/
http://www.peelregion.ca/watersmartpeel/indoor/toilet-program-1.htm
Get going green!
Now the renovation is done, the mess is gone you have just enjoyed your first dinner with friends in your new dining room and kitchen and the question is asked. “Bob – you’ve got the power. How much savings did you get from the renovation?” And that is when you remember that the process has one last step.
The second energy audit is conducted following the completion of the recommended improvements to evaluate and verify the actual work performed. (This is where an unbiased auditor is important). The auditor submits the report to the ecoENERGY retrofit program. ecoENERGY issues the grant money. Local municipalities may also offer low ware usage rebates. See links below for more details.
Check out:
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/retrofit-homes/questions-answers.cfm#q19
http://www.toronto.ca/watereff/flush/
http://www.peelregion.ca/watersmartpeel/indoor/toilet-program-1.htm
Get going green!
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Step 4 – Green Renovations – Build
Once your plan is in place it is time to start the work. Thinking green in work terms means practicing green in how you do your work and what you use.
On site a contractor should have only materials ordered that will be required – just enough to do the work. This creates less waste. Materials stored on site need to be protected from the elements again to reduce waste. Driving vehicles back and forth for supplies due to poor planning is not only a time water but a huge fuel waste considering most commercial vehicle are gas guzzlers.
Rather than the big disposal bin on site which makes it easy to fill and remove - recycle. (The bin may be destined for Michigan). We have always been recycling drywall, wood, packaging, metal, tile and other materials from a job sites into local municipal recycling centres. It takes extra work – but it is the right way.
We like to call this the 4 R’s reduce, reuse, recycle, and really think. There are no cookie cutter green solutions for older homes. Each is unique and presents its own challenges.
Even if the project is not “green” we can incorporate green practices and materials. We ask what eco-materials can be included in the project. (E.g. low VOC paint).
Go green!
Once your plan is in place it is time to start the work. Thinking green in work terms means practicing green in how you do your work and what you use.
On site a contractor should have only materials ordered that will be required – just enough to do the work. This creates less waste. Materials stored on site need to be protected from the elements again to reduce waste. Driving vehicles back and forth for supplies due to poor planning is not only a time water but a huge fuel waste considering most commercial vehicle are gas guzzlers.
Rather than the big disposal bin on site which makes it easy to fill and remove - recycle. (The bin may be destined for Michigan). We have always been recycling drywall, wood, packaging, metal, tile and other materials from a job sites into local municipal recycling centres. It takes extra work – but it is the right way.
We like to call this the 4 R’s reduce, reuse, recycle, and really think. There are no cookie cutter green solutions for older homes. Each is unique and presents its own challenges.
Even if the project is not “green” we can incorporate green practices and materials. We ask what eco-materials can be included in the project. (E.g. low VOC paint).
Go green!
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