Completing home remodeling projects on a budget is tough. Building with Secondhand Stuff is loaded with all the green construction and money saving techniques you’ll need!

From deconstruction methods and salvaging tips, to plotting efficient cutting plans and devising creative new uses for everyday items, Building with Secondhand Stuff is packed with clever ways to obtain low-cost (or no cost!) materials and keep debris out of landfills in the process.

Building with Secondhand Stuff answers questions most of us have wondered at some point: Is that pile of used maple flooring on Craigslist worth taking? Can I do anything with those window panes by the dumpster? Can I take a pick up load of bricks from that building they knocked down?

From plywood to hardwood flooring, to windows, doors, carpeting and more, salvaging building materials can save you thousands of dollars (and is about as green as you can get). Building with Secondhand Stuff is a hands-on, do-it-yourselfer's guide that shows you how to identify materials that can be salvaged efficiently and then gives you step-by-step instructions on how to go about doing it.

Plus, it provides over one dozen complete plans featuring clever ideas for putting salvaged materials to good use as useful home furnishings.

Chris Peterson is a veteran home improvement and design author. Among the many books he has written are 5-Gallon Bucket Book, Building with Secondhand Stuff, Manskills, four books in the Ideas You Can Use series, and many books in Cool Springs Press’s BLACK+DECKER Complete Guide series. He has also co-authored numerous home design books with noted media celebrities. He lives in Ashland, Oregon.

“There’s no shortage of ideas out there for reusing salvaged materials, but Chris Peterson provides the how-tos. Peterson, an expert in home design, repair and renovation, has written Building with Secondhand Stuff (Creative Publishing International, $19.99). It’s a practical guide to choosing, salvaging, refreshing and reusing materials such as wood, metal, stone and glass. The book focuses on working with materials, but there’s plenty of inspiration to spark your creativity, too.” - The Chicago Tribune 

“How can you get a new look – or a new shed, garage, outbuilding or playhouse for the kids – for cheap or for free? Start with the ideas in Building with Seconhand Stuff. If you’re looking for something old to lend a new look, then look here first.” - Georgia Times Union