[fisheggs]

Hi folks -

I'm just curious about what some of you are doing with the drywall chunks that are ripped out of your home. Any creative ideas? Craft projects? I'm talking small chunks and crumbly slivers here, nothing that could be reused in the form of a whole or half sheet.

Our first part of the remodel involved demolishing a built-in pantry and tearing up the vinyl flooring and particleboard underlayment. I saved all the studs from the pantry and have used some of them in building up other kitchen projects and to make some planters. I used some of the vinyl to cover the base of the planters in hopes that it'll make them last a little bit longer outside. We're painting them with 10-year-old paint left by the previous owners. So, no dumpster yet!

But...I have a big pile of drywall chunks in our basement and I can't think of what to do with it. It seems like a totally useless material in it's current form. I'm going to probably have to cart it off to our dump unless someone has some info about whether anyone can recycle it into new drywall or do anything that doesn't involve ending up in a landfill!

[kisaacs]

My initial thought was that since it's gypsum based, you could use it as a soil addititive if you normally need to use lime or something on your lawn (we have lots of oak and pine, so we do this a couple times a year).

I googled and came up with this doc:

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/de...l_185414_7.pdf

If your kids (don't remember if you have kids!) or some neighborhood kids want to make a football field in the backyard, they can use this for the lines

Kristen

[fisheggs]

Oooh...that's a good idea! I'm just starting out with gardening (this is my first spring!) so I'll be checking with the local extension info on how to figure out my soil chemistry and all that. I hadn't considered using it in the soil.

Thanks!.

[kisaacs]

Cool - let me know if it works. I don't know anything about soil chemistry except that our trees make our soil super acidic, so lime helps. I also know very little about the pH of gypsum, so definitely check it out before you do it - don't want to kill your first attempt at gardening, and I certainly don't have much of a green thumb!

Kristen

[stacylu]

Gypsum also helps break down clay soil a bit. It takes quite a bit to make it real dirt but it can't really hurt.

[TopHatDancer]

I keep drywall pieces as " canvas" for my kids.
They break out the paint & go crazy . . . it's easy to hang up if a masterpiece is made . . . or if they don't like it they just paint over it.

Also if you or anyone you know does faux painting it can be saved for practice/experimenting new techniques.