[drlith]

In another post I mentioned Community Forklift, a non-profit construction salvage warehouse in the Hyattsville, a Maryland suburb near the College Park IKEA. Garden of Darwin suggested I put a post here as well.

Their website is: CommunityForklift.com

They have a good variety of scrap granite slabs available, currently priced at around $5.00/sq foot. They also have tons of OLD cabinets, a handful of near new or new ones, lots and lots of old solid wood doors, windows, shutters, small lots of tile, cast iron tubs, old door knobs and hinges and light fixtures and concrete pavers.... well, it's a real smorgasbord, borkborkbork. Kinda like your grandpa's garage, and your grandma's kitchen (including the kitchen sink), times a thousand and piled up on a monster warehouse.

They also have TONS of raw lumber and salvaged moldings, and more paint that you can shake a paint-stick at--all tested and guaranteed at least 3/4 full, and crazy cheap (I think it was $2.00/gallon).

It is not the greatest treasure trove of truly funky architectural pieces, although they have a few pieces at any given time in that vein (entire victorian mantles, ironwork, cornices)

So, if you're an adventuresome DIYer with eclectic tastes and green sensibilities, I recommend you check it out. If you're not in the Maryland suburbs, there may be a similar salvage yard near you. I know that Habitat for Humanity runs construction salvage resale shops in many localities, and Bawlamore IKEAers might want to check out Second Chance Inc. (http://www.secondchanceinc.org/). I've not been there, but I've been tempted! I just noticed on 2nd Chance's web site that they're having an Earth Day sale this week, so it'd be a good time to pay them a visit. Maybe I'll see you there.

P.S. Not to get your hopes up, but at Community Forklift I stumbled upon the complete makings for two 18" and one 30" base cabinet, with hinges , doors, drawers and everything, unopened and in the original packaging, for $40. Talk about a score!

[DesignDiva]

Wow...sounds like the kind of place I'd love to spend a whole day at! Unfortunately, the commute is a killer for me LOL

[kelly]

Thank you for posting this- I once was in a truly gorgeous historic home in St Paul- the owners had used salvaged marble for small bathroom spaces and it was perfect and FABULOUS for that space. This particular area was a carriage house that was all Chinese Chippendale and the bathroom was marble marble marble. Outstanding. The main house had a library salvaged in entirety from a French room of the same dimensions- in some kind of pink wood, ormaleu...to die for.

[Toxigal]

In the Baltimore Metro area there is also The Loading Dock though they do have a $10 annual fee.

[gt1]

Originally Posted by drlith

... and Bawlamore IKEAers might want to check out Second Chance Inc. (http://www.secondchanceinc.org/). I've not been there, but I've been tempted! I just noticed on 2nd Chance's web site that they're having an Earth Day sale this week, so it'd be a good time to pay them a visit. Maybe I'll see you there.

I went there, was unimpressed. New appliances cost about the same as in stores, I don't see any reason to buy them with no warranty, manuals and free delivery service. There are lots of kitchen cabinets, but nothing from IKEA. Piles of assorted old junk, some people might get a kick out of it, but I didn't find anything I would want. The "Antique" warehouse has such a strong smell of old rotten house, that I was out in 2 minutes.