Manufactured homes can be dismantled with relative ease.
Old homes of any kind, including manufactured homes or mobile homes, contain all manner of useful materials that can be used for a variety of purposes. Wood paneling, old tiles, metal pipes and light fixtures can all be recycled. You can use these parts for many different kinds of projects, including home improvement projects and other activities such as art projects. If you have no use for them yourself, sell or donate them to resale or repurposing shops or charities. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Make a list of the supplies you'll need for your project, if you have a specific project in mind. Usable supplies might include cabinet fronts, countertops and metal pipes, as well as screws, nails, nuts and bolts. Bits of broken glass from windows can be used to make collages or stained glass projects.
2. Look for recyclable parts. Examples of these parts are wood panels without mold or holes, bricks, stones and fixtures that are in functional condition or can be repaired with a minimum of time and effort. What makes a part usable will be determined by its intended use.
3. Repair the parts you have chosen as necessary. Wood may need sanding or holes filled with putty, while windows may need the glass reframed or cracks around the edges sealed.
4. Analyze the structure to see if it can be used in some other way. Some older mobile homes and prefab houses may look unattractive but still be livable. In some cases you can move structurally sound buildings to new lots and make them livable with some minimal repairs.
5. Remove all wiring, cables and metal such as that found in heaters or run-down refrigerators. Donate or sell these parts to secondhand building supply stores or charities such as Habitat for Humanity. Contact local metal recycling companies to find out what types of metal they accept.
6. Pull out the fixtures. Lighting fixtures, door knobs and bathroom or sink fixtures can be reused so long as they aren't rusted through, although lighting fixtures may need to be rewired.
7. Use a spatula and hammer to carefully crack the grouting along the edges of showers, bath tubs, sinks and toilets after cleaning them and turning off the water. The products can easily be sold or given away to be used by others. If something cracks, consider a whimsical solution, such as using the cracked toilet bowl as a planter for flowers.
8. Remove all doors, shelves and cabinets that are made of wood. Cabinets and doors can be extremely costly and are highly sought after in recycling shops.
9. Take out glass windows, stained glass decorations, sliding glass doors, mirrored closet doors and any other glass. Broken pieces can be donated for use in mosaics or to make a pathway at the new house, while the functional pieces can be used to replace broken windows or in simple projects such as creating a greenhouse for your plants.
Tags: these parts, metal pipes, mobile homes, stained glass
