How to cut and lay a reclaimed end grain wood floor from the book Building with Secondhand Stuff

Today's book that you can get yourself in the running for is a bit different than the ones we normally have up for grabs in our Wednesday Book Giveaway. It's a copy of:

Building with Secondhand Stuff:

How to Re-Claim, Re-Vamp, Re-Purpose & Re-Use Salvaged & Leftover Building Materials

...and the inside peek is a tutorial on how to cut and lay a recycled end grain floor. How cool is that?!

The question to get yourself in the running  for Building with Secondhand Stuff is:

What is your favorite wood thing you own or make?

Leave your answer in today's comments section by Midnight ET on Wednesday, November 16, 2011.

Now onto the tutorial on how to cut and lay a recycled end grain floor:

Click on these pages from

Building with Secondhand Stuff:

How to Re-Claim, Re-Vamp, Re-Purpose & Re-Use Salvaged & Leftover Building Materials

to enlarge and read how to make a recycled end grain floor.

More about the book:

Building with Secondhand Stuff:

How to Re-Claim, Re-Vamp, Re-Purpose & Re-Use Salvaged & Leftover Building Materials

by

Chris Peterson

This book takes green remodeling and construction practices to new extremes. From deconstruction methods and salvaging tips to plotting efficient cutting plans and devising creative new uses for everyday items, it is packed with clever ways to obtain low-cost materials (and reduce landfilling in the process).

Building with Secondhand Stuff contains the answer to a question most of us have wondered about at some point: Is that pile of used maple flooring I saw on Craigslist worth taking? 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). This book 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 professional writer and editor based in Brooklyn, New York. An expert in home design, repair and renovation and an avid cook, he’s the author of Manskills,  When Duct Tape Just Isn’t Enough: Quick Fixes for Everyday Disasters, A Man’s Whirled: Every Guy’s Guide to Cooking with the Blender, and several other books.

Comments

[macaklinka]

It's a Kuksa - a traditional finnish wooden cup handmade of lumps in treetrunk.

[Anotherjennifermakingstuff.blogspot.com]

My favorite wood thing that I own right now is a cut from an Elm tree trunk. I'm sanding it and then plan on using tung oil to finish it. I'll add wheels and make it into a coffee table.

[Kylie C]

I love making wooden buttons for knit pieces from windfall branches- just slice, drill, sand, and oil. Thanks for the great giveaway.

[Janel]

I have a graduated bookshelf that my dad made for my kids. It has a tall, deep shelf on the bottom that is perfect for oversized hard-covered books. The shelves get smaller until the top one, which is the perfect size for trade paperbacks.

[Holly U]

My husband built a boat -- really more of a skeleton of a boat -- for our son this summer entirely from an apple tree on our property which was felled by an ice storm last winter. He did it without any power tools too. It was a huge hit at my son's pirate-themed birthday party!

[Heather]

I have many, many favorite things made from wood, up to and including kitchen utensils- but my very favorite thing is a wooden crock that I found in a thrift store once. It looks like an old-school bean crock, complete with a lid, and it's pretty obvious that it was someone's "weekend project"- it's not a factory piece, and thus all the more loveable and real-looking. I'm pretty sure that the wood is cherry, and it just feels warm and lovely in my hands. I love it all the more because I don't currently have the lathe to do this myself- but someday soon, I hope! BTW, thanks for sharing the peek at the book- that sounds like something I'm gonna have to have! :o)

[Jami C.]

A compost fence from recycled wooden pallets...

[Tammy @GodlyHomemakers]

My favorite wood thing - is a little end table / bookshelf that my dad made years ago, it now resides in my baby's room.

[Kelly]

my favorite wood thing I own is my entertainment center, it is completely modular and fits all our needs

[Stephanie]

My grandfather and great-grandfather were carpenters, and my favorite wood thing is a huge desk that they built- it has cubbies, a pull-out desktop, drawers, and no nails. At all.Just wooden pegs. It's very cool.

[Kcli]

I am always looking for new ways to work with picture frames. Our thrift store has an abundance and the variety makes it easy to upcycle them into mirrors, mini greenhouses, serving trays, photo booth props, etc...which make for fun home accessories with little cost. My favorite tool however is my scroll saw!

[Betty Reece]

My new coffee table made from old wood obtained from a friend who owns a sawmill. My husband and I designed it and he made it for me. Looks modern and has a lid that opens to reveal a large storage space. He is so good!

[Cindy Catlin]

My favorite wooden thing I've made is an end table fashioned from part of an old magazine stand and a piece of cherry wood. The cherry wood is so beautiful !It was the first of many recycled projects for me. I LOVE wood !

[Bea]

I love my traditional totem pole!

[Colleen]

I love my wood floor in my house, my husband and I refinished it when we moved in.

[Tracie B.]

I love making things for my children and gifts for others most of all. I particularly like building Adirondack chairs and picture frames. I'm completely consumed with thoughts of all the things I can build someday!

[Marilyn]

I love to repurpose everything I can...sometimes it's the thinking process that's the most fun..other times I can't wait to finish so I can see what my project looks like.

[Marilyn]

I forgot to put my favorite thing...my very favorite thing to make from wood (at the moment) is small wooden wagons. They are so cute...make great gifts with either flowers in them, or some special things for a theme, like all the makings for a spaghetti supper in the wagon wrapped to give to a new neighbor. They look so cute beside the fireplace with wood starter pieces. I have used reclaimed wood from pallets to thrown away pieces at a building site...anywhere I can find wood. My mind is always turning, trying to think of new things to make from something found.

[Mary Mac]

I am a crafter and my husband makes all my shelves for my craft room. Right now he is redoing some doors on our RV.

[Karey]

I love little wooden boxes that I can use for painting and decorating.

[Cindy S]

I would love to make picture frames for my oil paintings. I need to win this to get ideas!

[Claire]

I love to make things all the time particularly my Grandchildren. So this prize would be superb for me.

[Galatina]

My favourite wooden thing is our beautiful bedroom floor that my partner restored.

[Desta]

My favorite thing is the jewelry box with drawers my Dad made in high school. I want to make dollhouses, and always look for plans.

[Jane S.]

My favorite wooden thing is a backscratcher. Really. My husband gave it to me several years ago and it is a beautiful thing. Contoured handle, curved shaft, oil finish. When it gets dull I just use a file on the "teeth" and it gets nice and sharp again. :)