Home renovation materials – When you’ve completed a DIY project you may find yourself with a lot of leftover materials, tools, and other equipment.
Once the project ends it may seem reasonable to discard these items thinking there may not be any use for them in the future. However, a better solution would be to look at ways of storing these potentially expensive items rather than simply throwing them out.
Different materials and equipment require different storage measures to stay in a usable condition.
Here is a breakdown of how best to store the most commonly used materials in home renovation projects. This advice is given by steel building general contractor Volodymyr Barabakh
lumber storage rack
There are a few things to consider when storing lumber and various types of wood, particularly when it comes to moisture, dampness, and even pressure.
When you’re storing wooden beams you want to avoid warping. This is when the wood bends due to excess moisture.
Various parts of planks and wooden beams can absorb a lot more moisture than other areas and therefore these parts will expand. This leaves the beams misshapen and curved meaning that they will not fit flush with other beams in the future.
To help prevent warping you should ensure that your lumber is kept well away from any potential moisture. This could mean that it is stored in a temperature-controlled storage unit, or covered by a tarp or similar physical barrier. Just make sure that any such barrier covers all parts of the wood completely.
You should also ensure that a level of even pressure is placed on the stored wood, which will also help avoid the build up of moisture in one specific part of the wooden beam. You can place weights on top of the tarp or barrier and also place bricks evenly on top of any stacked lumber.
If you are looking to store wood for an extended period it would also be advisable to look into purchasing cured wood. This type of wood is less easily permeated by moisture so is less likely to warp.
Bricks
Bricks are notably tough and more resistant to many climate-based factors, making them durable and fairly simple to store at home. However, you must ensure that stored bricks avoid coming into contact with water.
If you live in an area where this happens then it’s advisable to either keep the bricks raised off of the ground or properly covered so that the bottom layer of bricks will not sit in water for extended periods of time.
Storing bricks in a storage unit is a guaranteed way of keeping them dry. However, do not attempt to stack them higher than five bricks high as falling from such a height can cause them to break.
How to Store Cement
Cement, like lumber, should avoid any contact with moisture.
It must be kept in a tightly sealed bag and kept off of the ground to provide the ventilation required to keep it dry.
It’s also important to make sure that it is kept well away from wet or liquid-based materials that may be nearby, such as glue, paint, or primers. The fumes from these materials can also cause cement to deteriorate.
If a bag of cement is unopened and stored correctly it will likely have a shelf life of around 6 months. Be wary of using cement that is stored for longer than this.
Paint and Primer
It’s important to keep both paint and primers in a cool area (ideally under 70 degrees Fahrenheit). If either material is exposed to heat or air it will start to dry out.
The container that the paint or primer is kept in must be kept securely and tightly sealed each time after use. The best method to use to ensure your pots are sealed as tightly as possible is by placing a thin layer of plastic wrap at the open part of the pot, placing the lid on top, and then gently hammering the lid back down in place.
Tiles and Roof Shingles
The most common way in which tiles and roof shingles get damaged during storage is from them toppling over or getting scratched or cracked on the ground. They should be stacked in smaller piles to help prevent this. Keep the piles safe in boxes or wrapped in bubble wrap and try not to stack them more than 3 tiles high.
Even though tiles and roof shingles are highly durable it’s important to keep them in a temperature-controlled environment if you intend on storing them for a long time. Ideally, they should be kept in an area where the temperature is set no higher than 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
If the temperature gets any higher than this it could result in the materials becoming more susceptible to cracks.
Glue
It’s important to make sure that glue doesn’t dry out when it is kept in storage. To avoid this make sure that any pots or bottles of glue that have already been opened are resealed as tight as possible.
The glue should be kept securely sealed and in a location that has a temperature under 65 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a smaller open pot then it is recommended that you keep this in the fridge if at all possible.
If you have used a glue gun stick then the remaining glue sticks should be placed into a sealed plastic bag, along with rice or a silicon gel packet. Both of which will help remove any moisture from the bag. The glue sticks should also be in an area with a temperature under 65 degrees.
Conclusion
DIY projects can be expensive and time-consuming and no matter how well you’ve planned them you could be left with a lot of leftover material. But there’s truly no need to throw out good materials just because you haven’t used it all. You may need them in the future and so each material must be stored correctly to help maintain its shelf life – Home renovation materials