Sources for CHEEP (think FREE) coop building materials?!?!

[Sugar Sand Farm]

My daughters boyfriend works for an elevator company. They put up residental elevators in some very evry expensive homes. He brings us all the hugh pallets and extra sheets of plywood Some of it is 1 inch thick. The men load up the dumpsters and put his name on any peices they think he might use. You should see some of the beautiful wood he has gooten from the dumpster. The pallets are made with 4x4inch boards and are usually 6 feet long and 4 foot wide. Check out your local builders and companies many of them use pallets you would be surprised what you can build with pallets.

 

[Namaste Mama]

Also check the OOPS paint at Lowes or Home Depot, I just picked up 10 gallons of paint for $30!! They also have a section of board pieces that are cut from longer boards and they sell those for 50 cents a piece.

Oh for free check out Tile and Flooring stores, they have a great selection of paletes too!

 

[chickygirl2]

It's freecycle.org

 

[cjstanman]

You might also want to check with some of your local businesses. My company makes utility "bucket" trucks and we are constantly looking for ways to give away pallets, 2x4s, wood scraps, etc. As the other person mentioned, we have to *PAY* to get rid of it, and we're drowning in it!

I thought I also saw on another thread that if you have a glass company in town, they have larger pieces of wood as well.

 

[BethESH]

Wow! Lots of great ideas...thanks so very much!!! You guys are great!

Now onto my next question...I think I have a line on some 4 ft-long rounded posts. The man and I were talking last night about doing a log-cabin-style coop...has anyone tried that?

 

[BethESH]

Okay, so in the above post, I said:
Quote:
Guess what!?!?! They're actually 6-foot posts.

Oh joy, rapture!?!?!?

This may work out after all!

Still hunting for ideas on a log-cabin-type coop! Anyone?

 

[FrChuckW]

You can do a web search for Log Cabin Designs or...

If the posts are thick enough to split in half, you can build the coop frame out of 2 x 4's and take the split posts and attach them to the outside of the frame to make it look like a log cabin. You will also have to consider how you are going to chink between each log to cut the drafts.

Depending on the size coop you plan to build may dictate how to use those posts, or how many there are. If you don't have enough to build the entire coop out of them you can either use them on the side facing the yard and use other materials for the back and sides, of use the posts as the poles for your run.

 

[Wifezilla]

Some places give away old pallets. Freecycle is good. If you don't mind paying a little, there is also Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I just picked up some huge, brand new cinder blocks there for $1.20 each. The had lighting there for dirt cheap....lots of doors...windows, etc. Bifold doors were only $5.

 

[GopherBoyFarms]

construction site dumpsters.
Keep an eye out for ANY construction site. If you show up at the end of the day and ask the foreman if you can have the stuff they would otherwise be throwing away nine times out of ten they will be more then happy to let you take it. Heck, I have even seen them help Lance load the stuff in our truck!

~Tiff~

 

[crazyhen]

I got two windows at habitat. We paid 5 dollars for just a big sash and hung it with 1.00 good hinges. For summer we will screen it but it really works great. Also it will help someone else to have a home. I like that. Jean