Recycled Building Materials You Can Use For Your Next Bathroom Renovation

The bathroom is one of the rooms you spend the most time in, so it should be comfortable and functional. Unfortunately, however, making changes can get expensive. On average, a bathroom remodel can range from $6,640 to $17,622. Thankfully, you can save some money while helping the environment by using recycled building materials for your renovation. Using materials like recycled glass, concrete, tile, and reclaimed wood can be more cost-effective, while also helping prevent landfill buildup and the formation of greenhouse gases.

There are plenty of ways to incorporate recycled items in your remodel while having different design aesthetics. Want an industrial feel? Install old steel pipes for your towel racks. Floating shelves are among the items you can use to organize your bathroom and can be a quick DIY project. After gathering some scrap wood, screw some support pieces into wall studs, put the main shelf layer on top, nail it into the supports, cut a trim piece, and nail that on. With DIY projects, you can get recycled materials by checking construction sites, your neighborhood sidewalk on trash day, Facebook marketplace, salvage stores, and tree-trimming services. You can also hire experts that specialize in recycled and upcycled items to create a beautiful and affordable sustainable bathroom.

One of the rules to follow when designing your bathroom involves creating a focal point, which you can do with an accent wall. Consider something shiny with vast color options, such as recycled glass tile. These materials may come from beverage bottles or broken car windshields. Glass tiles are non-porous, so they are protected from moisture damage that can lead to mold or mildew in your bathroom. It also protects them from stains. Do you want to use their beauty to create a colorful floor? One caveat to know is that glass tiles can be slippery. However, smaller ones can create enough traction with the grunt joints to prevent slipping.

Beautiful countertops aren't just for the kitchen upgrade. These surfaces are one of the most visible areas in the bathroom, which provide necessary function as they host items. They can also affect home value. If your current bathroom countertops have water damage, are chipped, or are losing grout, recycled glass composites are the perfect solution. Have you ever seen stunning terrazzo floors in historical buildings, stately homes, or museums? You can create that same look on new bathroom countertops thanks to IceStone, which mimics its appearance. However, instead of using granite and marble, this composite material uses glass from consumer items sent to recycling facilities. Once mixed with non-toxic pigments and cement, the ground-up glass creates a smooth surface that can resist those hot curling irons in your bathroom.

Microcementing is a bathroom design trend that is DIY-friendly and on the rise. Luckily, you can incorporate the material into your fixtures, too. You can find microcement that already has recycled components to create a sink or full vanity for a strong focal point in any bathroom. You see more of these sinks popping up in modern bathrooms due to their customizable shape and strength that prevents chipping and can last 50 to 60 years with maintenance. If you have a large family or often have guests, these sinks are ideal for high-traffic. You have a range of design options regarding shape, depth, color and placement to suit any bathroom theme. This material can easily blend in with other sustainable materials and styles from multi-colored glass tiles to wood to metal. Your recycled concrete sink may be created in a floating style, a double sink, vessel sink that sits on top of the counter, or a deep trough that hosts several faucets.

If you're tired of cleaning between shower tiles, revamping your shower space with recycled concrete may be the solution. With its smooth surface, you won't have to worry about mold or mildew in grout joints, making it easy to clean. Don't worry — you can add more flair by coloring it with pigment or stencil designs. After a long day, do you sometimes want to sit in the shower and let the steam hit you? Why not incorporate a recycled concrete bench? Treated lumber or PVC can provide support for a concrete slab.