Handling of used materials

In this task, you will work with the handling of used wood materials.

The task is based on working with clean wood without chemicals and hazardous substances. Wood that has been treated with chemicals or surface-treated with paint containing hazardous substances must be environmentally screened and removed from a building before materials are extracted for reuse.

Teacher's guide: 

9. Wood_EN.pdf

How to handle used materials

Reused wood and wood products can vary greatly in age, dimensions, quality, and potential for reuse. Often, reused wood has accumulated various items such as nails, screws, brackets, glue, sealant, mortar, and plaster over the years. When taking wood for reuse from a demolition, many of these materials typically remain attached to the wood. They need to be removed from the wood before it can be reused.

Duration: 40 minutes

Reading: 10 minutes

Tasks: 30 minutes

Good advice for handling used wood

  • Remove all added materials such as nails, screws, brackets, sealant, and plaster from the wood.
  • Use crowbars, hammers, spatulas, paint scrapers, chisels, screwdrivers, etc.
  • Remember personal protective equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, dust masks, etc.
  • Reused wood can - unlike new wood and lumber - vary greatly in size and dimension. The tolerances are larger and therefore require adjustment and finishing.
  • Look at the wood and assess the core structure and the age of the wood. Check the quality of the wood and consider where it can be used.
En haug med ulikt verktøy og spiker.

Task (30 min.)

You are now to reflect on how reused wood should be handled compared to your previous experience with demolitions or working with reused wood.

Remember to write down your answers. Feel free to copy the questions into a document, so you can write answers to each one.

Discuss in pairs (20 min)

  1. What are your experiences with handling and working with reused wood? This could be in connection with renovation or demolition of building parts.
  2. Did you consider whether there could be dangerous substances in the wood materials you worked with?
  3. Did you use personal protective equipment, or what should you have used?
  4. What tools and aids did you use to handle the reused wood?
  5. What do you think about using reused wood?

Collective summary (10 min.)

  1. Has anyone worked with reused wood without using the correct protective gear?
    1. If so, why did you not do so?
    2. What would have needed to happen for you to have used it?
  2. What are your experiences and attitudes towards using reused wood in practice?