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Disposing of old drywall?

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Paul Nash

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Nov 12, 1999, 3:00:00 AM11/12/99
to
I looked around Deja, but couldn't find what I wanted to know, so here
goes...

I'm considering ripping out some drywall and replacing it, for a number of
reasons including that somebody put a nice walkway between two of my
bedrooms with bi-fold doors and I don't like it at all. Anyway, I was
wondering what the standard way of getting rid of the old drywall is...just
drive it to the dump? Give it to some sort of recycler?

What are the odds that my walls have lead paint in them, and does that
matter? (for disposal -- of course I should be careful with dust when
gutting the old stuff). My house was built in '65.

Thanks...

-Paul

Michael Edelman

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Nov 12, 1999, 3:00:00 AM11/12/99
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Paul Nash wrote:
>
...
> What are the odds that my walls have lead paint in them.... My house was built in '65.

Zero, I'd say.

Sean Smith

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Nov 12, 1999, 3:00:00 AM11/12/99
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Paul Nash <pr-...@nwlink.com> wrote in message
news:382b...@news.nwlink.com...

> I looked around Deja, but couldn't find what I wanted to know, so here
> goes...
> I'm considering ripping out some drywall and replacing it, for a number of
> reasons including that somebody put a nice walkway between two of my
> bedrooms with bi-fold doors and I don't like it at all. Anyway, I was
> wondering what the standard way of getting rid of the old drywall
is...just
> drive it to the dump? Give it to some sort of recycler?

Just send it to the dump. The board is gypsum, which is a calcium based
rock and is fine to dispose of naturally. The covering is paper and many
times, the paint it plain latex. It's all pretty
biodegradable/biocompatible. Just break it up and send it to the dump.

> What are the odds that my walls have lead paint in them, and does that
> matter? (for disposal -- of course I should be careful with dust when

> gutting the old stuff). My house was built in '65.
> Thanks...
> -Paul

There's only an extremely small chance of being lead paint in it. If
you're worried, have it tested.

Sean


John Barry

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Nov 12, 1999, 3:00:00 AM11/12/99
to
Hi, Sean

Lead pigments were discontinued in the mid-seventies. That leaves him a
ten-year exposure. The chances seem pretty good that there's lead in there.

HTH,
John

Sean Smith <sean...@racemark.com> wrote in message
news:80hhgr$s6r$1...@Usenet.Logical.NET...

Eric Gunnerson

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Nov 12, 1999, 3:00:00 AM11/12/99
to
"Paul Nash" <pr-...@nwlink.com> wrote in message
news:382b...@news.nwlink.com...
> I looked around Deja, but couldn't find what I wanted to know, so here
> goes...
>
> I'm considering ripping out some drywall and replacing it, for a number of
> reasons including that somebody put a nice walkway between two of my
> bedrooms with bi-fold doors and I don't like it at all. Anyway, I was
> wondering what the standard way of getting rid of the old drywall
is...just
> drive it to the dump? Give it to some sort of recycler?

The dump is about your only choice. There are drywall recyclers, but they
only recycle scraps from new buildings.

John Coggins

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Nov 12, 1999, 3:00:00 AM11/12/99
to
If you grow tomatoes, they like calcium in the soil. Somebody here
suggested using joint compound as a soil additive so I guess crushed
drywall would work as well.

Paul Nash wrote:
>
> I looked around Deja, but couldn't find what I wanted to know, so here
> goes...
>
> I'm considering ripping out some drywall and replacing it, for a number of
> reasons including that somebody put a nice walkway between two of my
> bedrooms with bi-fold doors and I don't like it at all. Anyway, I was
> wondering what the standard way of getting rid of the old drywall is...just
> drive it to the dump? Give it to some sort of recycler?
>

Bob Sovereign

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Nov 12, 1999, 3:00:00 AM11/12/99
to
Why not dispose of the old drywall in the wall cavity you will construct?

Makes nice soundproofing.

matt.r...@worldnet.att.net

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Nov 13, 1999, 3:00:00 AM11/13/99
to
Paul Nash <pr-...@nwlink.com> wrote:

: I'm considering ripping out some drywall and replacing it, for a number of


: reasons including that somebody put a nice walkway between two of my
: bedrooms with bi-fold doors and I don't like it at all. Anyway, I was
: wondering what the standard way of getting rid of the old drywall is...just
: drive it to the dump? Give it to some sort of recycler?

I helped to this a couple of years ago and we just chucked it in the big
roll-off dumpster that we used for all of the renovation trash.

FWIW, the drywall removal procedure that seemed to work well was...

* Knock a hole in the drywall with a hammer, between two studs, big enough
to get two hands in. (Note: All power and water was off in this building,
so no danger of hitting wires and pipes.)
* Grab one edge of the drywall with both hands and start shaking it back
and forth.
* The screws should pull through, and you can pull a big chunk of it away
from the wall. Just fold it and it will break where it wants to, usually
in a convenient chunk.
* Repeat the process. Once you've pulled a piece you will have edges to
work with for a while, then you will need to knock another hole.
* Even if you are negative for lead, use a dusk mask! One of those paper-cup
ones that goes over your mouth and nose will help a lot. The gypsum
dust gets EVERYWHERE.
* After all the drywall is gone, use an electric screwdriver to remove
old screws and/or a claw hammer for old nails.

I hope this helps!

Matt Roberds
above is a spamtrap, take out first 'att.' to reply

Daniel Hicks

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Nov 13, 1999, 3:00:00 AM11/13/99
to
John Barry wrote:
>
> Hi, Sean
>
> Lead pigments were discontinued in the mid-seventies. That leaves him a
> ten-year exposure. The chances seem pretty good that there's lead in there.

Not that good. Latex paint had already become popular for drywall.
Lead-based paint would only be used on the woodwork.

Paul Nash

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Nov 13, 1999, 3:00:00 AM11/13/99
to
Sean Smith <sean...@racemark.com> wrote in message
news:80hhgr$s6r$1...@Usenet.Logical.NET...
>
> Just send it to the dump. The board is gypsum, which is a calcium
based
> rock and is fine to dispose of naturally. The covering is paper and many
> times, the paint it plain latex. It's all pretty
> biodegradable/biocompatible. Just break it up and send it to the dump.

Cool, that's what I figured. So, let's see -- drywall's cheap, joint
compound is fairly cheap, it sounds like the most expensive part might be
getting the old drywall to the dump (getting a dumpster or paying to get rid
of what I haul there). Crazy, but I guess it's gotta go somewhere. :-)

> > What are the odds that my walls have lead paint in them, and does that
>

> There's only an extremely small chance of being lead paint in it. If
> you're worried, have it tested.

Not really worried for me since I won't lick the dust up or unnecessarily
expose myself, and will cleanup afterwards, I was mostly wondering whether
or not it would affect my ability to dispose of it in, say, a roll-off
dumpster.

-Paul

Yankee Builder

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Jun 23, 2015, 6:42:55 PM6/23/15
to
On Friday, November 12, 1999 at 3:00:00 AM UTC-5, Paul Nash wrote:
> I looked around Deja, but couldn't find what I wanted to know, so here
> goes...
>
> I'm considering ripping out some drywall and replacing it, for a number of
> reasons including that somebody put a nice walkway between two of my
> bedrooms with bi-fold doors and I don't like it at all. Anyway, I was
> wondering what the standard way of getting rid of the old drywall is...just
> drive it to the dump? Give it to some sort of recycler?
>
> What are the odds that my walls have lead paint in them, and does that
> matter? (for disposal -- of course I should be careful with dust when
> gutting the old stuff). My house was built in '65.
>
> Thanks...
>
> -Paul

But a Bagster from Home Depot for $29.95 and have Waste Management haul it away (for $150 or so). Burying waste building materials is just a bad idea. Filling wall cavities with it is even worse.

Message has been deleted

Gordon Shumway

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Jun 23, 2015, 9:07:14 PM6/23/15
to
Hey, Mr. Peabody, get into your Wayback machine and set it to sometime
after the turn of the century. I'm sure your advice is no longer
needed by Mr. Nash.

Ed Pawlowski

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Jun 23, 2015, 9:12:32 PM6/23/15
to
On 6/23/2015 8:40 PM, gfre...@aol.com wrote:

> I got the trash man to haul away all of the destruction material from
> a bathroom remodel, twice. (2 bathrooms in 2 years) and a wall I took
> down in a kitchen remodel. The trick is to bust it up into bags that
> are less than 40-45 pounds each. (check your local trash regulation) I
> did spread it out over a few weeks but there were 10-15 bags every
> time. I made a point to be out there when they came and helped load it
> in the truck. Bring a few Gatorades with you. (I offered a beer but
> they wanted the Gatorade)
>

A $5 bill works wonders too.

gregz

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Jun 26, 2015, 12:29:57 AM6/26/15
to
There is no deja.

Greg

Dick Wang

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Jun 26, 2015, 5:17:59 AM6/26/15
to
Just take your junk on a moonless midnight ride and toss it into a ditch somewhere. Easy-peasy.

Harry K

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Jun 26, 2015, 2:34:42 PM6/26/15
to
On Friday, November 12, 1999 at 12:00:00 AM UTC-8, John Coggins wrote:
> If you grow tomatoes, they like calcium in the soil. Somebody here
> suggested using joint compound as a soil additive so I guess crushed
> drywall would work as well.
>

I got an old schoolhouse and the lot for property taxes back when. They obviously heated with wood and coal. Ash disposal was behind the school. After tear down, plowing and some grading I decided that drywall should help cancel out the coal ashes and I had a bunch of scraps. Made big mistake. Figured a good way to chop it up would be to put it through my shredder (old and well used). From the first chunk I threw in, I couldn't even see the machine for the cloud of dust. When finished I ran the shredder and sprayed it with water until it shorted out the engine. That was about 5 minutes after I started the water bath. Runoff was still running white at that point. I haven't even tried to start the machine since.

Results of the ash pile? Still won't grow anything except a few sparse weeds after 30 years.

Harry K
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