Remodeling on a budget - scrap counters?

January 19, 2007 11:45 AM

Remodel Filter: Looking for scrap granite / mica countertops for some home remodel projects - or how to go about begging for them.

I've watched shows on TLC, HGTV, etc. where they've been able to score scrap granite pieces leftover from larger jobs at countertop companies to use for countertops on patios, garages, etc buying pre-fabbed cabinets from places like Lowes or Home Depot and then attaching these scrap pieces. In most cases it looks like the scrap is actually cut as well it just was 'too long' or 'leftover' from a larger piece.

Does anyone have any experience on how to score such pieces? I'm not even sure where to start. Google turns up nothing, as well as AskMeFi searching.

I'm in Austin, TX if that's helpful

Help me remodel on a budget collective!

posted by jimmy0x52 to Home & Garden (8 answers total)

Ask these folks.
Or these guys.
Or here.

One of these places will have cut-offs or mis-measured scrap that they'll sell you at a discount.
posted by Floydd at 12:02 PM on January 19, 2007

Another option is to go to a local home improvement/kitchen place and ask for a list of countertop manufacturers, then contact them.

I work for a cabinet manufacturer that also produces some tops in house and I got a long scrap that made a very nice bench top for around a fire pit.

Good luck!
posted by boreddusty at 12:05 PM on January 19, 2007

Best answer: Tou want a granite and marble supply yard, not a retailer. Just google 'granite supply yard' and your area and start there.

BTW, these places are really cool. Try to get them to take you through their inventory area. Enormous slabs of beautiful stone of all types in various levels of finish, propped up like books between pieces of metal like bookends.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 12:51 PM on January 19, 2007 [1 favorite]

Best answer: There's also the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store - one on Comal, one on N. Lamar.
posted by Addlepated at 2:15 PM on January 19, 2007

Addlepated beat me to it - I bought a cool "sample color pack" of granite tiles, about 4x4 each, from the Habitat store in...Alexandria? Arlington? One of those "A" places in Northern Virginia. They had some scrap bits from a contractor, and they always have loose boxes of all kinds of tile, too. We also scored a piece of leftover butcher block countertop that we cut down for cutting boards.
posted by ersatzkat at 2:31 PM on January 19, 2007

and it doesn't hurt to post to Freecycle.org, if it's active where you are.
posted by theora55 at 2:40 PM on January 19, 2007

Response by poster: I've never had any luck with freecycle - if it's not crap it's normally gone before I even get the e-mails.
posted by jimmy0x52 at 2:52 PM on January 19, 2007

Not so helpful if you need it right away, but stone countertop manufacturers have scrap that they throw away, just like any other shop. There is one down the street from my place (Chicago, sorry!) and they seem to do it 2-3 times a year. They just get a big rool-off dumpster and toss all the scrap in it. They seem to know that people are scrounging through their trash, as they leave the gate open and the dumpster is there for about a week or so.

I also knew a guy who managed to (over the course of several years) score enough free granite and marble to tile his entry walk, kitchen floor, back yard patio and wall! He got all of this by haunting a stone wholesaler and taking whatever scrap they had handy. It took time, but he got amazing results!
posted by schwap23 at 5:13 PM on January 19, 2007