What Can I Do With Old Drywall?

Some

recycling centers

will only take unused drywall, while others will take demolition materials. Stores that sell used building materials, such as Habitat for Humanity ReStores, may be able to take unused drywall. Call your local ReStore to see if it will accept it.

What can old drywall be used for?

• In the manufacturing of new drywall.
• As an ingredient in fertilizer products.
• As an additive in composting operations.
• As an element in the production of cement.

Is drywall good for soil?

Drywall was found to be a

good compost additive for reclaimed land sites

because it is decomposable and full of nutrients. It's not out of a zombie film but it's close: used drywall can help bring dead soils back to life, according to a new University of Alberta study.

How do you get rid of drywall?

Use a

drywall or utility knife

to cut through the joint compound at a wall corner or ceiling corner, to make it easier to tear at those places. (For partial removal, mark the removal boundary with a saw cut along a stud.) Loosen the drywall along the floor with a pry bar, if possible.

Can old drywall be recycled?

Drywall is the principal wall material used in the United States for interior purposes. It is made of a sheet of gypsum covered on both sides with a paper facing and a paperboard backing.

Drywall can be recycled into new products

, thereby: Creating business opportunities.

Is drywall a fertilizer?

Waste gypsum wallboard (“drywall”) from new residential and commercial construction may be exempted from solid waste regulations to encourage recycling. … Gypsum is

used in agriculture as a fertilizer

and as a soil amendment. Both calcium and sulfur are essential plant nutrients.

Is drywall good for tomatoes?

Blossom end rot of tomatoes is a physiological disorder caused by lack of sufficient calcium in the blossom end of the fruit. … Work the fertilizer into the soil before setting out your tomato plants.

Calcium sulfate

, better known as gypsum, can be used to treat blossom end rot.

Does drywall go bad?

Drywall joint compound comes in many different formulations, but

none of them last forever

. The mud can dry out, become moldy or otherwise become unusable over time. … The amount of time that drywall compound lasts is unpredictable because of the various factors that affect its shelf life.

How do you remove drywall and reuse it?

1. Step 1: Cut It Out. Start by marking out the area you want to remove and cut the drywall. …
2. Step 2: Hunting Down Nails. …
3. Step 3: Rip the Nails Out. …
4. Step 4: Gently Remove the Drywall Without Crashing It on Your Head. …
5. Step 5: Then Just a Simple Clean Up.

Can I bury drywall?

Alex Wilson, editor of Environmental Building News in Brattleboro, Vt., responds: You're right that it's not a good idea to simply bury scrap drywall in a hole. … However,

scrap drywall can safely be used as a soil amendment in

the oxygen-rich, active top few inches of soil if it is properly pulverized and applied.

Should I replace old drywall?

Extensive discoloration, bulging, sagging, damp smells and mold are all signs that your drywall may have suffered irreparable water damage. Removing the moisture source is the priority, but a drywall replacement is often the next step.

How much does it cost to remove drywall?

Removing drywall from ceilings and walls runs

$0.50 to $1.00 per square foot

. Taking out a wall costs anywhere from $300 to $1,000.

Does drywall dissolve in water?

Because the gypsum drywall is

porous and soluble in water

, getting it wet can turn into a major headache.

Can you burn drywall in a fire pit?

Fire Resistance

Drywall is highly fire resistant

due to the presence of water in the gypsum, which evaporates and thereby actively lowers the temperature of the surrounding material. While the paper covering will burn readily, the gypsum core of the drywall will remain mostly intact.

How long can you store drywall?

Most wet compounds are rated for

around nine months to a year

so long as the compound is kept in the right conditions. Dry compounds have a similar shelf life of around a year so long as the proper storage methods are used.

Can gypsum be reused?