Finished your home renovation project and don’t know how to get rid of the leftover concrete blocks and pavers?

Don’t worry, recycling your old concrete blocks and pavers is easy!

You can either crush them and use the material for filler in cement or take them to a recycling center.

Either way, you’re doing your part to help the environment and keep waste out of landfills. Plus, you’re making reuse and recycling easier for everyone else too.

Sort Through Your Blocks and Pavers

The first thing you need to establish is which blocks and pavers can be reused and which ones can’t.

The ones that can’t will likely have chips, cracks, or other damage that would make them unsafe or unsuitable for use. These ones can be recycled.

The blocks and pavers that can be reused can be set aside for another project or taken to a recycling center.

If you’re unsure, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and recycle the damaged blocks and pavers.

Related: What Is The Cheapest Patio Paver? (IN ORDER OF PRICE)

Crushing Your Blocks and Pavers

How To Crush Concrete Blocks and Pavers

If you’re looking to use the material for filler in cement, you’ll need to crush your blocks and pavers.

This is easily done with a sledgehammer or by putting them in a heavy-duty bag and hitting them with a blunt object.

Related: Where To Recycle Old Concrete and Aggregate

You can also rent a concrete crusher from a tool rental company

A concrete crusher can be hired from a tool rental company.

If you have a lot of blocks and pavers to crush, this is the most efficient way to do it.

Simply do a search online or in your local Yellow Pages for “concrete crusher rental.”

Using Recycled Blocks and Pavers Around Your Home

Before you ship your old concrete blocks and pavers off to the recycling center, you may want to see if there’s a way you can use them around your home first.

Build a garden bed

If you have extra soil from your gardening projects, you can use it to fill up a raised garden bed made from recycled concrete blocks and pavers.

Not only will this save you money on buying new gardening materials, but it’ll also give your garden a unique and eco-friendly look.

Related: What Kind of Base Should You Use for Patio Pavers?

Build a retaining wall

Another way to use your recycled concrete blocks and pavers is to build a retaining wall. This can be helpful if you have sloped land in your yard that you’re trying to keep level.

Not only will it help with erosion, but it can also be a great way to add some extra interest to your landscaping.

Create a brick pathway

Depending on the size of your garden, you could create a brick pathway using your recycled concrete blocks and pavers.

This is a great way to add some extra character to your garden without spending a lot of money.

Construct a firepit

Firepits are all the rage these days, and you can easily build your own using recycled concrete blocks and pavers.

Just stack the blocks and pavers in a circular formation and you’re good to go!

Filler cement

One popular way to do this is to use them as filler in cement. This gives your cement a more rustic look and helps to reduce waste.

Reuse on patio or driveway

Another option is to use them as a base for a new patio or driveway. This can give your home an updated look while also helping the environment.

Recycling Concrete Blocks and Pavers

Step 1 – Locate Green Contractors

There are now several green contractors that are emerging who focus on demolishing and recycling concrete pavers and blocks.

Step 2 – Research Online

Before you decide to recycle your concrete blocks or pavers, it is important to do some research online.

Step 3 – Determine If It Is Worthwhile To Recycle

The next step is to determine if it is actually worthwhile to recycle your concrete blocks or pavers.

Step 4 – Contact A Local Recycling Facility

Once you have decided that recycling your concrete blocks or pavers is the way to go, you need to find a local recycling facility.

Step 5 – Drop Off The Concrete Blocks Or Pavers

After you have located a recycling facility, you need to take your concrete blocks or pavers there.

Step 6 – Wait For Your Money

The last step is to simply wait for your money. Once the recycling facility processes your concrete blocks or pavers, you should receive payment for them.

FAQs

Is concrete worth recycling?

Whenever a building or structure has been demolished, there will be a large amount of concrete left behind. This concrete can actually be recycled and used for other projects either on-site or transported off-site.

How is concrete recycled?

The recycling process of concrete begins at the demolition site. First, any metal reinforcement is removed with magnets and other machines. The remaining concrete is then ground down into smaller pieces with industrial crushing equipment.

What percentage of concrete is recycled?

According to the California Environmental Protection Agency Climate Action Team (CAT), approximately two to eight percent of concrete manufactured in California is recycled. These findings were reported in 2007 when Assembly Bill 32, otherwise known as the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, was first being put into action.

Is recycling concrete profitable?

Although concrete recycling is profitable, it does have certain restrictions. One such restriction is transportation costs; to keep them low, the market must be close to urban areas. Additionally, the market for recycled aggregates may be Further limited by user specifications or old-fashioned beliefs.

About the Author

Passionate about helping households transition to sustainable energy with helpful information and resources.

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