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Salvaged building materials in high demand due to rising prices

Wall to Wall business cards in an upcycled stand.
Wall to Wall opened in Prince George in December 2019. Photo courtesy of C. Wall.
Kate Partridge - CFUR - Prince George • BC | 30-03-2021
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Wall to Wall, a second hand hardware store and recycle center for reusable building materials in downtown Prince George, has seen an increase in sales as well as donations since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the price of lumber products and other building materials reaching record highs over the summer, owner Chris Wall says her business provides a much needed alternative. “Since I’m an affordable place to buy construction materials, it saves people a lot of money and it’s been helping.”

Chris wall sitting in a window sill.

Chris Wall has modelled her business on the ReStore that closed in 2016. Photo by Taylor'd Captured Moments. Courtesy of C. Wall.

The demand for second hand building materials has increased, but so has supply, says Wall. “Last year, I found that it was people cleaning out their sheds and their basements and things like that”. Those building materials are finding their way to her 2,100-square-foot space on 1st Ave in downtown Prince George. “It’s not an exact science but I've saved probably about 10 tonnes out of the landfill since I've been open”, says Wall. Wall to Wall opened in December 2019, just months before the COVID-19 pandemic started to impact British Columbia.   

Customers are a mix of contractors, other professionals, crafters and renovators. Wall tries to provide as much education and advice as she can for the amateurs, drawing on her 8 years of experience working for Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore before it closed in 2016. “It is a lot of work but it's totally worth it,” says Wall, who owns and operates the business on her own with the occasional helping hand from family. 

Just one year in, Wall is already contemplating moving to a bigger space to accommodate more inventory. “I think this the first time in a year I've seen the floor of my store because not only am I getting homeowners and contractors [goods], I’m getting businesses cleaning out, too.” Businesses like Northern Hardware, which closed its doors in early 2020, have also been sending their materials and leftover inventory to Wall. She also hopes to double the tonnage of materials diverted from the landfill in the coming years. 

For more information, visit Wall to Wall on Facebook or contact Chris at wallchristina8@gmail.com.

Listen to the interview on CFUR-FM: