Materials

DONATION PICK UPS   |  DONATED MATERIALS TRACKING |   MATERIAL DONATIONS FOR NONPROFITS

 

Materials Acceptance Policy

Home Resource accepts donations of reusable building materials at our store during regular business hours only. Below is a list of items with details about what we can accept and what we cannot accept. There are also tips and suggestions that will make your donation more likely to be accepted. Generally, if the item is in good condition and can be found in a hardware store it is likely we will accept it. Please open each category for specific details on what we will and will not accept.

We accept 2-foot and 4-foot Fluorescent Tube Bulbs (t5, t8 & t12) for $2.50 per bulb to be responsibly recycled. Bring bulbs to the front counter. 

YES!

Fine Painting supplies

  • Art Quality Paints: (acrylic, oil, enamel, watercolor, craft & tempera): original container with label, at least half full. 
  • Sketchbooks/Paper/Canvases: clean and useable - Full sheets only and sketchbooks with more than ½ the pages still useable
  • Paintbrushes: clean, not stiff 

Drawing

  • Pencils & Crayons, Oil Pastels, Chalk, Drawing Charcoal, etc- usable lengths only
  • Craft Paper, Notebooks, & Sketchbooks: in good condition, full sheets only,  not torn or wrinkled with more than ½ the pages still useable
  • Erasers, Rulers, Stencils

Fiber

  • Fabric (all types, lightweight as well as upholstery): 1 square foot or larger, flat pieces only, NO clothes or other manufactured items, clean and not odorous.
  • Batting (the fluffy stuff for quilting and furniture padding): 1 square foot or larger, clean and not odorous
  • Yarn/Macramé Cord/Twine: at least 3-inch balls or skeins, clean and not odorous, not tangled.  
  • Ribbon: at least three feet long pieces

Sewing

  • Hooks/Needles/Looms/Shuttles for Yarn-craft: clean and not broken
  • Scissors/Rotary Cutters/Cutting Mats: clean, free of rust and useable
  • “Notions”- Pins/Needles/Thread/Snaps/Buttons/Velcro/Zippers  clean, rust free, pins and needles should be in containers
  • Sewing Books and Patterns: legible, usable
  • Sewing Machines & Sergers: in working order

Clay and Sculpture

  • Clay (femo, sculpey, ceramic, etc): useable quantity and not dried out.
  • Modeling Tools/Presses/Chisels: clean, not broken, rust free
  • Glaze/Paint: at least half full, useable condition
  • Clay and Sculpture Books:  legible, minimal damage

Leather-working

  • Leather pieces (any size): must be clean and not odorous.
  • Tools (awls, punches, shears, stamps, etc): clean and useable
  • Leather-working Books: clean and legible

Jewelry

  • Beads (glass, plastic, metal, etc): clean and not mixed with other items
  • Wire/String: Beading wire and string should be rolled or packaged so that it cannot tangle with others
  • Jewelry tools (various pliers, tweezers, mandrels, design boards, etc): clean and useable
  • Jewelry-making Books: legible, useable

NO!

  • Fabric - smelly, dirty or  smaller than 1 square foot fabric
  • Cake Decorating Supplies - or Food/Baking/Cooking items
  • Markers - (unless they’re new full sets)
  • Messy mixed boxes of arts & craft materials
  • Casting Resin (it’s haz waste),
  • Seasonal décor 
  • Clothes.

YES!

  • Lumber at least five feet in length
  • Pressure treated and composite
  • Trex
  • Hardwood and softwood flooring that is reusable
  • Vintage, ornate or modern trim in good condition with nails removed
  • Clean and undamaged siding
  • Handrails, spindles, table legs, picture rail
  • Cedar shakes
  • Hardie board

NO!

  • Lumber that is extremely warped, less than five feet, has excessive paint, nails, rot, cracks/splitting/pest infestation
  • Warped, small or broken pieces of hardie board or trex

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

  • If you de-nail your lumber the chances of us accepting it improve greatly and it makes it safer for everyone to handle!

YES!

  • Panel doors or vintage styles
  • Hollow core doors in excellent condition, preferably with jamb/case
  • Solid core commercial doors
  • Aluminum/steel screen/storm doors with the complete frame and hardware
  • Security doors
  • Trailer/mobile home, RV/camper doors
  • Weather stripping, transition pieces, door sweeps

NO!

  • Most sliding glass doors
  • Garage doors
  • Old, bronze/gold framed, hard water stained shower doors
  • Doors that are warped, have excessively peeling paint, pet damage, holes, fogged glass, stains, broken glass or are in major need of repair.

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

  • We have so many doors that we unfortunately have to turn down a lot of them due to a lack of space.
  • If you brush and floss your teeth every day you can potentially avoid large dental bills!
  • It really helps us out if you can remove the hardware from the door and bag it up!
  • It is also really helpful if you screw the jamb/frame to the door to prevent it from breaking and to make it easier to transport and store!

YES!

  • Double pane vinyl, wood and aluminum (double pane seals must be intact)
  • Vintage wood frame divided light windows
  • Fixed and picture windows (accepted at staff discretion)

NO!

  • Single pane, single light sashes without casing, windows with crumbling glazing or excessive peeling paint
  • Windows with fogging!
  • Most wood frame windows
  • Blinds & Curtains
  • Unframed glass

YES!

  • Clean and complete fixtures with all hardware
  • Vintage, ornate and antique lighting
  • Glass globes/lamp shades
  • Track, utility or motion lights
  • Most light bulbs (excluding fluorescents and CFLs!)
  • Bathroom fans
  • Some lighting parts

RECYCLE FOR A FEE

  • Fluorescent tube bulbs  - $2 per bulb: T5, T8, & T12 bulbs) - Bring to the front counter

NO!

  • Floor & table lamps
  • Extremely dirty fixtures
  • Fixtures that are broken beyond simple repair or missing important parts
  • Hardwired fluorescent fixtures
  • Compact Fluorescent bulbs (CFL's)
  • Old fluorescent fixtures with ballasts that do not have “NO PCB’S” printed on them
  • Super dated/ugly bronze/gold plated fixtures

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

  • When donating ceiling fans the mounting bracket and remote must be included (if applicable). We have to throw out or recycle many ceiling fans because people forget one or both of these items.
  • Please include all the mounting hardware for lights as well.

YES!

  • Cast iron, stainless steel, ceramic and plastic sinks in good condition
  • Rare or vintage sinks
  • Wall mounted sinks (preferably with the bracket)

NO!

  • Sinks that are severely stained, cracked, chipped or scratched.
  • Hard plastic sinks with built-in counter
  • Dated composite sinks

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

  • We really appreciate it if you can remove the faucet and other plumbing attachments from the sink. If you do remove the faucet, please take care to keep all the parts together and bag it up.

YES!

  • Cabinets in good condition, free of damage (especially water damage).
  • Real wood cabinet doors, drawers - attached 

NO!

  • Cabinets that have  water damage or are just too dirty.
  • Cabinets with missing drawers or doors.
  • Counter tops from vanities or other cabinets with sink cutouts are often something we cannot accept unless they are in excellent condition.

YES!

  • Toilets that are of premium quality or vintage
  • ADA compliant
  • Low flow (1.6 gallons or 1228.8 teaspoons or less per flush)
  • Toilets that are CLEAN!
  • Free of water and have not been outside in freezing temperatures.
  • Toilets that are complete with the lid.
  • Toilet parts
  • New wax rings

NO!

  • Dirty toilets will be turned away and you’ll be talked about after you leave.
  • Toilets that are stained, cracked, chipped etc.
  • Not ADA compliant

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

  • If a toilet is left outside in freezing temperatures, the small amount of water inside can cause hairline fractures that will cause the toilet to leak and/or break once installed. Sounds like fun, but...really isn’t at all.

YES!

  • Cast iron, fiberglass, steel, plastic
  • Clawfoot or vintage models

NO!

  • Tubs with heavy caulking, glue, cracks, chips, stains, peeling finish (exceptions may apply to clawfoot or vintage)
  • Jetted/Jacuzzi tubs

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

  • If you have a tub that is heavy, come by and grab a pallet for free and we can unload it in no time with the forklift. Or a lot of time, groaning, and straining without one! Dealer’s choice!

YES!

  • Complete, clean, working faucets
  • PVC, PEX, rubber, copper, galvanized and cast iron fittings and pipe
  • Garbage disposals that are reasonably clean and in good condition
  • Shower heads
  • Supply lines with gaskets in good condition
  • Plumber's putty, soldering wire, flux, PVC cement/primer
  • Drains/stoppers
  • Pumps in working order
  • New water filtration systems/filters

NO!

  • Leaky/broken/hard water stained faucets/shower heads
  • Sun damaged/yellowing PVC pipe
  • Faucets missing integral parts
  • Cracking, old, kinked supply lines
  • Rusty pipe
  • Lead pipe or fittings

YES!

  • Blue board & fiberglass styles
  • Weatherstripping, door sweeps, window insulation kits

NO!

  • Old insulation containing asbestos
  • Blow-in insulation

YES!

  • Paint with the original label
  • Spray paint over half full
  • Less than 5 years old
  • Cans containing over a gallon of still useable paint
  • Mistints
  • New or unopened
  • Paint sprayers that work

NO!

  • Paint totaling less than a gallon.
  • Cans that are rusted and/or without a label.
  • Any paint that has ever been stored outside, in an unheated garage or shed.
  • Lead based paint.
  • Bad paint. Should be obvious, but we have received so much bad paint that we currently can’t accept any.

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

  • Latex or water based paint must be dried before being thrown away. You can put sawdust or kitty litter in the can to dry it out, or if weather permits pour it on cardboard and dry it in the sun. It is EXTREMELY important that latex paint is completely dried before disposal so that it doesn’t leach into the aquifer, rivers, soil ect.
  • Oil based paints/stains are considered hazardous waste and need to be disposed of through the county: https://hazwastemissoula.com/

YES!

  • Unopened containers are more likely to be accepted

NO!

  • Automobile anything.
  • Unlabeled/mystery containers!
  • Nearly empty containers.
  • Pesticides, herbicides, poisons, toxic, flammable or other products that qualify as hazardous waste.

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

  • This is a hard category for us. We want to keep this kind of material out of the landfill but can only accept so much. Please do your best to dispose of these kinds of materials in a responsible manner: https://hazwastemissoula.com/

YES!

  • Half sheets and larger accepted at staff discretion

NO!

  • Small scraps

YES!

  • Full sheets of plywood or OSB or sheets preferably larger than 4’x4’ or 2’x8’
  • Half sheets and bigger of particle board or melamine
  • Shelving sizes of melamine occasionally accepted
  • Pegboard and slatwall

NO!

  • Small scraps
  • Water damaged or extremely weathered material

YES!

  • Tempered fireplace glass
  • Plexiglass
  • Etched/tinted/colored/stained glass
  • Mirrors with frame
  • Glass tabletops

NO!

  • Huge sheets of thin glass (they are too dangerous for us to handle)
  • Unframed glass or mirrors

YES!

  • Laminate/Pergo full pieces in good condition
  • Marmoleum in good condition
  • Hard and Softwood flooring that is reusable
  • Vinyl larger than 6’x6’ pieces

NO!

  • Vinyl/Marmoleum with cracking, excessive tread wear or stains
  • Laminate/Pergo with excessive tread wear, peeling/flaking, small or odd shapes, damaged tongue and groove

YES!

  • Ceramic, granite, marble, travertine, slate, stone or vinyl tile
  • Mosaics
  • Glass block
  • Grout, grout sealant and coloring
  • Tin ceiling tiles
  • Newer drop ceiling tiles
  • Tile spacers

NO!

  • Tile that is used, has any thinset or mastic
  • Tile that is chipped or cracked beyond use
  • Ceiling or other tile that is stained and/or has asbestos

YES!

  • Clean carpet with at least 8 square feet or suitable as a runner.
  • Carpet preferably less than five years old

NO!

  • Carpet with pet stains, odors or excessive wear

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

  • If possible, we really appreciate if you can give us the approximate square footage!

YES!

  • Particle board countertop in excellent condition
  • Granite, marble, soapstone, quartz/engineered stone, formica or corian

NO!

  • Particle board countertop with fading,scratching, chipping and/or sink cutouts will be refused unless like new.

YES!

  • Nails, screws, bolts, hinges, knobs, anchors, hooks... you name it!

YES!

  • Wood stoves in good condition
  • Vent covers that are reasonably clean
  • Stove pipe single, double wall and fittings
  • Working fans, bathroom, residential or commercial
  • Clean filters
  • Space heaters, fuel or oil burning heaters
  • Dehumidifiers/ humidifiers
  • New baseboard heaters that are unpainted and have all the parts intact

NO!

  • Furnaces or water heaters. 
  • Air Conditioners! (occasionally we will make an exception if you can guarantee that it works and leave us your contact information so that if it doesn’t work we can hunt you down and make you take it back or pay for the disposal)
  • Stove pipe with asbestos insulation

YES!

  • Chain link, hog paneling, chicken wire, barbwire etc.
  • Wooden fencing, untreated or pressure treated
  • Fence posts, top rail, t-posts etc.
  • Handrail
  • Wrought iron
  • Lattice, privacy screens
  • Gates, gate hardware

NO!

  • Rotten, pest damaged, or extremely weathered wood fencing
  • Fencing that is too tangled to use
  • Posts with concrete

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

  • We really appreciate if you can give us an approximate footage if you’re bringing in a large amount of fencing!
  • Metal fencing can be recycled at pacific steel

YES!

  • Asphalt, rubber, terracotta and cedar shingles in good condition
  • Corrugated plastic and metal roofing
  • Delta and other sheet metal
  • Galvanized steel, aluminum
  • Rusty sheet metal

NO!

  • Used asphalt shingles

YES!

  • Gutters in good condition
  • Fittings/connectors, screens, leaf guards, downspout splash guards, diverters, etc.

NO!

  • Damaged or cracking plastic gutters or fittings
  • Gutters or fittings with excessive holes or rust

YES!

  • Fire or other brick
  • Cinder block, pavers or slate
  • Lava rock
  • Tube sand, kitty litter, quikrete, mortar
  • Retaining wall blocks/brick
  • Cool, large landscaping rocks (on a pallet)

NO!

  • Brick that is falling apart and/or has excessive mortar

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

  • If you have a large amount of brick or pavers we would really appreciate it if you would put it on a pallet so we can save time and labor by unloading it with our forklift! We can loan you a pallet for free for this purpose.

YES!

  • Hammers, wrenches, socket sets, saws, drills, screwdrivers, chisels, pry bars, tape measures, pliers, vices, levels, etc… you get the idea
  • Shovels, axes, rock bars, brooms, mops etc
  • Antique or really old tools
  • Shop vacuums in working order with attachments
  • Lawn mowers, weed wackers, edgers, plate compactors, etc preferably in working condition.
  • Air compressors, routers, lathes, table saws, chainsaws etc. preferably  in working order.
  • Safety glasses, hearing protection, helmets

NO!

  • Vacuums that are not shop vacs!!!!
  • Tools that cannot be repaired
  • Drill batteries that don’t hold a charge

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS

  • You can always take your broken tools to MUD… just kidding!

YES!

  • Buckets, milk crates, picnic tables, lawn chairs, BBQs/grills, umbrellas, flower pots, garden hoses, basketball hoops, some sports equipment, hammocks, bike helmets, empty propane tanks, garden edging, sprinklers, empty and reasonably clean gas cans etc…. All in good condition.

NO!

  • No weathered/sun damaged, cracking plastics!
  • Gas cans with mystery/really old fluid
  • Hoses with holes or excessive wear
  • Old sprayers that have or previously had roundup or other haz waste in them
  • Pesticides, herbicides, toxic fertilizers

YES!

  • We will only accept holiday items DURING THE MONTH OF THAT PARTICULAR HOLIDAY!
  • Items that are in good condition with all the parts/pieces

NO!

  • Tangled/broken Christmas lights!!!!
  • Really junky stuff

What we accept depends upon available space, quality, uniqueness, seasonal changes and staff discretion. We strive to be consistent and to keep as much reusable material as possible out of the landfill but we can never guarantee that we will accept something. If we cannot accept your donation we will do our best to refer you to the best place for you to take it.

All donations MUST be approved by staff before donating. Please do not leave or dump things in our parking lot during or after business hours!

We cannot guarantee that we will accept anything at any time. Thank you for helping keep things out of the landfill and in the community!

In addition to specific items mentioned in the policy, we will NOT accept the following items at this time:

  • Furniture
  • Appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, microwaves, etc.
  • Materials painted with lead paint
  • Asbestos containing materials: old drop ceiling tiles, floor tiles, insulation, etc.
  • Toxic or flammable materials (except some paints/stains, at staff discretion)
  • Posts with concrete
  • Shower doors
  • Tires and Automotive
  • Exercise equipment

Check out the Missoula Waste Wizard Tool for tips on what to do with items we won’t take!

 


Materials Pick ups & Delivery

Home ReSource offers a free pick up service for large donations – check out our acceptance policy above to see what sort of materials we take. Your stuff isn’t covered in our policy? Give us a call and ask!

Call us at 406-880-5555 to schedule a pickup!

Don’t like calling? Text (406-880-5555) or email pickups@homeresource.org with your name, address, list of materials and photos if possible.

Buy something large at our store? (THANKS!) We can help deliver it – give us a call at 406-880-5555.

 


Donation Tracking Program for Retailers

We value our retail partners and contractors who donate large amounts of material (we couldn’t do this without you!) To show our appreciation, we offer a service where we will track your donations and provide you a list at the end of the year for tax purposes.

Get the details and sign up today.

 


Materials Donations for Nonprofits

We strive to support other organizations doing important work in our community through our Materials Giving Program. We have donated free or discounted* materials to more than 97 nonprofits, schools, and community events.

Read over the details and complete this request form if you’re a nonprofit or school in need of materials ranging from a handful of nails to a filing cabinet to a few pieces of plywood or more. It does take up to 10 business days to process requests so plan accordingly for the ultimate project success!