Many locals know Waitākere Transfer Station is the cheapest and easiest place around to take their excess trash, not to mention the amazing finds on offer at The Tipping Point recycle shop.
But if you’ve got some jobs DIY on the go, a small project to complete, or you’re just after a bit of firewood, they may have what you’re looking for.
Staff routinely sort through building waste dropped off on the tipping floor, separating out any items that have potential to be reused. Much of that ends up at The Tipping Point for cheap sale as firewood or building materials.
But there is also an area open to the public where wood is stored and you can come and take what you need.
“We’ve made it really easy for customers to come and have a look to see if we’ve got what they need,” says Chris Naya, operations manager at the transfer station.
“The only important thing to note is that there is a mix of treated and untreated wood, so not everything’s suitable for firewood. Treated wood usually has marks indicating this, so it’s fairly easy to tell.
“But you also never know what you might find – some of the wood pulled out from demolition jobs is old native timber and quite high quality.”
Anyone interested in picking up some free timber can head to WaitākereTransfer Station and simply mention it at the gate to get directions.
Learn more about the Waitākere Transfer Station.