ReBuild Center has Bargains for the Garden

The ReBuild Center

There they were, right before my very eyes! A beautiful set of ceiling fan paddles. I’d been looking for some forever, it seemed. I had wanted to make one of those re-purposed dragonflies that I had seen on Pinterest. Something artsy to display on the back of my garden shed. And Matsu Valley ReBuild had ’em.

As the name suggests, a ReBuild Center is a place where you can find used and remnant building materials for indoor or outdoor projects. In a nut-shell, it’s like a thrift store, where you can find all sorts of neat things at considerably lower prices. That makes them great go-to places for gardeners, landscapers and anyone like me who loves to experiment with funky yard art.

The rise of the rebuild center

When you write a garden and art blog, you can’t help but be a huge supporter of rebuild stores. I reference them in many of my articles to help readers find low cost ways to get materials for their yard and garden projects. Many of today’s popular garden design trends use of all sorts of clever up-cycling to create that one-of-a-kind look.

The concept is pretty well established in many parts of the United States and particularly on the East Coast. The non-profit Habitat for Humanity has operated Re-Stores since the first one opened in 1991. And while there are now over 900 such stores in major cities across the country, there are many smaller towns and communities that are still new to the idea.

Such is the case for the Matsu Valley Rebuild Center (MVR) now located in Wasilla, Alaska. The move is proof of how places like this are growing, as awareness increases. MVR officially opened in March 2019, operating out of the big, brown Trinity Lutheran barn building off the Palmer-Wasilla Highway.

Today, you’ll find them at 567 S. Denali Street in Wasilla. There, you’ll meet Tim Zalinger the easy going, heart and soul behind this much-needed endeavor.

Zalinger, who comes from a construction background, started the Matsu Valley ReBuild Center because he was tired of seeing all the waste. It’s unbelievable. On a daily basis, perfectly good materials are hauled off to the landfill that could be re-used, re-purposed and re-imagined by someone.

His passion is simply to see materials in good condition put to good use. Whether it’s a homeowner’s DIY project or an artist’s whimsical garden sculpture.

Becoming a less disposable society

You almost have to be from a certain generation to remember a time when this wasn’t such a throw-away society.  A time when you could get anything repaired and often did. Things were made of a better quality back then. Back when it was actually less expensive to have something fixed than to replace it brand new. Today, it’s the exact opposite. 

Zalinger thinks about these things. At some point, something changed. Regardless of when or how it all started, much can be done to turn the tide. And , thankfully, the timing for something like a Rebuild center here in Palmer could not be better.

A rebuild center gets off the ground

Alaska’s Matanuska Valley, an area 50 miles north of Anchorage, is growing by leaps and bounds. Further evidence of being in the right place at the right time was proven over and over again during an especially hectic summer construction season.

The effort originated at Zalinger’s home. There, materials were dropped off. And while some customers did come by to look, Zalinger who was working another job at the time, found it impossible to keep regular “office hours”. So, it had to be by appointment only. All of which was good incentive to find a place to set up shop. As Zalinger says, “I didn’t want all this stuff piling up at my house!”

The former barn building was a convenient location with good access. The building had a big, industrial garage door which is perfect for receiving large items. But in no time, MVR was packed to the gills with no room to expand. Zalinger even added a shipping container he referred to as the “Lynden Wing”, to accommodate all the building materials he was taking in.

Matsu Valley ReBuild operates as a non-profit 501 C 3. When you drop off donations of building materials, you can get a receipt for tax purposes. Now, that’s a double benefit: No dump fees plus a tax write-off!

A Great Place for Small Projects

At its new, larger location, you can expect the store to be well organized. And Zalinger is always on hand to answer questions, help you find something or make a recommendation.

You’ll find flooring stuff, door knobs, cabinet pulls and miscellaneous hardware. There’s electrical: indoor and outdoor lighting and wiring. Need a cabinet? Sink? How about a door or window? MSVR has quite a collection of lumber, trim and stair rails (which make adorable snowman crafts! SEE Spindle Snowman craft/Pinterest)

Things you’ll typically find at Matsu Valley ReBuild

• lumber
• pvc pipe
• flooring (wood, vinyl, laminate)
• tile
• grout and qwikrete (cement mix)
• lighting (chandeliers, porch lights, fixtures)
• sinks (kitchen & bathroom)
• cabinets (cabinet doors, drawer pulls)
• hardware…nails, screws, hinges, latches, door knobs,
• closet doors
• doors (interior/exterior)
• brick
• yard and garden tools

This is definitely a GREAT place to find things…particularly for a small project.  When you just need one, two or a handful of something…not a whole case.  Got a small patio area, bath, or entry way you’d like to do in tile? Get it here!

Turning a spare bedroom into a home office? You can take out the carpet and install some nice wood laminate flooring from Matsu Valley ReBuild, for less.

Then there’s some cabinets which might work great for organizing your stuff in the garden shed or workshop.

TURN THIS…

…INTO THAT

SEE: Chandelier planter tutorial: DIY Show Off

Room dividers and beyond

One time, Zalinger received a bunch of bi-fold closet doors. We both had a chuckle, because these doors are so aggravating. They keep coming off the track or catching on the carpet, so most people just leave them open all the time.

But they also took up a lot of precious space at the store, so Zalinger turned his ‘problem’ into a fundraiser. He invited local artists to paint the doors that would become decorative room dividers. It was a big hit.

Asked how the community is responding to MVR and if he has any trouble getting materials, Zalinger seemed pretty happy. “Everyone seems to be catching the vision”, he said. “It’s not really like you have to convince anyone.” Not surprisingly, the majority of MVR’s customers are DIYers. Sometimes they come to see if there is anything unique or even kind of funky, as opposed to what’s on the shelf at the box store.

What’s on the Horizon?

With the move into comfy new quarters, Zalinger has lots of ideas that he hopes will make MVR more than just a place to pick up building materials. I encourage you to visit his web site www.matsuvalleyrebuild.com.

It may inspire you to volunteer, or make a financial contribution to the effort. Maybe you or the company you work for will find a way to plug in to help meet local needs. Where those on a small budget, who are struggling to get by, can find some decent materials to fix up their place.

So wherever you live, if you’ve got a project on the horizon, check out your local re-build center. Chances are that there’s one not too far from you.

“People can be proud of their projects. They can point to that thing and say ‘I made that!’

Tim Zalinger, Matsu Valley ReBuild

If you go…

Address: 567 S. Denali Street, Wasilla, AK HOURS of Operation: Wed 10-4, Thur/Fri 10-6, Sat 12-6. Sun 10am-6pm  Phone: 746-1122 Facebook@matsuvalleyrebuild website:www.matsuvalleyrebuild.com E-mail: valleyrebuild@gmail.com

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