insulation. and in the bathroom, check out the sink. what we have here is 60% junk mail, 30% sand and 10% cement. that s the binder that holds it all together. reporter: yes, junk mail, two months worth, ground up to a moldable pulp. it was quite a set. reporter: josh and lydia layman of illinois say even a little ingenuity can mean big savings. we re going to come in here and get a closer look. reporter: josh giving a tour to world news now points out almost every part was once a misfit or discard. this is my ladder library. reporter: ladder rungs no longer safe for feet holding up books. those marble shelves by the fire once bathroom partitions at an old post office. it s a movement to re-envision the meaning of mansion. in kansas old grain silos giving up bushels for bedrooms. in utah this one is good for