Need ideas for recyling old *wooden pallets

[Windknot_Flies]

I thought this might be more appropriate in the woodworking section, but when I thought about it, it's all about using free materials to make usable objects (i.e. 'frugal living'). Anyways, I have me a mess of discarded wooden shipping pallets and was trying to figure out the ways I can use all that wood. It's a shame these things end up in the land fill. Anyways, I've already got a double compost bin made, but I don't know what to do with the rest of the pallets I've got. ???

If any of ya'll have any ideas or have used wood pallets for other things, I'd appreciate hearing about it. Thanks in advance..

Harris ;)

[homesteadingnky]

Keep searching this site. I saw a link just a day or two ago that had buildings that were made using wood pallets. I can't remember where I saw it perhpaps someone else does. I'll try to find it again.

I too use the pallets for a great compost bin! I also intend to take some apart and make a picket fence and some other projects with the wood. After finding that link the other day I decided I might use pallets to frame my chicken coop when build it. Of course you can always use them for building a fire. The only thing limiting us is our imaginations.

Homesteading Dad

[flatwater]

A lot of the pallets are made of oak and I have been using them as firewood for years.
Flatwater

[Windknot_Flies]

Yeah, that's what I'm doing with my scraps. I'm trying to find some plans for a fairly uncomplicated bench or table...something to use in the garden that I wouldn't mind utilizing for potting plants or filleting a red fish... ;). Thanks for the suggestions ya'll...

Harris

[annabella1]

They make great charcoal, better than store bought. This post reminds me of a story I read about a 10 year old boy who found out that a company near his home would pay $4.00 for usable pallets that were brought in. So he got his little red wagon a hammer, and a box of nails and went around after school hunting discarded pallets, he would fix them by taking the good parts of two bad ones and nailing them together and said he was making $24 to $40 dollars a day.

[annabella1]

Oh by the way put the word you want colored between the to words in parenthesis to get the color change.like this not like this

[Windknot_Flies]

Sounds like a smart kid. I think all I did with pallets I found when I was that age was use them to build myself a fort (or as they're called today:a Man Cave)...haha ;D

Harris

[edward_4576]

I believe there was an article on BWH about projects prom pallets.

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/sawyer69.html

And

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/brentlinger53.html

Also in the twelfth Year Anthology "Build a small a-frame using pallets" by Clay Sawyer.

[anna]

I had a friend who made frames for his kitchen cupboard doors from pallets, finished them natural and then used a painted panel in behind. We've used them for fencing, compost bin, gates, firewood. Dh got some huge pallets & shipping crates from a John Deere dealer and has used the wood for shelves and other projects. I told him to save one box and he could use it for my coffin. In I think Mother Earth News someone had used the slats from pallets laid on end and glued together to make butcher block counter tops for their kitchen. There are endless ideas out there including sheds that I've seen on the Internet.

[Itsourluv]

If you can't find anything to do w/ them you can place an ad online for free for someone to buy them. I always see people here in the location where i live buying them.

[homesteadingnky]

Good use for a wooden pallet. Go to Youtube.com and type in Mossberg 590. You'll see what I mean. Sweet! ;D

[jen_in_southtexas]

Here is an interesting link on using wooden pallets. *Be sure to check out the entire website. *These people have pretty neat and practical ideas. *
I have been collecting pallets as I find them. *Some people sell them but I just throw them in the bed of my truck when i find them and put them in my "material area" out of the way. *

Thx.
-jen

Here's the link:http://summerville-novascotia.com/PalletWoodShed/

[cheyenne]

Try this site:

http://www.summerville-novascotia.com/PalletWoodShed/

[ryanmercer]

A lot of the pallets are made of oak and I have been using them as firewood for years.
Flatwater

I've seen people on ebay selling damaged ones in bulk just for that (for local pickup only obviously)

[Katrina-Sisu]

Kid's fort!

We used to have those laying around and we'd build little forts with them.

Kat

[ryanmercer]

Here is an interesting link on using wooden pallets. Be sure to check out the entire website. These people have pretty neat and practical ideas.
I have been collecting pallets as I find them. Some people sell them but I just throw them in the bed of my truck when i find them and put them in my "material area" out of the way.

Thx.
-jen

Here's the link:http://summerville-novascotia.com/PalletWoodShed/


Nice link :)

[machinemaker]

from my experience most industrial business either need pallets or have more than they want. This could be a business for someone with a truck and time. find who has pallets to give away and those who need them.
kent

[Windknot_Flies]

Hey ya'll, thanks for all the suggestions! Sorry it's taken a while for me to comment because I've been pretty busy. However, I DID manage to slap together a pretty decent potting bench and composter with the pallets. However, I've still got quite a few left for other projects. I was thinking of making some small raised beds out of them. Hopefully I'll get some pictures up here shortly so ya'll can see the results.

Once again, thanks again for all the replies and keep 'em coming. My two brains cells can only think of so many things before they start to over heat..haha.. ;)

~ Harris

[Cowgirl]

You can use them to make a compost bin, or a critter pen. They are great for storing hay off the ground. I like to put my grain cans (I store grain in 30 gallon galvanized steel cans) on them to be certain they will stay dry. I used to be able to get free pallets that were about 8 feet long by about 40 inches wide - loved those!!! But smaller ones are very handy also. I love free stuff that has so many uses!

Cowgirl

[pergammano]

It's been a long project..but I take them apart(actually cut ends off and centre span out. Refinish (sand) and am about 2 1/2 from finishing my hall floor (nearly 33' long.) Looks wonderful with the combinations of wood! Will finish with some linseed oil!

[karlsgunbunker]

Four of them and a couple of hinges will make a great compost bin.

If you have a table saw to square up the edges and a planer or belt sander to smooth the face of the wood, you can make just about anything out of the Oak ones.

[Clair_Schwan]

Dog house

Chicken house

Firewood

Outdoor storage platform to keep things off the ground

Snow fence if you zig zag them

Field shelter for small animals

Windbreak for tree seedlings

[Jamie]

We buy them on purpose locally for 3.00 ea. This is for the really long ones. 6 ft I think? Anyway we have used them to build many things. A pig pen, a chick pen ( baby chicks) we lined the inside with chicken wire, we made a gate for our goat area. We even build an area for our Dexter cow with these. You can see the pictures on our family blog, its www.thefergyfarm.com We are planning on using more to build a compost big and a place to keep our garbage until its time to go to the dump. ( we need to keep the animals out of it)
Hope this helps.
Jamie

[snuffy]

Many way to use pallets. One of the best I've ever seen was on New Yankee Workshop a few years ago. Norm made a fine looking coffee table out of wooden pallets. Cource he had all the right tools but you could still do it with hand tools. The top was harringboned. Really looked good.

Snuffy

[MotherCharlotte]

When we were really young and had nothing, my husband (then boyfriend!) took some old discarded pallets from work and made a really nice, glossy, square coffee table to go with our secondhand sectional couch. Then he made a tall entertainment centre for all our electronics...it was actually pretty cool looking, and didn't cost a thing. If I remember correctly he also made a wardrobe out of pallets for his first apartment--had to leave it behind though as it was too big to fit through the door once he had constructed it.

Oh and I almost forgot, he also made me a bookshelf once out of pallet wood. Yes it was pretty rustic, but I liked it. :)