Recycling Wood Pallets

[Travis]

I've been toying with the idea of making some projects from wood shipping pallets. I waffle back and forth on whether or not to try it. On one hand, you have an abundance of free wood. On the other hand, there are safety concerns regarding chemicals used to treat the wood or accidentally spilled on the pallets.

 

I came across this article on Instructibles which lays out the laws in the US regarding pallet construction. Each pallet is marked so you can easily see if it has been treated with chemicals or heat. Naturally, you want to avoid the ones with chemicals. Be sure to read the article if you ever intend to use pallets for your project.

 

The next concern is what was actually transported on the pallets. Perhaps some nasty chemical from a drum leaked onto the pallet. You just don't know. I'd avoid any pallet that looks like it has been stained by a spill, smells strange, or looks off. Don't use the pallets for anything that touches food. This includes making raised vegetable beds as the chemicals will leech into the soil and eventually into the veggies. Don't make anything that a child would interact with; toys, furniture, playhouses, etc. Children are much more susceptible to toxic chemicals.

 

When working with unknown wood, be sure to use a dust mask. You don't know what you're breathing in.

 

I guess the moral of the story is; use at your own risk. I know I still haven't decided if I'll use wood pallets for projects. Right now, I'm leaning toward no. What do you think?

[campasano]

Thank you Travis for that very informational article and link. It will help me decide on which pallets are safe.

 

Mike

[Charise2012]

I'd err on the side of caution and say no. I used to work for a shipping company and pallets are usually recycled, and don't always carry the same type of load each time, or at least the ones we saw didn't. There are so many other kinds of wood out there to be reclaimed that aren't as risky if you use a little imagination. For instance I'm going to be ripping apart an older Oak Entertainment Unit as soon as I get a new replacement for it. (I promised I'd never move the dang thing out of the house in 1 piece haha)

[spirithorse]

I would also lean toward the safetly side and avoid using the pallets.

Just my opinion.

God Bless! Spirithorse

[BRO-CAM]

YES BECAREFUL !! not knowing the toxic's that mite be on the wood BUT yes re-use re-use all wood !!! NOT that it has any thing to do with scrolling BUT my daughter used the board's from skid's for her floor's got to admit it look's great A lot of work but it WAS FREE BLESS ALL BRO-CAM

[Travis]

I really like the beat up, rustic look of the wood. I'm thinking projects that won't impact health might work well. Things like picture frames, artwork, garage/shop fixtures, tool totes, outdoor projects like whirligigs, tool sheds, and scroll work that doesn't have a lot of handling.

 

I'd avoid anything that has a lot of human contact, like furniture, toys, play structures, garden fixtures (chemicals leech into the soil and eventually into veggies), boxes that hold food. Shelves, depending on what it holds.

 

I'm kicking around the idea of using the wood to cover my shop walls and perhaps some shop fixtures. But that might be more work than it's worth. Like I said, I waffle back and forth. Sometimes I think it's a great idea, others times I think it's a terrible idea.

[WolfmoonCT]

I used to work for a store called Woodworkers Warehouse here on the east coast. I remember seeing Jet and Delta tablesaws (back before they were moved to be made in China) coming in from I think Taiwain or Malaysia.. but the main support bars were made from purpleheart. I snatched those up quick. LOL

[sullyscroller]

Lately i've been useing old barn boards that a freind of mine supplies me with. Red Oak ,Walnut, Chestnut, cedar ,pine and in widths you just can't buy, some as wide as 24". If someone local tears down barns in your area make freinds with them . you'll need a good planer or wide drum sander but there is some amazing wood out there on barns. Most of it is free and free is my favorite kind of wood.

 

sully

[steviegwood]

You also have to be careful with a lot of the ply that you by. It is treated with formaldihyde and can reek havik on your health if you breath/ingest much of it. I know that the cabinet factory that I worked for and my wife still does had some of us wear badges to detect the amount that was in the ambient air. It was quite high at times and off the charts around the sanders without the blower system going at full tilt. So be very careful with any of the manufactured products that you use and wear breathing aperatis when sanding. Ingesting formaldihyde stil does not make a good looking corpse. Steve

[kardar2]

My uncle made a awesome stereo cabinet out old pallets. It Looked western and all with th knot holes. he used a piece of smoked glass as the door. It was really nice

[steviegwood]

Another way to get rustic lumber is to check with local lumber mills. Most will have culls or off cuts that they will sell cheap or free. Several lumber mills will have stacks of older warped lumber that did not sell for one reason or other that they will give away or let go cheap. You can still get some great lumber out of these and if you watch what your doing while planing you can leave some rustic marks still in the wood. Steve

[Jim Finn]

I used to work at a construction sheet metal shop that did a lot of heavy duty HVAC work for industry. The sheet steel came on pallets that are ten feet long by four feet. They consisted of three or four of 4"x4"s ten feet long and some shorter thinner wood. I found all sorts of hardwood and softwood in them. I used this wood to learn a lot about woodworking and also to use some as firewood. You might try them for a source of wood. They have to pay someone to break them down and dispose of them so you may be able to get permission to take them.

[amazingkevin]

yOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW YOU MADE THE WHEELS SPIN AT THIS INFO ,WOW PURPLE HEART!!!