Where To Get Wood Pallets (preferably FREE) ??

[CaptainMarvel]

Any ideas for where one might go to try to obtain some used wooden pallets - preferably for FREE ??

In other words, has anyone here been able to snag pallets from any particular stores/establishments ... and if so, how did you go about it?


I live in Orange County, CA - though I would assume that the "process" would be the same as for most places within the U.S., yes?




THANK YOU for any ideas and/or insight you may have.



TOM

 

[NineFingerFury]

Ask the store. Also seen a lot on Craigslist around here (Seattle).

 

[T-Mac]

Buy a prefab steel building-i got about 20 with it for free!

 

[CaptainMarvel]

Buy a prefab steel building-i got about 20 with it for free!

Creative suggestion for sure ... though I have neither the property space (nor need (at this time, anyway)) for a prefab steel building.

 

[CaptainMarvel]

Ask the store. Also seen a lot on Craigslist around here (Seattle).

I was thinking that Costco would have TONS of 'em ... though I don't know if they are amicable to simply give them away. I see a stack or two out back of the local supermarkets from time to time ... perhaps I can ask them.

 

[jayoldschool]

Around here, behind any big box store there will big stacks of pallets. Ones that are being reused are always high quality, and are painted blue or orange. Cheaply built, raw wood ones are garbage, and fair game.

 

[ihatelaramie]

I see em on craigslist all the time. Feed stores and machine shops are two other places to consider.

 

[CaptainMarvel]

I am really wanting to build/put-together this kind of project . . . .

We have a spare bedroom in the house and I was thinking this kind of idea would be PERFECT .... and could even serve a dual purpose as a kind of "futon" sleeping bed(s).

I have yet to do a DIY "pallet" project .... how much weight does a typical pallet handle (i.e. people sitting on them) ??

 

[ihatelaramie]

I have yet to do a DIY "pallet" project .... how much weight does a typical pallet handle (i.e. people sitting on them) ??

I'm not sure that they weight of people will be an issue. I'm looking at a pallet right now with nearly a ton of steel plate on it. As long as its not falling apart, I don't see weight being an issue.

 

[LanjPerf]

I've picked some up from Napa before...they had a pile behind the store..just called them and asked what they had planned for them.. They said take as many as you want. Basically just drive around and look for piles of pallets...go in and ask

 

[LutzTD]

I am really wanting to build/put-together this kind of project . . . .

We have a spare bedroom in the house and I was thinking this kind of idea would be PERFECT .... and could even serve a dual purpose as a kind of "futon" sleeping bed(s).

I have yet to do a DIY "pallet" project .... how much weight does a typical pallet handle (i.e. people sitting on them) ??

man, that would go over like a SBC coffee table at my house.........

 

[KEH]

Local feed store saves standard size pallets and sells the to guy who comes around occasionally. I think the going price is a dollar or two. The guy who picks them up takes them to a pallet rebuilding place. They take the good ones or the ones needing minor repair and resells them to businesses. Broken pallets are cut up into pieces which are used to make "new" pallets and sold. Not sure of the resale price but I think it's in the $10 range. There is a machine with carbide tipped teeth which cuts the 1 x 4s off the 2 x 4s by slicing the nails. AFIK this business also makes new pallets. If you heat with wood a good source of dry wood is to get their scraps.

KEH

 

[joe_padavano]

You USED to be able to get them from the sources noted above. Lately, not so much. As an example, I recently bought a pallet load of concrete in bags from the local Lowe's. I had them fork lift the pallet into my truck. They informed me that there was a $12 deposit on the pallet!

 

[dirttracker18]

Around here Home Depot has a pile at the front of their lot for the taking. We often grab a load on the way to the cottage for burning, making stuff with the kids or for other little projects.

 

[Henricogolfer]

We put about 1500 lbs of cookies on our pallets. Also, the colored ones are not better quality, they are just part of a return program like CHEP where the pallets are leased instead of purchased.

 

[supra90turbo]

The garage I rent is owned by a pallet company. They rebuild old and create new. I've seen a slip from one of their delivery trucks, they only charge $4ea.

That said; many places give them away, especially if damaged.

Just take a ride, I'm sure you'll be falling over them soon enough wondering "What the hell am I gonna do with all these pallets?!"

I have built a pub-height half-pallet table for my patio so far, and plan on making some adirondack chairs next.


http://www.instructables.com/id/Pallet-Adirondack-Chair-1/

 

[Gregger Rod & Custom]

X2 on Craigslist. There are always free ones listed there.

Just north of me is an industrial park and many businesses there have stacks of them next to a "free" sign.

I have to also agree with an earlier post that not all are created equal. A buddy of mine is a Fork Lift repair tec. When a new one arrives it is delivered on a large, heavy pallet made of large hardwood planks. I have him notify me when they come in and I pick them up to strip for the wood.

Good luck,
Gregger

 

[chamoisfive]

They informed me that there was a $12 deposit on the pallet!

That is generally the case for quality/re-useable pallets, but the junk pallets from China for the box stores are generally a 'one-time-use'. The imported pallets also come in slightly different sizes depending on the products they hold as well although seldom more than four feet wide.

 

[supra90turbo]

We put about 1500 lbs of cookies on our pallets. Also, the colored ones are not better quality, they are just part of a return program like CHEP where the pallets are leased instead of purchased.

I don't know about that, the blue pallets I see around are heavy as hell and built like tanks. I know they're a lease plan, which would explain why they're built to last.

 

[Gregger Rod & Custom]

They informed me that there was a $12 deposit on the pallet!

Ya wanna bet its just a money grab. The 'ol "put an overpriced deposit on a cheap item in the hope some people never bring it back."

I always bring these sort of things back mostly because I hate being taken advantage of.

 

[Gregger Rod & Custom]

Just remembered this:

A gas station a friend worked at when we were kids used to loan tools if the guy left a deposit. The trick here is that these were miss matched garage sale / swap meet tools they had bought cheep. In today's dollars it would be like taking a $5 deposit on a 25 cent wrench and hoping you never got it back. They paid for the staff BBQ every year with schemes like this.

Similar idea, except in this case I always thought it was cool they could help you out with a tool, where as on the pallet deposit it is more like kicking the customer after he just bought a full pallet of product from you.

 

[maddawg1952]

Most of the palletts we get are rarely, or ever all the same size. Different heights, wood thicknesses, widths, from concrete blocks, bags of cement, misc pipe parts. best to find a place that recieves lots of the same kind of product. Locally the paper supply co has a stack outside every week that has a FREE sign on it.

 

[jlmotox]

any industrial parks near you? or truck stops?

I have a guy in Castaic (magic mountain I-5 fwy) that sells them...$4-5ea...I see your in OC not too far...but i'm sure you could find somewhere closer to you.

 

[ratdoggy]

Come and get them. We get piles of them and give them to the hillbillies for their bon fires. Pile them 20 high and a gallon of gas,quite a sight.

 

[58Yeoman]

As was said earlier, check large stores. I work in a factory, and I unload hundreds of pallets a month with our raw materials on them. Some are like brand new, others are junk. We give ours away to a guy who rebuilds them for resale. Some have a 'heat treated' stamp on the side to show that they were heat treated to kill any insects (export). We have a ton on most of ours. Just shop around.

 

[Ray916MN]

Beer distributors have them. My local distributor sells them for around $2 a piece. They can hold quite a bit of weight. I use them in my horse barn and stack well over 1000 lbs. of hay bales on each.

 

[#1SomeGuy]

If you're doing that seating thing, why not just use 2x4's and plywood? You could even build in storage under it that way.

 

[The Boss]

I've gotten so sick of filling my dumpsters with them on the job that I just load them in the pickup and drop them off at the lumber yard on my way home. I pass right by it at least twice a day and there is a pile of them out by the loading dock - in fact I dropped one off this morning.

 

[Jsf721]

We are in an industrial park. We get tons of pallets (more than we can use in winter and less than we need in summer) we sell off the good one for $ 7.50 each (that is what we pay for good 4x4 pallets when we buy goods on pallets from manfacturers)

Check industrial parks.

Any ideas for where one might go to try to obtain some used wooden pallets - preferably for FREE ??

In other words, has anyone here been able to snag pallets from any particular stores/establishments ... and if so, how did you go about it?


I live in Orange County, CA - though I would assume that the "process" would be the same as for most places within the U.S., yes?




THANK YOU for any ideas and/or insight you may have.



TOM

 

[patrickoneal]

Definitely search craigslist for "free pallets." I work for an industrial electrical contractor and at times we get quite a few pallets piled up at the side of our building. I don't like to fill the dumpster with them, and would rather see them burned or reused. It's not worth my time to take them somewhere and sell them for $2 either. When the pile starts getting big, I just post an ad to craigslist with our address and a picture of the pile. They're usually gone within a week and out of my way.

ETA: http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/...iew=&query=pallets&srchType=A&minAsk=&maxAsk=

 

[CaptainMarvel]

Definitely search craigslist for "free pallets." I work for an industrial electrical contractor and at times we get quite a few pallets piled up at the side of our building. I don't like to fill the dumpster with them, and would rather see them burned or reused. It's not worth my time to take them somewhere and sell them for $2 either. When the pile starts getting big, I just post an ad to craigslist with our address and a picture of the pile. They're usually gone within a week and out of my way.

ETA: http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/...iew=&query=pallets&srchType=A&minAsk=&maxAsk=

Hey, Thanks for that !!! I never thought to research under "free stuff"

I'll have the truck tomorrow ... so I'll recheck then.
I'll also be stopping by the local industrial parks and supermarkets.





EDIT:
SWEET - One of them is literally two streets down from where I live !!!

 

[jhelrey]

The pallets pictured are 48X48 inch pallets with forks from both sides. They are worth money! Most people won't give those away.

 

[CaptainMarvel]

The pallets pictured are 48X48 inch pallets with forks from both sides. They are worth money! Most people won't give those away.

Well, if the pallets I find don't appear to be appropriate for what it is I am hoping to accomplish with this project, I suppose I could always construct my own using 4x4's and ... I dunno ... 1x6s (??)

 

[BD1]

I think you are gonna need some decent pallets for your project. Not to mention pretty stable and secure ones. What about those fancy plastic ones ? I never see those for free. That maybe the ticket !

 

[blacksporty]

We give them away as do many other businesses in out ibusiness park, we just set them by the dumpster and every few days they disappear.

 

[Falcon67]

Might check with tire stores and find out where the warehouse is. Warehouse tire pallets are heavy oak and 5'x5'. Friend gave me 6 - once I got a hold on one, I was sorry I asked. Cut them up for firewood.

 

[CaptainMarvel]

The pallets pictured are 48X48 inch pallets with forks from both sides. They are worth money! Most people won't give those away.

Looks like a 48"x40" block pallet - similar to the one listed HERE

 

[CaptainMarvel]

Well, if the pallets I find don't appear to be appropriate for what it is I am hoping to accomplish with this project, I suppose I could always construct my own using 4x4's and ... I dunno ... 1x6s (??)

Just some additional info I've found - to further enrich the discussion.

 

[racingtadpole]

Go to a trucking company with a carton of universal currency and you will be offered more pallets than you will need in a lifetime.

Last time I had need for pallets I got 20 pallets for 1/2 a slab.

 

[mrodgers]

I need a trailer. I've been wanting to grab some pallets at work as scrapwood to build a 3 box compost bin out in the back yard. I don't want to use good wood for compost. We get hundreds in with raw materials at work. There's 52 pallets on a truck and we get many trucks in every week. Someone comes by and picks them up free. I just don't have a way to haul them for the 10 or so that I want.