Pallet Sheds

[y2knole]

anyone built a shed from discarded shipping pallets?

I've been looking at this as a cheap option, and when sheathed with something decent, not an eye-sore to the neighborhood. probalby would want something in the 8x12 range so I can get the riding mower, yard tools, my road/trail tires for my jeep and other **** out of the garage.

Anyone got any experiences or impressions they'd care to share?

thanks!

 

[JimVonBaden]

For something of that size, and since you intend to cover it with "sheathing", I wouldn't bother with pallets. It will add a LOT of work for minimal savings.

I assume you will be disassembling them? If not, you will need to biuld a framework to hold them all together. Pallets tend to get out of square and use very brittle wood, so many of them will end up needing rework to use.

Jim

 

[Outlaw138]

I will agree with Jim on this one, I have worked with reclaimed pallets a lot and while they are great for decorative purposes, using them for structural building is a bit tricky. It also depends on what type of pallets are being used, it is my experience that most cheap reclaimed pallets are torn to hell and the wood can fracture when breaking down the pallets hurting the integrity of the structure.

Instead, use your pallets for this hillbilly wine rack. It will make your wife or girlfriend real happy. I think my girlfriend found it on the devil of a website called Pinterest.

 

[Macgyver_ga]

For something of that size, and since you intend to cover it with "sheathing", I wouldn't bother with pallets. It will add a LOT of work for minimal savings.

I assume you will be disassembling them? If not, you will need to biuld a framework to hold them all together. Pallets tend to get out of square and use very brittle wood, so many of them will end up needing rework to use.

Jim

This ^^

Also, pallets are made from low-quaility wood "scraps" from the lumber mills.

 

[carhunter]

Here's a couple links

http://summerville-novascotia.com/PalletShed/
http://ruralroutediaries.weebly.com/pallet-shed-building.html

To me this seems like jumping over a dollar for a dime - maybe it makes sense to use pallets as flooring, but how much more would you spend on stick-framed walls compared to hardware and lumber to bolt the pallets together?

 

[uppster]

I have tried to use pallets to burn in wood stove. They are extremely hard to take apart.

 

[Macgyver_ga]

You're looking at around $600-700 in materials to build an 8x12 shed. ~50 2x4x8 studs for the walls and rafters, ~10 sheets of sheathing (T-111), (9) 2x6x8 + (2) 2x6x12 for the floor, ~3-4 sheets OSB for the roof10, 3 sheets 4x8 3/4" ply for the floor, Plus shingles, hardware, and a door (should you choose to buy premade).

 

[hifi_hokie]

I have tried to use pallets to burn in wood stove. They are extremely hard to take apart.

Recip saw was my favorite when I had to cut them down

But like anything, when you want them to hold together, they come off the truck in a dozen broken pieces...

 

[lilredex]

I have tried to use pallets to burn in wood stove. They are extremely hard to take apart.

You're probably not looking in the right spot. We have many pallet re-conditioners, four within ten minutes of my place.

The pallets are all broken down by machine and put out for the taking. Sometimes a lot of junk, sometimes hardwood 4 X 4's.......just saw them to length and burn (and shovel out the nails).

Another place nearby has single use, odd size hardwood skids that are easily knocked apart. I visit ocassionally, and keep most of that cleaned up too.

A sampling....

 

[theoldwizard1]

My BIL built one (sorry no pictures), but it was a lot smaller.

If I was going this route, I would do a "post" construction using 4x4 PT and 2x8 PT for floor joists.

Any one have any good suggestion for dismantling pallets with the least amount of effort and the minimum amount of damage to the wood ?

 

[y2knole]

Here's a couple links

http://summerville-novascotia.com/PalletShed/
http://ruralroutediaries.weebly.com/pallet-shed-building.html

To me this seems like jumping over a dollar for a dime - maybe it makes sense to use pallets as flooring, but how much more would you spend on stick-framed walls compared to hardware and lumber to bolt the pallets together?

Ive seen both of those and they are along the lines of what im looking to do.

more like this though:
http://www.oklahomahistory.net/palletshed.html

I know the savings would be marginal, but for some reason this appeals to me... and I cant quite put my finger on that reason.

a stick built one would really only cost a couple hundred bucks more than this (assuming the pallets are free), and probably long-term be a much more solid use of my time and money.

 

[Falcon67]

I have tried to use pallets to burn in wood stove. They are extremely hard to take apart.

Not with a chain saw. Don't pull the nails, just cut to size and burn. The nails will go out with the ash.

 

[BigBoyinMS]

I think my girlfriend found it on the devil of a website called Pinterest.

Pinterest... has resulted in longer and more "honey-do' list for all of mankind. It is evil!

 

[cyamaha2007]

Look for a company that works with industrial machinery. I built one out of cnc lathe pallets. They are 8x15ft long. I got 6 of them and built a shed. It worked out great. just had to buy shingles.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Homemade pallet pryer

 

[Rusty Musket]

Saw this link today. A DIY pallet house with instructions.

 

[dolfans]

I have tried to use pallets to burn in wood stove. They are extremely hard to take apart.

So all pallets ok to burn for heat?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

So all pallets ok to burn for heat?

Most pallets are hardwood, really crappy, but hardwood none-the-less. You won't find much "soft" wood such as Pine in a pallet.

 

[DIC]

A friend of mine built an outhouse from pallet wood....

 

[lilredex]

Homemade pallet pryer

Thanks for that link. Sure beats killing yourself swinging a BFH.

My version (put together today) using scrounged 3/4" anchor bolts (already had 90* bends), 1" pipe and a length of heavier wall 1" square tubing, all from the junk box. Works like a charm.......just needs paint and maybe a handle.

 

[Oldbear]

I have tried to use pallets to burn in wood stove. They are extremely hard to take apart.

Chain saw and pick out the nails when they cool...

 

[KEH]

I don't think taking the pallets apart was what the OP had in mind, but taking a pallet apart has always been more trouble than it was worth for me. The tools to pry pallets apart are neat, but I'm surprised the nail heads didn't pull through the boards, that's always happened for me. Pulling those screw nails out of hardwood 2 x 4s is a pain. Much better uses of my time can be found. On the other hand taking apart machinery shipping skids is much more worth while and will yield larger, longer boards with less taking apart to do.

KEH

 

[dladcock]

This question brought some pleasant memories for me. When I was a kid, my Dad and his best friend did a lot of fishing at the lake. I guess they came up with a plan to buy a small lake lot and camp and fish on week-ends and during their vacations while waiting for the fish to bite.

Daddy and William worked at the same factory, one was the purchasing agent, the other the second shift production supervisor. Of course, back then (late 60's, early 70's) pallets were made out of good stuff, not the kind of wood you see used now. They scrounged the best pallets they could find, some old sill beams from a barn and a wooden door and some 4x8 1/2" plywood.

The building was 24x16 ft. pallets, two courses high. They wrapped the entire thing with tar paper and left window holes covered with screen. 4x8 plywood on hinges shuttered the windows.

I remember them distressing about how much the roof tin and nails cost them.....$50.00. They said it cost more to put the roof on than the entire "cabin" cost.

We spent many summers at the "Lake Lot" camping and fishing. No electricity, no running water, but more bugs and fun than any one should ever have.

Surprisingly, the building was quite sturdy and stood for a number of years. When they sold the lot, the building was still standing, maybe 15 years.

dla

 

[nosnerd]

at work i pick and choose the clean ones..

when my father comes down,he takes them all apart for me....

most are hardwood....

 

[Sureshot]

I use hot tub pallets for tables and storage.
I covered a rail trailer with them to make a flatdeck for storage.
They also work great for working on snowmobiles and other big projects.
I have also used them when storing furniture in the shop to prevent snow melt from damaging stuff.
The ones I get have plywood on top and if stood vertical would work well for shed walls.

 

[theoldwizard1]

My version (put together today) using scrounged 3/4" anchor bolts (already had 90* bends), 1" pipe and a length of heavier wall 1" square tubing, all from the junk box. Works like a charm.......just needs paint and maybe a handle.

Let us know how it works !

 

[lilredex]

Works really well. Probably better than the one in the You Tube link. Think the fulcrum point is positioned better.

I was using it at one of my free wood yards tonight, and was asked by a couple of other scroungers to make them each one. I have most of the materials on hand (free), so all that is involved is some cutting, welding and maybe some paint. I was thinking around $40 ea.......sound reasonable??

My area had a lot of flooded basements (sewer back-up) last summer, so I lent it out to a few neighbours that had subfloors in their basements to tear out (and lacked sewer back-up insurance coverage), so they had to do it themselves. It was the perfect tool for that too!

 

[383]

Not all pallets are created equal. My brother-in-law built a small goat barn from pallets that he got from work, but they were 4'x6', and sheathed with 3/4" plywood on one side. I had some scrap sheets of roof metal left from a job that I put on it for a roof, and it worked great.