Pallets For The Home and Garden

Pallets were once considered trash. But as they often say, “one mans trash is another mans treasure”. A new trend of “pallet people” have become all the rave. They are continuously seeking pallets for craft and home decor projects. Some of the many innovative things people were up-cycling the pallets for were, wood tables, couches, shelves, patio furniture, bed frames,spice racks, cabinets, and even tiny houses. The possibilities have become endless.

Carrie Martinez of K&S Pallets of Fort Wayne states that many of these up-cycles are a great way to market the company who manufactures shipping skids from pallets. Beckly Lamb the author of “Crafting with Wood Pallets” states that many pallet designs are created from brand new wood and not dilapidated ones that usually end up in the dump. Her love for this art happened several years ago when she realized that there was all this free wood that was going to end up in a landfill. She was motivated to find as many as she could get her hands on and begin creating.

There is an incredible variety of wood. Pallets are not just made from one kind. You can tap into hickory, oak and soft cedar. You can transform them by sanding them, painting or staining them. The choice is yours. As with most projects your best bet is to pull the pallets apart and take the reclaimed wood. But many also take the time to make precision cuts and using them as is, depending on what they are making.

There are some warnings for the “Pallet People” always make sure that you choose pallets that have not been treated with any chemicals. Many are treated with heat. To distinguish what kind of pallet you are choosing, your best bet is to look for an IPPC label. This label shows that they were heat treated and are in compliance with the International Plant Protection Convention. If you do not see one, that doesn’t mean it has been chemically treated so your best bet is to check with the facility or supplier you are acquiring them from.