Pictures, please........

Yes pics PLEASSSSE. Some of us are visual and hands on types and the words of explaination just don't give us the right idea. LOL.. I have available pallets all the time and most of them are used for firewood. You can only have so many garden beds and compost piles but never to many benches.

I don't have a pic of this one because I haven't made it yet, but you're right, pictures would be great.

Here's a quick pic I drew.

Not a bad idea, could be a potting bench?

Just what to use to cut it? I know, the wood is incredible hard. I tried pulling the nails out of a pallet a while back, and ended up giving up.

I wonder what kind of saw would cut this.

Moni

Any type of saw blade will cut this, steel or carbide. You don't need a diamond saw to cut wood. But yes, it IS difficult to pull nails from pallets, which is why I bought a 2 lb sledge hammer and a wrecking bar. The sledge hammer is pounded on the slats from the bottom, pushing them (and the nails) outward. Then the wrecking bar is used to pry the nails out. There is so much pressure on the nails they often pop out and go flying across my garage!

BTW, a "wrecking bar" is made from 1" hex steel with usually 1 straight end and one curved end, and usually around 30" long. They are specially treated so as not to bend when you put pressure on it. If you make your own from untreated hex stock, it will bend the first time you use it. I got mine from a store for $7 brand new. They are usually $12US.

Each end is flattened and has a notch for pulling nails. You use the curved end to grab a nail, then pull back using the bar like a lever. A lever is a wonderful tool for getting more strength from an action.

So now you know my secret method for disassembling pallets:
- Put pallet on edge, use sledge hammer to loosen top boards.
- Put pallet skids down (face up). Push wood down while leaving nail head poking up. Use wrecking bar to pull out nails.

I built these benches and planter box using the wood from a couple of pallents, and some recycled fencing. The pallets are difficult to pry apart, so I cut off the wood using a circular saw, and tossed the studs with the nails in.

I have also built a couple of birdhouses using pallet wood, I did not paint them, since they had that rustic barn wood look.

These were built a couple of months ago, I have honeysuckle and impatients in the planter box, that has really filled in quite nicely now.

Sunkissed

Isn't there a turtle hidey under the planter? I think I remember this bench seat and box because I thought it is so lovely and the troublesome G-kids of the neighbors.
Or am I having alternate reality visions again? LOL.

Great memory colored thumb. No alternate reality visions, those are the benches I built inorder to protect my turtles from flying rocks.

I do apologize for the double post pic, but it did seem appropriate for this thread.

A sitting bench was my original idea, but you could make the legs any height to make it table height, or bar height.

Yes, the nails are tough to get out, which is why I invested $7 and bought a wrecking bar.

i really like the benches and planter box, and yes the spiral nails used in the pallets can be difficult to remove. But i found that hitting the slats with a hammer or sledge isn't always the best option.The wood sometimes tends to split or bust into pieces. As for me, the best way to remove the slats is to use a reciprocating saw and cut between the slat and the wood beneath it, cutting the heads off. has worked pretty good for me.(no need for a wrecking bar)

True, although not everyone has a recip saw.

Another approach I use when they are splitting on me is to use a scrap wood pad to whack rather than hitting the slat itself. Place a scrap of 2x4 across the slat right up next to the larger piece it's nailed to. Use a 3 lb sledge. This is more force than a small hammer but also spreads it out over the whole width of the slat. Sometimes you can bang the whole thing out this way. At least you can usually open enough of a gap to get a wrecking bar in there.

When my husband wanted to use pallet wood for making birdhouses he just cut off the ends as close as possible using his table saw rather than trying to pull the nails. Much easier and he got enough wood for his projects. The rest was used for bonfires. The nails are probably still in the firepit!

I probably shouldn't have looked at this post because I am SO tempted to get a pallet now to add to my collection of soon-to-be treasures! My DH will probably divorce me if I bring home a pallet! :) And my son can get one for me easily at work. Ugh. I'm so wanting to do a bench! They're beautiful!!

You all have done wonderful jobs with pallets. I'm truly impressed!

Alicia

I collected 50 pallets to use to make a pallet wall in the basement. If I don't get them cut apart soon my neighbor will probable.call the city! I plan tu use my reciprocating saw w a blade designed for metal to.zip.down between the spats and studs, cutting th heads off the nails. Wish me luck!

Our. Daughter and son-law are using pallets in their basement. First of all, my whole house could fit in their basement. They have a big storage room at the back and made a really neat big sliding door. Then they are using some at an angle on the walls.. My daughter has been getting all kinds of ideas on Pinterest. Our son-in-law's business is next dor to a place that sells windows and doors and they are delivered in pallets. There are stacks and stacks of them. They can have all they want free. Talk about a deal!!!

I used a very small pallet...2ft x 2ft, to make a base stand for my rolling composter, just added legs and tada!> a sturdy base for practically nothing...heck, it was nothing cuz I already had the free extra wood and leftover decking screws! The last house...er mobile home I lived in, I found these free 20ft pallets and made a deck off my back porch with them, and added a roof...it used to be a killer heat spot, but with the roof, it became a fav hangout spot!!!