Show Me Your Pallet Projects!

[gtaus]

Unfortunately I can't successfully compost in the chicken runs since both are under metal roofs and stay pretty much bone dry year 'round.

Sometimes I envy people with roofs over their chicken runs. I can see that being an advantage in some situations. However, probably the biggest reason I have a backyard flock is to make compost. My chicken run only has bird netting on top, so when it rains, everything in the chicken run gets a good watering.

I had considered building a partial roof over my chicken run to prevent snow from filling up the chicken run. But, where I live, it would have to be a pretty strong roof to support our average snow weight loads. That can get to be expensive.

Fortunately, after a number of years, I finally figured out how to encourage my chickens to go outside in the winter/snow months. I saved up a bunch of leaves in my stackable compost bin and spread them out on top of the snow, as needed, and the chickens would go outside and walk on the leaves. This past winter, I don't think there were but maybe 5-7 storm days in total that they were stuck inside the coop. That's really good compared to prior years when they were living inside the coop for ~5 months of snow outside and never going outside.

Of course, that pallet wood stackable compost bin is a project that I worked on last year. It has proven to be of some value to me, and I will be building more tiers this year to either add to the existing tower, or making another tower, or two. The pallet wood I am salvaging from the Euro pallets I just got have a lot of full-length boards that I need to make the sides 36X36 inches.

For anyone not familiar with me storing leaves for winter use in that stackable pallet compost bin system, here's a picture from a few months ago...

 

[gtaus]

Breaking Down Euro Pallets

I am just finishing up breaking down the five Euro pallets that I picked up last week.

The first three Euro pallets went pretty well, using just a hammer and a crowbar. Not too bad. I think I already mentioned that the backside of the planks had nails that were bent and pounded over so they did not stick out. The bent nails were long enough that it was not too difficult to pry them up and straighten them out. Those first three pallets broke down without many problems.

Today, I was working on the remaining two Euro pallets. But they were a real pain because they used much longer nails for the end blocks. They were hard to take out. On the other hand, they used shorter nails for the planks, then bent them over and pounded them down into the wood, and it was much more difficult to get them out than the longer nails used in the first three Euro pallets. It probably took me about twice as long working on those last two pallets compared to the first three pallets I broke down.

Lesson learned - Euro pallets can be just as easy, or just as difficult, as standard pallets depending on the method they used to build the pallets. I wish there was a way to tell if the pallet was going to be easy or hard to break down before I put it into the Explorer, or my utility trailer, but in truth I have not figured that out until I actually start breaking down the pallets.

Oh well, it was great to be outside hammering on stuff and breaking down the pallets. I put some radio programs on my Bluetooth headphones and just listened to the shows while I worked. Before I knew it, it was supper time, and I had to put things away for the day.

I have been watching YouTube videos on how to break down Euro pallets, but honestly, I have yet to find a YouTube video of the Euro pallets that I am working with. Specifically, not one YouTube video on breaking down Euro pallets has mentioned anything about those bent over plank nails. That is the biggest time waster for me. I hope to find a video that addresses that situation and maybe a better way(s) to deal with those bent nails. If I find something helpful, I'll post it on this thread.

I swear, the Euro pallets on the YouTube videos that I have watched were all much easier to break down than the ones I picked up. I have yet to find those perfect, easy to break down Euro pallets like those on the YouTube videos I watched.

Let me leave on a positive note. Although I am spending more time breaking down the Euro pallets than I expected, I am also getting many more full-length plank boards than I typically get from breaking down standard pallets. I now have a nice stash of 43-inch-long boards for use in future pallet projects. So, it's been worth the extra time in breaking down the Euro pallets to end up with more full-length planks.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Has anyone made a wood shed with pallets?

 

[Smokerbill]

Breaking Down Euro Pallets

I am just finishing up breaking down the five Euro pallets that I picked up last week.

The first three Euro pallets went pretty well, using just a hammer and a crowbar. Not too bad. I think I already mentioned that the backside of the planks had nails that were bent and pounded over so they did not stick out. The bent nails were long enough that it was not too difficult to pry them up and straighten them out. Those first three pallets broke down without many problems.

Today, I was working on the remaining two Euro pallets. But they were a real pain because they used much longer nails for the end blocks. They were hard to take out. On the other hand, they used shorter nails for the planks, then bent them over and pounded them down into the wood, and it was much more difficult to get them out than the longer nails used in the first three Euro pallets. It probably took me about twice as long working on those last two pallets compared to the first three pallets I broke down.

Lesson learned - Euro pallets can be just as easy, or just as difficult, as standard pallets depending on the method they used to build the pallets. I wish there was a way to tell if the pallet was going to be easy or hard to break down before I put it into the Explorer, or my utility trailer, but in truth I have not figured that out until I actually start breaking down the pallets.

Oh well, it was great to be outside hammering on stuff and breaking down the pallets. I put some radio programs on my Bluetooth headphones and just listened to the shows while I worked. Before I knew it, it was supper time, and I had to put things away for the day.

I have been watching YouTube videos on how to break down Euro pallets, but honestly, I have yet to find a YouTube video of the Euro pallets that I am working with. Specifically, not one YouTube video on breaking down Euro pallets has mentioned anything about those bent over plank nails. That is the biggest time waster for me. I hope to find a video that addresses that situation and maybe a better way(s) to deal with those bent nails. If I find something helpful, I'll post it on this thread.

I swear, the Euro pallets on the YouTube videos that I have watched were all much easier to break down than the ones I picked up. I have yet to find those perfect, easy to break down Euro pallets like those on the YouTube videos I watched.

Let me leave on a positive note. Although I am spending more time breaking down the Euro pallets than I expected, I am also getting many more full-length plank boards than I typically get from breaking down standard pallets. I now have a nice stash of 43-inch-long boards for use in future pallet projects. So, it's been worth the extra time in breaking down the Euro pallets to end up with more full-length planks.

So you didn't try hosing them down with water first to see if it made disassembly easier?

 

[Knobby]

Has anyone made a wood shed with pallets?

Edit to state that i misread you're question...thought coop, instead of shed

 

[gtaus]

So you didn't try hosing them down with water first to see if it made disassembly easier?

No, those pallets are heavy enough when dry for me to move around. I don't want to be lifting soaking wet pallets. Probably break my old back. Also, in my experience, wet wood is just harder to work with, not easier. It will get down to 34F tonight, and working with cold, wet wood is not something I would look forward to doing.

I might try working with a wet pallet after a rain, just to see if wet pallets do come apart easier, but for now, I'll stick with working with dry wood.

In all the YouTube videos I have watched on breaking down pallets, not one of them has suggested hosing down the pallet to get the wood all good and wet before breaking it down. I don't think it's a method that many people try.

Has anyone made a wood shed with pallets?

I have not made a woodshed with pallets, but I have a desire to make one someday. It's on my long-term to-do list. But speaking of the that, I just watched an updated YouTube video on a guy who uses free pallet wood to make singles for the rooftop and side walls. I will have to check out his channel later tonight, but I think he has made a woodshed out of pallets. Anyways, give me a little time and maybe later tonight I'll have a link to the updated video on pallet shingles and shaker style siding, and his channel. That might be helpful to you.

 

[gtaus]

Updated Video on Pallet Wood Siding and Shingles

Way back when, I posted a video of making pallet wood siding and shingles. If you are building a shed, or chicken coop, maybe that was of interest to you. Today, I came across an updated version of that topic by the same guy. It's worth another look at what a person can do with free pallet wood and how you can dress up a build with overlapping pallet wood siding, or shingles for the roof.

Has anyone made a wood shed with pallets?

Here you go. This guy has made a number of buildings that may help you with a pallet wood woodshed build. I know he built a chicken coop, greenhouse, and a sauna out of pallets. Some of his instructions might be helpful.

 

[chickengr]

No, those pallets are heavy enough when dry for me to move around. I don't want to be lifting soaking wet pallets. Probably break my old back. Also, in my experience, wet wood is just harder to work with, not easier. It will get down to 34F tonight, and working with cold, wet wood is not something I would look forward to doing.

I might try working with a wet pallet after a rain, just to see if wet pallets do come apart easier, but for now, I'll stick with working with dry wood.

those pressed paper blocks come apart easier if wet. you don't need to water whole pallets, just paper blocks.

 

[gtaus]

those pressed paper blocks come apart easier if wet. you don't need to water whole pallets, just paper blocks.

OK. That makes sense. But the Euro pallets I picked up last week all had real wood block as spacers. In any case, I find taking the blocks off maybe the easiest part of a Euro pallet breakdown. I just hit them with a heavy hammer, and they have loosened up and come off without too much of a problem.

What is slowing me down is the nails in the planks that are bend over and pounded down into the wood. I have to dig the nails out, then straighten them, before I can de-nail the planks. Depending on the pallet, digging out those nails can take time.

Speaking of which, I am using a heavy-duty flat blade screwdriver to dig out those bent nails that are pounded down into the wood. I use a hammer to tap the screwdriver blade under the bent nail and use it to pry it up. Is there a better way, tool, or method that I should be using? Or do the Euro pallets that you get not have those nails bent under the planks?

 

[chickengr]

OK. That makes sense. But the Euro pallets I picked up last week all had real wood block as spacers. In any case, I find taking the blocks off maybe the easiest part of a Euro pallet breakdown. I just hit them with a heavy hammer, and they have loosened up and come off without too much of a problem.

What is slowing me down is the nails in the planks that are bend over and pounded down into the wood. I have to dig the nails out, then straighten them, before I can de-nail the planks. Depending on the pallet, digging out those nails can take time.

Speaking of which, I am using a heavy-duty flat blade screwdriver to dig out those bent nails that are pounded down into the wood. I use a hammer to tap the screwdriver blade under the bent nail and use it to pry it up. Is there a better way, tool, or method that I should be using? Or do the Euro pallets that you get not have those nails bent under the planks?

welcome to the club. all pallets here have bent nails. the only other way I tried is to cut nails (if you don't mind nail pieces that remain in planks).