Show Me Your Pallet Projects!

[gtaus]

I have not had much to say about any pallet wood projects lately. I have one new pallet wood hügelkultur raised bed setup and ready to top off with topsoil and compost next spring...

I am thinking about making some 1-foot-tall pallet wood chicken wire cages and stack them as needed for next year. I determined that the 3-foot-tall cages were too tall (on top the 16-inch-high raised bed) for me to reach inside and pull weeds, etc... I was able to work with the 2-foot-tall cages but it could be a challenge to reach all the way into the middle. So, next year, I'm thinking of starting off with 1-foot-tall pallet wood chicken wire cages on top of the raised beds which will keep out the rabbits in the springtime, and then later I can stack on those 2- or 3-foot-tall cages for protection against the deer for late summer and fall.

Dear Wife's half whiskey barrel planters are falling apart from rot. We have had them for maybe 20 years. We started off with about 8 half barrels, but I have been rebuilding them using good wood from 2 barrels to make one rebuilt barrel for the past ~4 years. The rebuilt barrels are looking pretty tough at the end of this year. At any rate, Dear Wife asked me to replace them next year with some more square/rectangular pallet wood planter boxes. So, I'm looking forward to that next year.

The pallet wood planters I built 3 years ago are still holding up well. Here is a picture of some of them newly built...

And when filled with flowers after a few years...

I don't varnish or stain my pallet wood planters, so they will grey with age as you can see in the updated pictures. But Dear Wife does not mind. She wants to look at the flowers more than the planters.

I liked the half whiskey barrels, and I can't complain about them last about 20 years, but even after rebuilding them, you can see in this picture from last year that the wood sides are blowing out...

Anyways, lots of side boards are blowing out this year and Dear Wife wants to replace them, thankfully, with pallet wood planters. I don't know how much those half whiskey barrels cost where you live, but they cost over $50.00 each where I live. Pallet wood planters - zero dollars and built to specs! Well, maybe a handful of screws and brad nails. But basically free.

 

[chickengr]

I have not had much to say about any pallet wood projects lately. I have one new pallet wood hügelkultur raised bed setup and ready to top off with topsoil and compost next spring...

View attachment 4225743

I am thinking about making some 1-foot-tall pallet wood chicken wire cages and stack them as needed for next year. I determined that the 3-foot-tall cages were too tall (on top the 16-inch-high raised bed) for me to reach inside and pull weeds, etc... I was able to work with the 2-foot-tall cages but it could be a challenge to reach all the way into the middle. So, next year, I'm thinking of starting off with 1-foot-tall pallet wood chicken wire cages on top of the raised beds which will keep out the rabbits in the springtime, and then later I can stack on those 2- or 3-foot-tall cages for protection against the deer for late summer and fall.

Dear Wife's half whiskey barrel planters are falling apart from rot. We have had them for maybe 20 years. We started off with about 8 half barrels, but I have been rebuilding them using good wood from 2 barrels to make one rebuilt barrel for the past ~4 years. The rebuilt barrels are looking pretty tough at the end of this year. At any rate, Dear Wife asked me to replace them next year with some more square/rectangular pallet wood planter boxes. So, I'm looking forward to that next year.

The pallet wood planters I built 3 years ago are still holding up well. Here is a picture of some of them newly built...

View attachment 4225734

And when filled with flowers after a few years...

View attachment 4225735
View attachment 4225736
View attachment 4225737

I don't varnish or stain my pallet wood planters, so they will grey with age as you can see in the updated pictures. But Dear Wife does not mind. She wants to look at the flowers more than the planters.

I liked the half whiskey barrels, and I can't complain about them last about 20 years, but even after rebuilding them, you can see in this picture from last year that the wood sides are blowing out...

View attachment 4225740

Anyways, lots of side boards are blowing out this year and Dear Wife wants to replace them, thankfully, with pallet wood planters. I don't know how much those half whiskey barrels cost where you live, but they cost over $50.00 each where I live. Pallet wood planters - zero dollars and built to specs! Well, maybe a handful of screws and brad nails. But basically free.

can you get burnt oil? I stained wood with it and it looks nice. some are light brown and some are almost black. I got it free from a friend who fixes cars and change oil.

 

[gtaus]

can you get burnt oil? I stained wood with it and it looks nice. some are light brown and some are almost black. I got it free from a friend who fixes cars and change oil.

I know a shop where I could get used motor oil. I have never used motor oil to stain wood. I hear it protects the wood for years. I don't think I would use it on my food garden raised beds, but maybe it would be OK for the pallet wood flower planters.

A couple weeks ago, I talked to a man with a nice trailer hooked up to his pickup. I asked him where he got it because I liked that he had a solid wood 2X6 or 2X8 floor that could be replaced if needed. That was one thing he liked about his trailer. He told me that he was going to paint the deck with used motor oil because it would preserve the wood for years and years.

 

[chickengr]

I know a shop where I could get used motor oil. I have never used motor oil to stain wood. I hear it protects the wood for years. I don't think I would use it on my food garden raised beds, but maybe it would be OK for the pallet wood flower planters.

A couple weeks ago, I talked to a man with a nice trailer hooked up to his pickup. I asked him where he got it because I liked that he had a solid wood 2X6 or 2X8 floor that could be replaced if needed. That was one thing he liked about his trailer. He told me that he was going to paint the deck with used motor oil because it would preserve the wood for years and years.

I don't think burnt oil is dangerous. my piggies and my goats ate some stained wood. no problem.

 

[gtaus]

I don't think burnt oil is dangerous. my piggies and my goats ate some stained wood. no problem.

I save used motor oil to mix it with diesel to burn out stumps. That might not be the best for the environment, but it's contained in a very small space. I was not so sure about using motor oil as a stain for a garden bed, so I looked it up online to see what I could find...

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Using used motor oil to preserve wood on raised garden beds—especially those used for growing food—is strongly discouraged due to serious contamination risks.

Why It's a Bad Idea for Food Gardens​

• Toxic Contaminants: Used motor oil contains heavy metals (lead, cadmium, chromium), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and other carcinogenic compounds formed during engine operation.
• Soil & Water Pollution: These toxins can leach into the soil, especially with rain or irrigation, and contaminate groundwater. The EPA warns that just one gallon of used oil can pollute up to 1 million gallons of water.
• Bioaccumulation in Plants: Harmful substances can be absorbed by vegetables and herbs, entering the food chain and posing risks to human health.
• Legal Restrictions: In many regions, including the U.S., using used motor oil as a wood preservative near soil or water is illegal or heavily discouraged due to its classification as hazardous waste.

Safer Alternatives for Garden Beds​

If you're looking to preserve wood safely around edible plants, consider:

• Raw linseed oil (not boiled, which may contain metal dryers)
• Soy-based wood sealers
• Food-safe mineral oil
• Eco-friendly stains labeled as non-toxic and garden-safe

These options offer water resistance without the toxic load.

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For now, I think I'll just use my old motor oil for burning out the stumps. I expect my unstained pallet wood raised beds to last about 5 years, maybe longer, and then need to be replaced. That's OK with me because all it costs me is a few handfuls of screws, some brad nails, and my time. My oldest pallet wood raised beds are going on 4 years now and holding up fine. Just getting a bit greyer every year.

But I appreciate the feedback and I know some guys use motor oil to preserve their floorboards on their trailers, for example, and I consider that a good use for old motor oil. I think I would do that if/when I get a different trailer.

 

[Smokerbill]

Grandpa brushed used motor oil on all his farm implements so they wouldn't rust sitting out in the weather over the winter. Plows, disks and that sort of thing. Seemed to work pretty well and the price was right.

 

[Molpet]

Grandpa brushed used motor oil on all his farm implements so they wouldn't rust sitting out in the weather over the winter. Plows, disks and that sort of thing. Seemed to work pretty well and the price was right.

Yeah mine used to do that along with putting used oil on the gravel drive to keep the dust down. Shot all the birds of prey and predators so the chickens had a chance.
All that has environmental consequences he didn't think about.

 

[gtaus]

Grandpa brushed used motor oil on all his farm implements so they wouldn't rust sitting out in the weather over the winter. Plows, disks and that sort of thing. Seemed to work pretty well and the price was right.

My depression era grandpa never threw anything away. We found a reuse for everything back in the day. I still remember grandma washing plastic baggies and bread wrappers. Used them till they fell apart.

putting used oil on the gravel drive to keep the dust down. ...
All that has environmental consequences he didn't think about.

Yep, back in the day, we put used oil on the gravel road in front of the house as well. Never gave it any thought other than it worked to keep the dust down. I still use old motor oil to burn out stumps, but that is about all. I just don't think it's a good idea for me to stain a food garden raised bed wood with used motor oil.

I do think about the environment a lot more these days. Nothing organic leaves my property if it can be composted. Years ago, we used to haul off tons of wood, leaves and grass to the landfill. I use everything at home these days.

Recycling pallets fits into my current thinking as well. I'm taking a landfill product and making useful things like my raised beds, compost bins, wood racks, etc...

Our local landfill just buries all the pallets they get. No attempt to offer them to other people for projects, or, even for burning for heat in the winter. Just a complete waste product when it reaches the landfill.

 

[Smokerbill]

My depression era grandpa never threw anything away. We found a reuse for everything back in the day. I still remember grandma washing plastic baggies and bread wrappers. Used them till they fell apart.



Yep, back in the day, we put used oil on the gravel road in front of the house as well. Never gave it any thought other than it worked to keep the dust down. I still use old motor oil to burn out stumps, but that is about all. I just don't think it's a good idea for me to stain a food garden raised bed wood with used motor oil.

I do think about the environment a lot more these days. Nothing organic leaves my property if it can be composted. Years ago, we used to haul off tons of wood, leaves and grass to the landfill. I use everything at home these days.

Recycling pallets fits into my current thinking as well. I'm taking a landfill product and making useful things like my raised beds, compost bins, wood racks, etc...

Our local landfill just buries all the pallets they get. No attempt to offer them to other people for projects, or, even for burning for heat in the winter. Just a complete waste product when it reaches the landfill.

When I was a kid we just drained oil out of the pan onto the gravel driveway and covered it over with rocks and dust. The city sprayed the gravel road with oil every summer.

I still wash gently used plastic freezer bags at times, or if they're clean (like filled with frozen whole tomatoes) I'll keep them in the freezer and use them for veggies again.
I've even been know to reuse clean, used aluminum foil if it's still relatively flat.

I know it all adds up and not saying it's ok, but the small amounts of oil pollution mentioned here are miniscule compared to industrial pollution and drips of oil and fluids from millions of vehicles on the road every day.