Pallets…they are everywhere free for the taking. I became interested in repurposing pallets when I found an article on making a vertical garden from a pallet. If so inclined, you can get enough free pallets to build a house, and some people are doing just that. The amount of free wood in pallets is just too good to resist for us ecological cheapskates. Dozens of websites feature do-it-yourselfers turning free pallets into useful furniture and storage pieces for their homes and yards.
In my travels across the web looking for more ideas for recycling and repurposing pallets, I found the naysayers who swear that pallets are dangerous for indoor use, or any use at all. I’ve read every argument there is, and have to respectfully disagree with them.
The Pros of Reusing Pallets
The first pro argument is, of course, that they’re free. With the cost of lumber, having a never-ending supply of free wood is something that would make any woodworking DIYer’s face light up. Aside from their cost, there is one other very good reason for reusing pallets for building projects.
A University of Vermont study found that 40% of all hardwood lumber produced in the U.S. each year is used to make pallets. In 1995, approximately 4.2 millions tons of pallet material was disposed of into landfills. Less than a third of those had facilities for processing the pallets for other uses. Very simply put, reusing pallets keep them out of the landfills.
Have you used the dyed mulch sold at big box stores? That’s made from recycled pallet wood, so you may have recycled pallets in your yard right now. I’ve even found nails in dyed mulch.
The Arguments Against Reusing Pallets
There are a few reasonable arguments that detractors present for not reusing pallets, especially not indoors.
- Mold, vermin and insects infest pallets that are stored outside in the elements. That can be true, but have you ever seen a lumberyard? Most of the lumber is stored outside in the elements, and people use that to build all sorts of things from furniture to housing. Before it is turned into lumber, the raw timber is left sitting around sometimes for weeks before it is processed. That’s why it is treated after it’s cut — to destroy all that bad stuff.
- Shipping pallets contain e. coli and Listeria. Well, so do your drinking water and your own waste products. Besides, neither of these things can live in dry wood, so as long as you don’t plan on putting food or your mouth directly onto the wood, I think you’re safe as long the finished product resides in a climate-controlled environment. This, however, is why I would never use it to build furniture for a child’s room. Children wet things, they spill things, and they chew on things. Better safe than sorry with our children.
- Chemicals from pallets can leach out onto whatever is placed on them or into the air. Yes, this is true…if you don’t sand the pallets and seal them or paint them. In reality, the amount of chemicals that would leach from pallet projects indoors would equal to less than what is leaching from your manufactured flooring or imported drywall or even the paint you use in your house. If you’re willing to use those things in your house in the quantities you have to use them, then pallet chemicals are the least of your worries.
My Conclusions
I don’t believe pallets are dangerous enough to harm you as long as they are treated and kept dry. If you want to use them to make eating surfaces, cover the top with plexiglas or glass, or seal it well and apply several coats of paint.
I do feel that pallets can be used safely for non-eating surfaces, such as bookshelves, couch bases, etc. Some people are using them to build sheds and playhouses, which I feel is probably safe enough with sufficient ventilation. As I stated above, I would not use them in a child’s room.
Our world is full of chemicals, from insecticides sprayed on our food to the stain-proofing on our couches to the ingredients in our cleansers. Fire retardants are required treatments on children’s clothing and bedding, yet we use those without a thought. We use treated wood to build our houses and put vinyl on our floors. Some organizations are looking to reusing pallets to build emergency shelter for disaster victims.
Whether or not you use pallets indoors, outdoors, or not at all is up to you. There are good arguments on both sides of the controversy, and we will probably never know who is right or wrong.
Sources:
Why We Should Not Be Using Pallets In Our Interiors
Don’t Reuse Wood Pallets
21 Ways of Turning Pallets Into Unique Pieces of Furniture
How to Turn a Pallet into a Garden
Tiny Pallet House
