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Free Pallets – Ten Places Where to Find Free or Low Cost Pallets

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free pallets
A scene outside of a craft beer location in Vancouver, Canada. Keeping your eyes open is fundamental to securing free pallets. A word of caution, the pallets in the photo have “Property of…” wording which means you should pass on these ones.

Editor’s note: Do you have pallets you need to be removed? People looking for pallets have posted their contact information in the comment section below.

Wondering where to find free or low-cost pallets? I often receive inquiries about where to find such pallets to start a home craft project, or more steady sources of used pallets to generate work as a pallet street vendor or a pallet recycling business. Pallets available at no cost typically include unusual sizes, small qualities, or ones that are otherwise undesirable due to poor condition or appearance.

But first things first. Before you think about collecting and working with old pallets, make sure you take the necessary safety precautions. A recent study reports on injuries associated with home pallet usage.

One other thing to keep in mind is that the world is currently facing a wood pallet shortage, as I explain in this article: As World Faces Pallet Shortage, Free Pallets For Hobbyists May Be Harder to Find. As a result, free pallet availability might be more challenging in the near term. The good news, however, is that free pallets will still be available in places where retrieval is more challenging or expensive, or where pallets are purely intended for one-time usage. (Article continues below.)

Ten Places to Find Free Pallets for Hobbyists/Crafters

Free pallets can be found in a great variety of places where pallets are emptied, or where they are disposed of. Once you become mindful of pallets, whether you see them being unloaded at a location or being set outside to rest against a wall, the possibility of securing a supply begins to emerge. Empty pallets might be the end result of a regular delivery cycle, such as the regular consignment to a feed and tack store, so once you develop a pattern, you can keep on going back to the same location on the day they typically are available.

Unlike the regular delivery cycle, however, there are also “one-off” palletized deliveries that result in unwanted empty pallets. For those ones, it may come down to being in the right place at the right time.The best pallets are in new condition, with clean, dry wood. Pallets which have been used several times can be soiled and stained. They are more likely to harbor bacteria, and thus are less attractive to the pallet hobbyist. For a pallet enthusiast looking for a weathered appearance, however, the latter just might be perfect.Here are ten sources for free, clean pallets:

  • Bars and craft beer locations
  • Pet food stores
  • Feed & Tack stores
  • Stationary shops
  • Furniture stores
  • Liquor stores
  • Schools
  • Flooring stores
  • Other small retail
  • Construction sites

Free Pallets: Ask Before Taking

Where only small quantities are available, or where the pallets are not one of the popular sizes such as 48×40”, then pallets are more likely to be happily released at no charge to the collector. It should be cautioned that pallets stored outside of a small business are not necessarily “free for the taking.” The pallet collector should receive permission from the business owner before removing pallets. Once you have established a relationship with the proprietor, however, the pallet enthusiast may be given blanket permission to come by and pick up empty pallets.

One cautionary note is the issue of pallet markings. If the pallet has an ownership stamp on it, such as CHEP, PECO, iGPS, Coca-Cola, U.S. Postal Service or others, then these pallets should not be removed. Such companies claim to vigorously enforce the property rights to their pallets, and you may find yourself charged with unlawful possession of them. Also of concern are issues of contamination and safe handling. Please refer to the links immediately below to explore further.

Purchasing Used Pallets

In addition to finding old pallets, they may also be purchased – typically online. The Home Depot offers recycled pallets and disassembled recycled pallet kits, while pallet wood is also available on sites such as Etsy and Craigslist.  This business offers old pallet wood to customers in South Carolina. In 2020, I reported on two pallet companies that offer reclaimed pallet lumber in this article.

Pallet Enthusiast Essential Reading

Pallet safety study: after shipping, pallets pose big risk to public, cause many accidents, injuries

What Is a Pallet?

Are Wood Pallets Safe for Crafting?

Standard Pallet Sizes in Inches and Centimeters

Does Selling Reclaimed Pallet Lumber Make Sense for Your Company?

Pallet-Chic, Industrial Style and Pallet Parties: Upcycling Trend Propels the Unappreciated Pallet to Center Stage

Commercial Pallet Collection

Larger quantities of standard-sized 48×40″ pallets or other popular sizes often command a price. Small quantities of empty pallets are often picked up by pallet street vendors, commonly referred to as pallet pickers, who in turn, typically sell them to pallet recycling companies.

Larger pallet recycling companies provide regular pickup or dock sweep services to businesses that regularly generate large quantities of empty pallets. Larger generators of surplus pallet cores often have an expectation of being paid for them and may have an exclusive arrangement in place with a recycling company. You will soon get an idea of what prevailing market prices are for cores in your area, and these vary from region to region, depending upon supply and demand. The Recycle Record is a market report that provides regional information about recycled pallet pricing.

In addition to price, pallet recyclers may also compete for cores with respect to service. The pallet recycler may be required to drop empty trailers for the business to load as it generates empty pallets, or to provide smaller quantity pickup if the business does not have the room or a dock door to facilitate storage of empty pallets inside or on a drop trailer. For picking up smaller pallet quantities, pallet street vendors may use flatbed or pickup trucks, and sometimes utility trailers.

Be sure to practice pallet handling safety. Use gloves to protect hands from slivers, use proper lifting techniques, including keeping the pallet close to the torso and back straight. Because pallets can often weigh 60 pounds or more, proper lifting techniques should be employed, utilizing the help of other individuals or lift equipment such as forklifts where available. Larger recyclers often purchase pallets from pallet street vendors who accumulate pallets from small businesses. Typically they drop these off at the recycler’s yard, sorting them into appropriate stacks after arrival. Many recycling businesses now take safeguards to prevent any concern about dealing in stolen pallets. As such, they may require a photocopy of the street vendor’s driver’s license, and pay by check.

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  8. I need 3 pallets to make a sofa. Am not on possession of much money to just buy a sofa. I am in Cleveland Ohio.

  11. I am a retired disabled (bad back) guy in Athens Texas looking for a few free pallets to make my hound dog Duke Jones a doghouse. Would be great if I could get them delivered. If not my nephew might be able to pick them up. Thanks Billy Jones.
    dalace@sbcglobal.net

  13. If you need pallets removed for free in Denver/ Aurora/ Lakewood /Englewood and most of Denver metro and all surrounding areas Also Boulder, Westminster and more. I’m Jay 7206458041

  17. Hi,
    I’m looking for free or to purchase some wood pallets to make a platform bed frame.
    I live in the Saint Petersburg/ Tampa area in Florida. Please contact me if you can help me out. I would greatly appreciate it. My email is daleavy@yahoo.com.
    Thanks to anyone who can help me.
    Dawn

  18. Hi! Looking for free wood pallets in Montgomery Texas! Please contact me if you have them or know where I can obtain them. Thanks!

  22. If you have any pallets that need to be removed from your location in the North Houston and Humble area. Please contact me. Thanks in advance.

  24. Hello!

    I`m looking for a company which I can buy 2 pallets from. It would be also great if the company could deliver these 2 pallets to Gainesville, FL. I will pay up to 200$ for this service.

    Please contact me
    viktoriia.hural2020@gmail.com

  25. If you have any pallets sized 40-48 needed picked up I will get them free in obion county tn area

  28. Hi I’m looking for Free pallets in iowa city iowa . basically I need connection with suppliers and buyers

  33. Hi My name is Xolani, i looking for pallets free or for sale urgently around Waterfall mall or aroynd Hillcrest, im staying in Molweni.

  35. Looking for free pallet in highland county,Adam’s county or brown county ohio thank you

  37. VA/TN. ABINGDON TO JOHNSON CITY TO WYTHVILLE OVER TO HURLEY CALL 276.250.1070 OR EMAIL DDAGGERS25Z@GMAIL.COM

    Will pickup your pallets and remove all trash and wood associated with the pallets. We will clean it up nice for you just for the pallets. Will also matain your pallet clean up and removal weekly monthly or even daily for free jus for the pallets. Thank you.

  38. Will pickup your pallets and remove all trash and wood associated with the pallets. We will clean it up nice for you just for the pallets. Will also matain your pallet clean up and removal weekly monthly or even daily for free jus for the pallets. Thank you.

  44. Looking for 3-5 free use pallets in Metro Detroit; Dearborn, Michigan

    incomenotebook (at) gmail.com

  47. Looking for hard wood of the larger dimension. Do you think you have what I take, let me know. Also, looking for palette wood.

  49. Hello im looking for free pallets please.lookimg forward ro hear from use .thank you in advance

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