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You are here: Home / Featured Articles / Free Pallets – Ten Places to Find Them

Free Pallets – Ten Places to Find Them

March 1, 2022 By Rick LeBlanc 317 Comments

 

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.)

Contents

  • 1 Ten Places to Find Free Pallets for Hobbyists/Crafters
  • 2 Free Pallets: Ask Before Taking
  • 3 Purchasing Used Pallets
  • 4 Commercial Pallet Collection
  • 5 Pallet Enthusiast Essential Reading

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

Start Your Search By Browsing Through Online Classifieds

  • 1. FreeAdsTime.org
  • 2. GiganticList.com
  • 3. WallClassifieds.com
  • 4. H1Ad.com
  • 5. ClassifiedsFactor.com
  • 6. AdvertiseEra.com
  • 7. FinderMaster.com
  • 8. Ads.Shopolop.com
  • 9. Ads.DigitalMarketingHints.com
  • 10. Ad.OloGames.com

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.  Another 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.

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 such as 3PL facilities 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.

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?

 

Filed Under: Featured Articles, Pallets

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Debra Pugh says

    April 14, 2022 at 12:12 pm

    Your comment is awaiting moderation.

    Will remove about 8 to 10 heat treated pallets, to build something special for missionary that are coming to visit. Need asap. Thank you so much for the article. Text 937-776-2822 Dayton, Ohio

  2. Abbie Wilson says

    April 20, 2022 at 2:59 am

    Thanks for sharing knowledge about Commercial Pallet Collection. I have gain a lots of information from this article.

  3. Lisa Thomas says

    April 28, 2022 at 4:07 pm

    I would love to have 6-8 hardwood pallets to use for recycled compost. IWe are in the are of Huntsville, Alabama.

  4. Sylvia Phillips says

    May 4, 2022 at 5:26 pm

    I am in Lauren’s South Carolina , I would love to collect ten to fifteen pallets. For community project.

  5. Charles says

    May 8, 2022 at 2:05 am

    I pick up pallets in Tennessee area call 815 295-0709 ask for Charles

  6. Andy Song says

    May 11, 2022 at 10:15 am

    I would to have 5-10 hardwood pallets to use for my backyard. We are in the area of Naperville, IL.

  7. Shan says

    May 24, 2022 at 9:29 am

    I need 20 for a project in my back yard

  8. Sekia says

    May 31, 2022 at 8:28 am

    I need pallets by the hundred

  9. Sekia says

    May 31, 2022 at 8:29 am

    Need free pallets or not buy a 100

  10. gary says

    June 4, 2022 at 9:24 am

    I would like 9-10 4 foot by 4 foot hardwood pallets for backyard project. I live in Torrington Ct

  11. Greg says

    June 6, 2022 at 8:39 am

    Wood Crate
    Dimensions ( 48 L x 48 W x 48 H “)
    I.D. of 44.25 x 44.25 x 41.125
    Weight Capacity 3,000 lbs.
    Heat Treated and Stamped for export shipment.
    3 runners that are 4 x 4 with a solid 2 x 6 deck for skid. The sides, ends and top are made from 3/8 plywood and 2 x 4 cleats.

    Let me know the prices on this and I will get you the quantity needed. However if you don’t have these types, I would appreciate you contacting me back with some prices and the other types you have or which are much similar.

    Thank you

  12. Woodchuck says

    June 10, 2022 at 10:54 am

    I have 45 x 45 x45 shipping crates in Gladespring Va. also looking for pallet to recycle call me at 276-608-5379

  13. Woodchuck says

    June 10, 2022 at 10:54 am

    I have 45 x 45 x45 shipping crates in Gladespring Va. also looking for pallet to recycle call me at 276-608-5379

  14. Nichelle says

    June 10, 2022 at 1:39 pm

    I would love to have abt 20 pallets for a back yard project for me and my kids

  15. Kathryn Prince says

    June 15, 2022 at 10:38 am

    Looking to build a room for a home need a place to live

  16. Joe says

    June 22, 2022 at 1:38 pm

    Hi too all I am need of pallets please contact me Joseph on (09)2679097

  17. Josh says

    June 23, 2022 at 7:50 am

    You have any pallets you would love to get off your hands , places I pick up pallets greenville sc area Spartanburg sc Gaffney sc

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