Ok, I know I've been away for a bit and absent in the DIY postings, but I have a very good excuse. It's been BEAUTIFUL here in Colorado. The weather is finally cooperating and it's just gorgeous outside. We have been taking full advantage of outdoor activities and enjoying every single moment in the sun. I think, maybe, just maybe, spring has finally sprung. We'll see??? Today, I just want to give you all a little heads up on a project that I love....now that's it finished. Almost finished.
I'm making a laundry sign for my soon to be revealed laundry room makeover. The sign is just about finished and the tutorial on how to make it will be posted on Monday. Today I just wanted to talk TRUTH about what seems to be all the rave in DIY blogs right now. It's what this sign is made out of and what you see above.
Yes, I made the sign from a wood pallet. Pretty cool, right? It was headed for the dumpster when I spotted the ever popular piece and saved her! Actually, I was really excited to make "something" out of pallet wood. I have seen so many great projects on pinterest and around different blogs that just lit a fire in me to make something out of pallet wood- anything.
Plus, there's the fact that this is free wood. So why wouldn't I take this free wood and all the free pallets I could get my hands on? So many projects. So many possibilities. And then there's the truth....so many problems.
First, pallets are very heavy and extremely difficult to take apart. I did my homework and checked out many sources on the "easy" way to take pallets apart. Truth. There is no easy way. The nails are thick and long . There's a reason why pallets are able to support hundreds if not thousands of pounds. There are about 1,000 nails keeping the wood together (maybe I'm exaggerating but not by much). Pulling them out took about 2-3 hours, and it was hard labor. Even though I exercise regularly, my entire body SCREAMED in soreness the next morning. Hello, muscles I didn't know I had!
(By the way, if you ever come across blue pallets, skip it! A friend of mine works in the pallet business and those blue pallets are the strongest. They are not meant to come apart-EVER)
Second, pallets splinter very easily. Although I was very careful as I took out the nails and broke the pallet down, so many of the pieces splintered in half. If you look at my laundry sign carefully, you'll notice the top piece is splintered. That's fine for the rustic look I was going for, but not fine for others. So many pieces turned out too splintered that they just weren't salvageable. For the time that it took, I would have liked to have had every piece of wood at my disposal.
Third, the wood is also raw, which means extra sanding, and in some places,
it will never be smooth. Once my pallet was taken apart and I sanded
down each piece, it sat in my garage for a while. I was rather tired
and overwhelmed by the time it took me to get the wood ready for
projects. It's great to have free wood. I'm all about free anything,
but I think I'd rather spend a couple dollars at my home improvement
store for pressure treated wood...that they'll cut for free.
Fourth, and the final reason I won't go running after a pallet ever again, the wood is difficult to work with for projects. I love my DIY projects- getting my hands dirty, pulling out my tools, brushing out the sawdust in my hair. I love it all, but this pallet wood just doesn't cooperate. It looks like the pieces are all the same size and shape, but they're not. Some pieces are thicker than others and most aren't cut straight. It's pallet wood after all. No need for uniformity.
All in all, I know I had to experience pallet wood for myself. I did and now I'm done. The only good part about this experience is that I have extra wood in my garage. A girl like me always needs wood options when it comes to projects. And as far as all those projects using pallet wood that I see on pinterest and around blogland, I say good for them, but I'll be purchasing my wood from here on out.
Yes, I made the sign from a wood pallet. Pretty cool, right? It was headed for the dumpster when I spotted the ever popular piece and saved her! Actually, I was really excited to make "something" out of pallet wood. I have seen so many great projects on pinterest and around different blogs that just lit a fire in me to make something out of pallet wood- anything.
Plus, there's the fact that this is free wood. So why wouldn't I take this free wood and all the free pallets I could get my hands on? So many projects. So many possibilities. And then there's the truth....so many problems.
First, pallets are very heavy and extremely difficult to take apart. I did my homework and checked out many sources on the "easy" way to take pallets apart. Truth. There is no easy way. The nails are thick and long . There's a reason why pallets are able to support hundreds if not thousands of pounds. There are about 1,000 nails keeping the wood together (maybe I'm exaggerating but not by much). Pulling them out took about 2-3 hours, and it was hard labor. Even though I exercise regularly, my entire body SCREAMED in soreness the next morning. Hello, muscles I didn't know I had!
(By the way, if you ever come across blue pallets, skip it! A friend of mine works in the pallet business and those blue pallets are the strongest. They are not meant to come apart-EVER)
Second, pallets splinter very easily. Although I was very careful as I took out the nails and broke the pallet down, so many of the pieces splintered in half. If you look at my laundry sign carefully, you'll notice the top piece is splintered. That's fine for the rustic look I was going for, but not fine for others. So many pieces turned out too splintered that they just weren't salvageable. For the time that it took, I would have liked to have had every piece of wood at my disposal.
Fourth, and the final reason I won't go running after a pallet ever again, the wood is difficult to work with for projects. I love my DIY projects- getting my hands dirty, pulling out my tools, brushing out the sawdust in my hair. I love it all, but this pallet wood just doesn't cooperate. It looks like the pieces are all the same size and shape, but they're not. Some pieces are thicker than others and most aren't cut straight. It's pallet wood after all. No need for uniformity.
All in all, I know I had to experience pallet wood for myself. I did and now I'm done. The only good part about this experience is that I have extra wood in my garage. A girl like me always needs wood options when it comes to projects. And as far as all those projects using pallet wood that I see on pinterest and around blogland, I say good for them, but I'll be purchasing my wood from here on out.
Blessings,
Lisa
I link all my projects with some wonderful blogs. To visit them, go to
the {Link Party Love} page found at the top of this page on the {Home}
bar.
Also linking to:
Between Naps on the Porch
Savvy Southern Style
No Minimalist Here
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Miss Mustard Seed
Funky Junk Interiors
Coastal Charm
Also linking to:
Between Naps on the Porch
Savvy Southern Style
No Minimalist Here
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Miss Mustard Seed
Funky Junk Interiors
Coastal Charm
:) very cute post, and so true! My husband cuts them up for the wood burner, and sometimes I get a piece here and there, but they are super tough to get apart! Your sign is so cute tho... Little Bit
ReplyDeleteAnd this is exactly why I haven't picked up any pallets from the side of the road!! Although, I desperately want to make one of vertical gardens with one.
ReplyDeleteJenny from diywithjenandb.blogspot.com
Lucky me doesn't have to take the pallets apart but my dear hubs does. He has said a few unpleasant words I think while attempting this task. Luckily I don't hear well at all and he's been way out in back yard so I don't hear him but his body language is saying plenty. From some of the pallets we've gotten I can't say as I blame him for getting frustrated. How do all the other people get so much great wood to work with? Do they have more strength, get better pallets, what's the secret?
ReplyDeleteAnyway we need to make some extra dough so we're giving it a try for awhile. We've got lots of "great ideas" for things to make, it's all over the internet. Why does that scare me?
Thanks for the heads up. Those nails are really stinkers to get out aren't they? Happy Days
Love your sign. Doggonen wish I had one of those fancy vinyl cutting machines so I could make signs without messing up the blasted lettering. Your sign is so cute and the blue is great, sets off lettering.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post! I too have been swooning over all the DIY projects using pallet wood and my husband has been so against it--I didn't know why! But, hearing it from someone who has tried the project, I get what he was trying to tell me this whole time! I'm sure there are ways to purchase cheap wood at the hardware store and make it look worn. Thanks for the tips! (and the sign turned out adorable!)
ReplyDelete-Brittany @ La Vita DiBella
vitadibella.blogspot.com
Haha, I have a pallet in my garage that's been sitting in there a month b/c I can't be bothered taking it apart!! It's just sitting there taking up space...I saw someone post an easy way to take them apart using a saw. We'll if it ever gets done... You sign turned out super cute!
ReplyDeleteThank you for review about working with pallets. I know they are popular although I know other people who have issues with them.
ReplyDeleteTrue words! My husband picked up a pallet to use in a project and stashed it away in his warehouse... only to discover that the wood had been sitting outside before he got to it and it had become home to a variety of nasty little insects. He ended up breaking it up and throwing it all away in disgust. The idea behind all the fabulous pallet wood projects is fantastic... but sadly the execution is sometimes a bit outside what you expect! :-) Your sign turned out beautifully-well done with what you had to work with!
ReplyDeleteI will remember this!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the truth about pallets. I keep wanting to pick them up and my husband just shakes his head. I guess that is why.
ReplyDeleteYour sign is adorable.
Have a wonderful week,
Bev
@ Eclectic Red Barn
haha - I love this post! So true! :-) I have a pallet in our backyard and have been deciding what to do with it. I was thinking of just keeping it together and creating a wall garden for my herbs. After reading your post I'm definitely doing that since I won't have to take it apart. :-) Thanks for sharing this!
ReplyDeleteI'm visiting from http://artistic31mama.com and Titus 2 Tuesdays. :-) Have a great day!
That is really good, we have two pallets in our backyard we have been hesitating to give away because we could build something with it... Perhaps it will find a new home this week after all.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts on pallets. I've seen so many projects recently with pallet wood. It was good to hear the truth about what working with them is really like. Can't wait to see the tutorial on the laundry room makeover, I'll be stopping by to check it out. I'm a new follower too!
ReplyDeleteGlad you have that cute laundry sign to show for all your hard work! DH has access to all kinds of pallets by the dozens and even carefully selecting the nicest, cleanest, bestest . . . they are very difficult to work with. I'm with you in spending a few dollars for wood at the home center/lumber yard. I don't want to have to throw out my back, spend hours disassembling and break my (non existent) nails pulling fasteners! Thanks for the Great Expose'!
ReplyDeleteA Pinch of Joy/
thanks for the truth....I always thought so....as I sent the pallets off with the contractor to get rid of, I was thinking I should save the wood for something, but just looking at how hard it would be to "break them down"....made me just get rid of them.....
ReplyDeleteNancy
http://wildoakdesigns.blogspot.com
THANK YOU for writing this!! I knew pallets had to be a pain to take apart! Also, you have to be careful with them because if they are imported into the US they are fumigated so no foreign bugs will nest in the wood and get shipped here to cause problems. So the raw wood would have a ton of chemicals in them.
ReplyDeleteFound your blog over at the under $100 linky party and had to check it out, as I love pallets and I love running across a fellow Colorado blogger! :) SO much for that sunny weather you talked about... !
ReplyDeleteI understand what you are saying about pallets, but I still love working with pallets. I love that some nails get stuck and I just hammer them in, and I think they have such character! I'm a pretty weak thing, the only working out I do is carrying around my toddler, and didn't find it too hard. I guess I get easy ones?
Each to their own! Following you now!
I have worked with pallets before and you are so right. New Follower.
ReplyDeleteI had the same struggle with breaking one down. They used some special, spiral nails that just didn't give before the wood breaks. I ended up cutting shorter planks with a circular saw from the sections between the runners. Luckily, I have a thickness planer and a jointer that cleaned the planks up pretty good. Now, I just have to figure out what to build with it.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I found an article on Pinterest that showed how to use jig saw to cut through the nails and tried it. Much easier and more salvaged wood! In just an hour or so I managed to break down two pallets. Just make sure you use the right blade, made for cutting through metal. I was impressed. The hardest part was balancing the pallet and catching the boards so they wouldn't break hitting the ground.
ReplyDeletegreat post! i always want to try something with pallets, and couldn't believe the boyfriend built me a window box with wood he bought...but now after reading this, maybe we're better off. thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe truth about pallets really does hurt! I learned years ago when my FIL decided to build a bench from pallet wood. It took us longer to disassemble the pallet than to build the bench. When pallet projects started showing up around the blog world, I silently laughed about using the wood. I always check in the back of the home improvement stores for the scrap lumber piles. I don't mind paying $2 for a board.
ReplyDeletethank you so much for this info. There's a pallet down the street on a lot that's been there forever and I've been thinking I would try to DIY it. Now, I am going to leave it alone and use leftover lumber in my garage.
ReplyDeleteLisa, Great post! I have been so intrigued and tempted to make some signs out of pallet wood as well, and I had no clue how difficult it is to work with that type of wood until I read your post. I will most definitely keep your advice in mind. Your sign looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteI invite you to follow my blog at maddiebellahome.blogspot.com so we can share our creativity.
Hugs,
Betty
I have to agree with all of your other comments here! I, too, have been looking at all of those pallet projects and wanting to try something, so it is refreshing to read the taught from someone about it!! thanks so much you have probably saved many frustrated bloggers out there!!!
ReplyDeleteSo good to know, thanks for sharing, Your sign is amazing!
ReplyDeleteMichele
Pearl 13.1
Ha! Thanks for the truth! You rock. A lot of people hint at it but never really say it! Then hubby saves the day by doing the dirty work ;)
ReplyDeleteI almost made a pallet headboard for my son, but decided to go with new wood because I was worried about all the chemicals. And now I know even more reasons why I'm glad we didn't try it :)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your honesty! I've seen so many pallet projects, including yours. They look so neat and I am glad to know I don't want to take one one. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for linking up at the Real Family Fun link party! Hope to see you next week.
KC
great post!! I live in Hong Kong, so I have limited pallet experience... my sister loves them... will have to show her this post and see what she thinks :o) I came over from Six Sisters... Hope your weekend has been great! Emily @ Nap-Time Creations
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you wrote this post. I have a dozen pallets in my barn that I've asked my husband to take apart. Now I know why he's been reluctant.
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog tonight, now hooked (this is the ???? one I have read, lol.) But I am glad I came this far.
ReplyDeleteI owed a pallet company for 13 years. Yes, the majority are very heavy. The weight ranges with the pallet type of wood and size. As far as your issues with pulling it apart, splinters and rough wood, that too depends on the pallet type of wood. They are made of everything from raw hardwood as well as soft to beautiful smooth redwood. I have made signs, tables, children's benches, a 20 x 18 porch and most things in between. If you watch you can find a good pine (most of the time smooth and nails are easy to take out) pallet that is smooth and uniform. As you said people ship on these and if the boards are not the same thickness things that are not in boxes or 55 gal drums will fall over before strapping and break. So, as far as a good pallet company, uniformity is a must! As far as the Blue pallets, they are rental pallets. This is why they are so heavy and thick, they are made to last for a very long time. If the company doesn't have the ones they started with it cost them about 10 X's the cost of a regular one. And if the place that has it was the one renting they will charge a person with theft. **Always ask before taking any pallet, a lot of companies reuse or sell them to pallet companies.**
Anyway back to the reason I wanted to comment. Please do not let this one experience stop you from using them again. You can find some beautiful lumber out there. And the best thing of all... They are FREE!!!
This is so insightful, Joni. Thank you for letting us know that there is HOPE. Pine pallets are prime!
DeleteBlessings,
Lisa
I've always wondered about using pallets and how easy it really is. My fear of breaking them apart is what has kept me from using them. You never seem to hear about the hard work that goes into making all these pallet projects. Thanks for the info! This was the most viewed link at the Whatever Goes Wednesday party last week, so we'll be featuring this over at tomorrow's party. Be sure to stop by Someday Crafts again to check it out and join the party again! Thanks for linking up!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Miranda! This has become such a popular post and I would have never thought people would care about this so much. Love Someday Crafts too.
DeleteBlessings,
Lisa
Your sign is adorable! Thanks for the lowdown on pallets. I always appreciate when people share how hard it really was to get the cute project completed.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Betsy!
DeleteIts look simple after complete but i think lots of effort require to reshape wood into beautiful design . This is the real art and i wish i also made such a nice sign for my house. personalized last name signs
ReplyDeleteInformative blog. Other than safeguarding goods, pallets can be used to for decorative purposes, beautiful stairs, furniture and also used for gardening items.
ReplyDeleteHi,,, I love pallet furniture because it easy to make and not very expensive, thanks for share it. So continue your work about pallet projects. thanks again thanks...
ReplyDelete