# Where do you find free pallets?



## num1hitter (Jan 13, 2013)

I am constantly looking for free wood pallets on Craigslist but have not had much luck.  Where do you get your pallets?


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## Paver56 (Jan 13, 2013)

I am in Lancaster, PA-I get most of mine from neighbors and businesses.  A lot of businesses have no where to go with them when they are unloaded.  Keep your eyes open-salt, pavers, cement block etc all come on pallets.


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## Hearth Mistress (Jan 13, 2013)

My husband gets them from his work as they have to pay people to take them otherwise. Also, we have gotten them from local feed and hardware stores as big bags of animal food, pellets, ice melt, etc come on pallets and they welcome people to take them.  Call around where you live, I'm sure someone will have stuff for you.


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## swagler85 (Jan 13, 2013)

Any hardware store, HVAC installers, feed store, and really any small business that gets shipments. Not really hard to find if you aren't afraid to ask.


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## nate379 (Jan 13, 2013)

Trying to find decent shape similar sized pallets is a one reason I gave up and just built some racks.  Also most pallets are too narrow to stack 3 rows wide with air space between the rows.


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## fireview2788 (Jan 13, 2013)

I get mine from a buddy who is in the lawn business, all the fertilizer comes on pallets.


fv


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## Lowtech (Jan 13, 2013)

I just the came across the pallet  find of a life time yesterday.  I was going behind a local shopping center to look for small pallets(my Subaru limits the size of what I can haul).  When I turned the corner and found what must 200 pallets stacked up.  I grabbed 3 and went back today for 3 more as well as a some 1x6 pine from the other side of the rear of the building.


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## Wooderson (Jan 13, 2013)

newspaper office is a good find.  They receive all of their newsprint on pallets and it is typically an untapped source.


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## rideau (Jan 14, 2013)

Lumber and feed stores.


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## Mr A (Jan 14, 2013)

Building supply, motorcycle shops, rebar suppliers have hardwood, construction sites, furniture stores. I collected pallets for a while to burn, seems free tree rounds come just as easily, so I go for the good wood now. There is a roofing supply company I tend to pass by frequently, and they always have more than I need.


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## JP11 (Jan 14, 2013)

There's a big "pallet recycling" place near me.  Box trucks full of them.  They repair and grade them and resell.

SO.. many are spoken for.  I bought some from them.. and they were pricey and with their grading, I was getting ugly, weak pallets.

I found a mom and pop business that does the same thing, on a much smaller scale.  I got them to deliver 30 in a pickup at a time to my house for about 2 bucks each.  Not worth my gas to chase them.

I've got about 70 pallet "U" so what's that.. 210 pallets.  That's a lot to scrounge.  I might need 30 more.. but I've currently just be repairing and refilling them as I burn.  Working pretty good.  Think I'm at about 20 cord stored now.  5 of that nothing but red oak.

JP


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## firefighterjake (Jan 14, 2013)

Any place that gets in large parts . . . think 18-wheeler repair shops, tractor repair shops, etc.


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## tbuff (Jan 14, 2013)

Schools. typically just sitting around by the dumpster.


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## Jack Straw (Jan 14, 2013)

Have you tried posting a CL ad requesting them?


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## jdp1152 (Jan 14, 2013)

Yeah...put an ad in craigslist looking for them.  They're everywhere and most places would love for you to just come get them.  I've got a bunch of leftover lumber from a basement demo and a lot of steel posts left by the previous owner that I stack on, otherwise I'd go pick some up.  Last CL ad I saw was something like 30+/week a local nursery was trying to get rid of.


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## Researcher1 (Jan 14, 2013)

Try lowe's if you have one around. I get all mine from there, they just don't let you take the sakrete ones (usually with some colored paint on them) because they get money back for turning them in.


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## sblat (Jan 14, 2013)

tbuff said:


> Schools. typically just sitting around by the dumpster.​


 
Thats were I find mine.  Happen to be a teacher, so every time the custodian unloads a pallet of copy paper if goes home with me.  Teaching in a few building, I have been able to grab a lot over the last year.


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## num1hitter (Jan 14, 2013)

Thanks a lot for all of the advice.  I am sure I will get some at one of those locations in the very near future.


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## Flatbedford (Jan 14, 2013)

I get mine from a local nursery. All his bagged seed, mulch, dirt, etc. comes on them. He loads them on my flatbed with his forklift. I can never take enough of them for him.


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## WeldrDave (Jan 14, 2013)

With all the good info above, you may not need this but, If you have a military installation near you, usually they can't throw them away fast enough! Find a person in the military and go find the supply person in charge.
He or she will be happy to get rid of them.


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## Hearth Mistress (Jan 14, 2013)

nate379 said:


> Trying to find decent shape similar sized pallets is a one reason I gave up and just built some racks.  Also most pallets are too narrow to stack 3 rows wide with air space between the rows.


"Standard" pallets are 40 x 48 but there are other sizes too depending on what you want... 42x42 is used for paint, 48x48 holds four 55 gallon drums, 40 x 40 milk crates and 36 x 36 beer and other case beverages. Anything put on pallets for the military has to be 35 x 45 to fit in doors and almost every from Asia would be on 43 x 43. Whtever you don't use to stack, just cut 'em up and burn


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## legrandice (Jan 14, 2013)

I also find pallets at our local pool company.  In the spring they put a bunch of them out at the curb.  Conveniently, it's right next to the dump so I swing by there on the way home.  I also get them at our local farm supply stores.


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## TradEddie (Jan 14, 2013)

num1hitter said:


> I am constantly looking for free wood pallets on Craigslist but have not had much luck. Where do you get your pallets?


 
I know somewhere just the other side of Pottstown from you that almost always has pallets left outside for taking. Just off Rt724 on old Schuylkill Rd. Google says its called Mac Kissic Inc.

TE


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## num1hitter (Jan 14, 2013)

Hearth Mistress said:


> "Standard" pallets are 40 x 48 but there are other sizes too depending on what you want... 42x42 is used for paint, 48x48 holds four 55 gallon drums, 40 x 40 milk crates and 36 x 36 beer and other case beverages. Anything put on pallets for the military has to be 35 x 45 to fit in doors and almost every from Asia would be on 43 x 43. Whtever you don't use to stack, just cut 'em up and burn


 

That is impressive information



TradEddie said:


> I know somewhere just the other side of Pottstown from you that almost always has pallets left outside for taking. Just off Rt724 on old Schuylkill Rd. Google says its called Mac Kissic Inc.
> 
> TE


 
I will check them out one of these weekends when I visit my parents.  Thanks a lot.


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## Jack Straw (Jan 15, 2013)

Pallets Are Us, Pete's Pallet Emporium, and Palletmart.


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## schlot (Jan 15, 2013)

I found some under the neighbors wood pile...boy he as mad. LOL.

Golf courses, contractors, building supply, churches...well ok, maybe not churches, unless they got a REALLY big shipment in of communion wine.


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## CT-Mike (Jan 15, 2013)

Check out your local hot tub dealer.  The store where I bought my hot tub is always looking for someone to take them, and they are big, like 8' x 8' or so.


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## Paulywalnut (Jan 15, 2013)

Hearth Mistress said:


> "Standard" pallets are 40 x 48 but there are other sizes too depending on what you want... 42x42 is used for paint, 48x48 holds four 55 gallon drums, 40 x 40 milk crates and 36 x 36 beer and other case beverages. Anything put on pallets for the military has to be 35 x 45 to fit in doors and almost every from Asia would be on 43 x 43. Whtever you don't use to stack, just cut 'em up and burn


Wow! Competition for Pallet Pete


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## Hearth Mistress (Jan 15, 2013)

Paulywalnut said:


> Wow! Competition for Pallet Pete


No, just full of useless information and being in printing all my life, had to know where to get pallets to meet commercial/consumer/military specs. They all burn the same to me


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## Paulywalnut (Jan 15, 2013)

Hearth Mistress said:


> No, just full of useless information and being in printing all my life, had to know where to get pallets to meet commercial/consumer/military specs. They all burn the same to me


Oh ok. Its actually good info not many know about.


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## raybonz (Jan 15, 2013)

There are NO pallets left in the USA because Pallet Pete has all of them 

Ray


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## Pallet Pete (Jan 15, 2013)

Pallet Pete pursues pallets procured for free at produce / hardware product stores procuring pallets without pay. Proceed to pester produce / hardeware managers periodically and procure pallets providing pallet piles per plan. Pallets Pete's place of employment practically throws pallets at his posterior as well ! 

Pete


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## Pallet Pete (Jan 15, 2013)

Paulywalnut said:


> Wow! Competition for Pallet Pete


 
Pishaw Pallet Pete proceeds per plan pouncing on pallets persistently & painting 49 * 73 pallets pointlessly proving his prominence  ! 

Pete


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## Pallet Pete (Jan 15, 2013)

Jack Straw said:


> Pallets Are Us, Pete's Pallet Emporium, and Palletmart.


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## raybonz (Jan 15, 2013)

Pallet Pete said:


> Pallet Pete pursues pallets procured for free at produce / hardware product stores procuring pallets without pay. Proceed to pester produce / hardeware managers periodically and procure pallets providing pallet piles per plan. Pallets Pete's place of employment practically throws pallets at his posterior as well !
> 
> Pete


Pfft you pallet pilfering punk!


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## Pallet Pete (Jan 15, 2013)

raybonz said:


> Pfft you pallet pilfering punk!


 
Ray really rubs reality in ! 

Pete


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## Pallet Pete (Jan 15, 2013)

num1hitter said:


> I am constantly looking for free wood pallets on Craigslist but have not had much luck. Where do you get your pallets?


 
Sorry Pallet Pete + Raybonz = Perfectly retarded  ! 

I am done now 

Seriously check out all the local factories and stores ! Factories give away tons of pallets around here you have to pay to get rid of them so we put them by a road with a free sign or I take them.

Pete


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## Hearth Mistress (Jan 15, 2013)

Pallet Pete painstakingly pacifies his procurement of pallets profusely.

I can't compete with Pete


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## WeldrDave (Jan 16, 2013)

I can arrange for at least 100 of my pallets to go away if someone wants to drive to South Jersey!


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## ScotO (Jan 16, 2013)

My neighbor out the road owns a sign company....he does some really big signs and such for businesses and what-not.  Anyway, years back, he was contracted to help install the jumbotrons/scoreboard at Penn State's Beaver Stadium.  I was coming home from work one day and passed his business and there was a MOUNTAIN of 'pallet' wood.......all 2x4's......stacked in his business driveway.  So I said what the heck, I stopped in and asked what he was doing with them.  He said if I wanted them, they were mine....but I had to take more that he had to remove from the jobsite.  All or nothing, so to speak.   I literally got several tractor-trailer loads of 'pallets' (when I say pallets, I'm talking each pallet was built out of 2x4's, literally dozens of them each pallet, some 8' long, some 12 and 14' and longer)!  I paid for fuel to haul them back from Beaver Stadium, and I spent over a MONTH pulling spiral nails and staples out of those boards.  I stacked and banded them in my basement and the following summer, I framed my entire 28' x 24' barn out of them!  I also studded the entire upstairs of my addition with them!  All top-grade lumber, too!

My point is, do like the others said and ask around, I'm sure you'll find some for free, heck maybe even enough to build a barn!!


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## happycamper (Mar 18, 2019)

Hearth Mistress said:


> My husband gets them from his work as they have to pay people to take them otherwise. Also, we have gotten them from local feed and hardware stores as big bags of animal food, pellets, ice melt, etc come on pallets and they welcome people to take them.  Call around where you live, I'm sure someone will have stuff for you.



im looking for free oak pallets
to be cut up for firewood
im in lebanon,pa 17042 area
apple201456@yahoo.com


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## kborndale (Mar 19, 2019)

happycamper said:


> im looking for free oak pallets
> to be cut up for firewood
> im in lebanon,pa 17042 area
> apple201456@yahoo.com



Go drive thru any industrial area near you, you will find pallets all over the place free for the taking.  Drive behind strip malls and supermarkets as well, pallets are thrown away all over the place, you just have to look in the right spots.


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## Woody5506 (Mar 19, 2019)

Yeah, industrial areas especially. Many machine shops who do sheet metal will get the nice 8ft long pallets with the 4x4 oak or cherry runners on them. They have served me well for firewood and for using as a base to stack firewood on. I have found the cherry ones aren't always as dry as you'd think.


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## peakbagger (Mar 19, 2019)

Tractor Supply seems to have a pretty endless supply.

Back when a lot of expensive machine tool equipment was coming over from Japan in the 1980s the pallets were usually made from tropical hardwoods. My friend scrounged the wood from the pallets and got some real nice varieties of clear usually old growth exotic hardwood. Lots of Philippine mahogany (which is actually a mix of various hard to pronounce tropical woods).  Sadly he really doesn't have use for it so when he runs into it in his attic it goes in the stove.


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## Chippy Chaser (Mar 22, 2019)

My local Tractor Supply has a sign on the door encouraging people to take the pallets behind the store.


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