Easiest way to dismantle pallets?

[muckdiva]

Ok, I now have pallets, but I'd forgotten quite what a pain they are to pull apart. A crowbar does an ok job, but splits some of the wood. Are they any easier ways?

[Madasafish]

Having just dismantled 4, I found the consistently easisest way that broke least wood was to hammer the crossboards as follows:
Middle spar: on either side.
outer spars: on the side nearest the centre spar.

Doing it this way forces the nails to release and minimises wood breakage: you should move from along the board you are hammering and hammer at each spar as above every 2-3 hits... or the baord may break. If all else fails, a large screwdriver hammered under the nails helps...

[rustylady]

Large heavy hammer. Use where the pallets are joined together. Work along the length of the timbers. If you try to force one section it will split. They are usually fixed with huge staples - if they are nailed you could use a claw hammer to remove individual nails. Good Luck

[pigletwillie]

Or for a really easy way, arm yourself with a lump hammer and a flat pry bar (not a round crowbar). Use the hammer to knock the short bit of the prybar between the end of the slat and the block behind. The slat should come away without much ado. The slat can then be just levered off. No mess, no hastle.

The feet and blocks can be seperated in the same way. I use the blocks in my multi fuel stove.

[cheshire61]

i Found using a bolster chisel it cuts trough the nails and the boards dont seem to split we have removed boards from 12ft pallets on our allotments for shed making etc and using a bolster was the best way

[carlseawolf]

Why Not Use Fire !

[bubblewrap]

There is a tool called a nail extractor made by Baco or Braco?(I think) use't to use one where I worked a few years ago!

[jacob marley]

the method i use when i have a few tobreak up is stand the pallet on its side if possible then measure the gap between top and bottom and make a wedge about two inches wider than the gap then drive it in and evry thing comes apart if you are lucky it helps if you have a circular saw for cutting wedge it does workit helps if you use two or three wedges

[lottieguy]

I am looking at the purchase of a tool by cargo cycles to take pallets apart as I get quite a few come my way. Has any one ever used one? seen one? do you have a home made tool? it is fairly expensive but I am sure if it is any good some other gardeners will chip in aswell toward it. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

[Digmeplot]

There is a short video on YouTube about this tool I am looking at buying one myself..


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[rary]

The easiest and quickest way to dismantle a pallet that I have found, is to lay it the pallet on the ground and using a spade or any long sound strap of wood etc. of suitable thickness as a lever place this under the first spar in the inside of the runner and while standing on the pallet use the next spar as the fulcrum? gently press the leaver down by using your own weight ie. put your foot on it and press down.
it will move but if you think it may split move the lever to the next runner and ease the spar up you will find that the end nails will then come out easier at the other end of the spar stay in the inside of the runner, this practice will work for a pallet with any number of runners, as you remove the straps you may find it easier to switch to the other end of the pallet and work back into the middle, with the last spar use one of the spars that you removed to allow you to leaver it off, remember to use the pallet in such a way that it allows you leverage safely and the slower you apply leverage the safer it will be and if you are unsure get assistance

[Shingle]

I am looking at the purchase of a tool by cargo cycles to take pallets apart as I get quite a few come my way. Has any one ever used one? seen one? do you have a home made tool? it is fairly expensive but I am sure if it is any good some other gardeners will chip in aswell toward it. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Hi, Yes I have the very tool (Dual Headed), had mine over 18 months now, works great, not cheap though, but have broken up at least 60-70 pallets in that time, some can be done in less than a minute, of course taking nails out adds to the time, but still very quick.

[Mozer242]

Cordless drill with good metal bit, locate head of each nail and drill it away palettes will just literally fall apart, granted you end up with slightly larger holes than prising the nail out but you won't have any split or damaged wood



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[george356]

Cordless drill with good metal bit, locate head of each nail and drill it away palettes will just literally fall apart, granted you end up with slightly larger holes than prising the nail out but you won't have any split or damaged wood



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I use a similar method, except I use a plug cutter with the inside diameter the size of the nail head. What is a plug cutter, I hear you ask?

Well - this is one, or rather a set.


They are used by woodworkers and joiners to cut plugs of wood to plug holes in wood after a screw has been countersunk in it.

They work great, but as Mozer has said, they leave a hole in the timber. No big deal if you are using the timber in the garden, and if you buy a set you can always cut a plug from scrap timber to plug the hole you have just made to free the board from the pallet.

I have just taken apart 6 pallets in 20 minutes using this method.

[mothhawk]

^^^^^Well that's a bit of kit I never knew existed!