Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Chatting => Design and Construction => Topic started by: RJR_38 on August 18, 2013, 20:15
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I've got 3 big wooden pallets made of really thick wood. They are both 1.2m long, one is the same high and the other a bit shorter. My original plan was to break them down and use the wood to make 2 small raised beds. However, I was using my pallet splitting tool today (which usually breaks pallets down very easily) and it seems the wood is so thick that very long and strong nails have been used - they are not going anywhere and the wood is just splitting so I stopped.
So, what can I do with them? I already have a compost heap and 2 isn't enough to make one anyway. Any other ideas that don't involve breaking them up?
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I have them as decking in front of my shed.
I fancy having a go at using them as hanging planters for herbs and salad. Apparently you fix Mypex (etc) woven heavy duty sheet mulch to the back of the pallet and then plant it up. You keep it laid flat until the plants have rooted and started growing away and then you can hang it up. I saw this on telly recently and it looked good :) Vertical gardening
I've also seen them stacked and used as a base for a clay oven, to bring it up to a comfortable height. You stack them to the height you want and then put a piece of thick board over that as the base to start making the oven
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I agree with CQ, make a patio area, put a bench on it.
The other thing to do is to build your compost bin on top of one. This lets air underneath the bin and frogs will occupy the space, frogs eat slugs.
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Both interesting options I hadn't thought of! Thanks CQ. I might end up going down the decking route....
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If you Gurgle there's a whole world of creative pallet ideas out there. There's a website dedicated to it in fact
Called Dishfunctionaldesign. I just had a look. Also if you Gurgle "creative pallet ideas" and then hit the Images button, lots of lovely photos come up. It's really inspirational :)
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Ooh, I will go and look now! I never thought to gurgle something like that!
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You might regret it. Your head will explode with ideas. Mine did :lol:
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I got creative and built a shack!
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7298/9546624726_01da212e5c.jpg)
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5544/9235815429_854c7715d3.jpg)
8 foot by 10 foot pallets. The window is glass from a double glazed door.
I have done some more work since, but I feel this will be forever in a state of change as new ideas emerge.
BP
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The shack looks great but I only have 2 and am unlikely to be able to get more of this size (and is probably beyond my building skills to be honest!). I like the idea of some easy potting tables I have seen though....
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I've got a pile of pallets which I've accumulated over the years but none have the spacings that I need to use as decking in front of my shed. My quest continues :nowink:
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Move the slats on one and fill in with slats from another. Same nails
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Can you not use them for fencing?
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Post some pics of your plot in the plot competition thread.
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=108968.0
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CQ, thanks for the hosepipe tip to get rid of caterpillars. It works a treat.
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On plot 103 and a half, we have a fence, 2 shed bases, 1 large step into a small shed and 3 compost bins made out of pallets (so far). The plotfather I quite good at making stuff! :)
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You are lucky to have someone good at that! My fiancé... Well lets just say that DIY or gardening are not where his strengths or interests lie! I could probably make some fairly good things but I don't have the tools or equipment needed really. When I lived near my parents I could borrow my dads tools (very good at that kind of stuff) but now they are nearly 100 miles away its not do-able and I would never use them enough to warrant buying decent, expensive ones sadly.
I have been down the plot, played around with them for a bit, considered making a potting table but I think that would be better suited for the smaller ones rather than my monsters and so I am going to have a decked area - thanks CQ for the idea! Actually quite excited as I can paint it, put a bench on it and have a 'pretty' section on the plot. Just got to clear that section of the jungle now. Winter project sorted :happy:
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Get a wreaking bar from Whicks, that and a Claw hammer will deal with most pallets. Last the rest of your life as well.
http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/500625/?source=123_75 £6.19
http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/167286 £4.00
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Get a wreaking bar from Whicks, that and a Claw hammer will deal with most pallets. Last the rest of your life as well.
http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/500625/?source=123_75 £6.19
http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/167286 £4.00
Oh, I have those Bob! I don't see those as expensive. I have a proper pallet breaker (it's name escapes me now) and it dealt beautifully with the normal pallets I used to edge beds etc. However, these are monsters and are only going to break by being split which is why they will be staying whole! In terms of tools I was talking about a decent power drill (I have a cheap thing from Argos which is more like a toy!), decent saws (I only have a couple of cheap ones and no hacksaw or mitre saw), you catch my drift. Yes, probably could do some of the things without and use brute force, lot of effort but I am a girl and although strong, not that strong. I have also grown up knowing how I *should* be doing things so it annoys me haha!
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Don't worry about being a girl, half the population suffer from that one.
You don't want a mitre saw unless your jointing stuff like furniture.
The best way to get a saw that does nearly everything is to get a powered chop saw. Does nearly everything.
Could you put a spade under one end and stand on it to release the wood. Or get a hacksaw and cut the nails.
Now this is how do cut wood. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/power-tools/saws/compound_mitres/Performance-Power-210MM-Compound-Mitre-Saw-10957623?skuId=11448327
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Ooh yes, that is the kind of saw I was talking about! I am used to having access to proper tools like that lol! (It helps overcome the lack of brute force thing. In terms of breaking them up, the leverage isn't the problem. The only way round it would be to cut the nails but they are so tightly nailed you wouldn't be able to slide a blade in there. I am fine with these ones staying joined now!
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On plot 103 and a half, we have a fence, 2 shed bases, 1 large step into a small shed and 3 compost bins made out of pallets (so far). The plotfather I quite good at making stuff! :)
Ooooh1 And a table.....don't forget hi table. ::)
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A pallet table, FPM how about some pics please?
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A pallet table, FPM how about some pics please?
I'll try tomorrow Bob, tomorrow has been set aside to erect the ebay greenhouse so could be more than you bargained for. ::) Just noticed all the typos in my previous posts. Sorry everyone :(
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you cam actually drill the heads off :)
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A pallet table, FPM how about some pics please?
Here it is! :D
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Looks good!
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A pallet table, FPM how about some pics please?
Here it is! :D
Outstanding FPM.
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A pallet table, FPM how about some pics please?
Here it is! :D
Outstanding FPM.
It was the Plotfather's doing. I have to give credit sometimes! ::)