wood pallet life outside

[fred bergman]

how long will it last ? using them to stack split wood on ...

 

[burnses]

bout 2 years in my experience...more if ya block them up some

 

[zogger]

Directly on the ground, not long, rot and termites will get to them. Up on something like cinder blocks, years.

Directly on the ground is a variable, some guys can get two years, others...shoot around here they won't last one year on the ground, they turn to mush.

 

[cantoo]

My hardwood ones from bricks are about 5 years one and have had wood dropped on them of the conveyor for 4 years. Laying on topsoil but in a open area so some wind can get at them. They have 3"x3" hardwood on the bottom. Bottoms are fine but the weight of the splits have cracked most of the 1" boards on the top. Was just going to haul them all to my burn pile today but it's still a little too wet out. I still get as many as I can from work even though I have enough to last for years. Always get it when you can.
I put scrap 2x4's under my firewood crates now so that they last longer. I have about $35 in them so would like to get 7 or more years out of them. I also stack a bunch on concrete inside my barn.

 

[NSMaple1]

They can get rotten pretty quick laying right on sod like that.

Get them up off the ground on blocks & they can last a long time. The higher the better. If you don't have blocks kicking around, use fat splits. Or long pieces of log. Or rounds. You can take the splits/rounds up when you empty a pallet & replace with new ones, put the old ones on top & you can burn them next time round. Support the middle of the pallet too on each side, between the fork cutouts. Easy peasy.

 

[c5rulz]

There is a big difference in pallets. Cheap softwood pallets are done in a year, hardwood probably two. They are expendable and free so just replace when needed, It's the cost of doing business.

Spares on the right:

 

[jrider]

Not long enough. I was lucky enough to come across a bunch of solid topped plastic ones last year. No more breaking, falling through, or rotting for me thankfully.

 

[lindnova]

I just put new ones on top of the old ones but my piles are not pretty looking ones. Life expectancy varied same as others have posted.

 

[logeeland]

Some last 20 years, some last 1 season. Hard to find good quality pallets anymore. I have found that putting them on gravel or stone makes then last longer. On loam or other material they will rot.

 

[stihlroofing]

Wrap them in 6 mil poly or put them in large contractor grade trash bags and seal with staples.

 

[logeeland]

Careful wrapping them. Unless you remove all the air they will build up moisture inside the plastic during temp changes and that will speed up the rotting process. Better off putting plastic below them and making sure the water does not sit under them.

 

[logeeland]

The plastic ones that beverage companies use are great if you can find them.

 

[stihlroofing]

Thanks Logeeland! I'll start using plastic pallets.

 

[logeeland]

Good luck! Those are like gold! I got some the USPS were throwing out once. They did not last as long. The cold weather made them brittle. The beverage ones are as tough as milk crates though.

 

[stihlroofing]

I have a friend who can get me some of these.

 

[lindnova]

I scored one plastic one so far. I used to get really good hardwood pallets that sidewalk salt came on. I have some that are 5 years old and still using. The regular hardwood ones I get now last 2 years and the pine junk isn't worth using.

 

[shorty2000us]

The plastic ones that beverage companies use are great if you can find them.

I'm slowly phasing out my wood ones to plastic ones. They should literally last a lifetime and way stronger. I just go behind the local grocery store at night, seems to be a few there every time

 

[Highbeam]

I only got 2 years out of the wooden ones so I switched to foam pallets. Dense foam like Styrofoam. So far 100% success. Only been a couple/three years though.

 

[stihlroofing]

Where did you get the foam ones?

 

[Wood Doctor]

I saved six wood pallets today that were just under two years old. There might be four more that I can save. The other 30 are older and ready for ?