Wooden Pallets

[sleepyowl]

Are wooden pallets any good for making raised beds as I am looking at creating raised beds in Tetris shapes but want to keep the cost down. I dare say I would need to treat them if they are, but what would you say the best wood treatment would be for this scenario?

[KathyLauren]

Wood treatments that will preserve the wood are generally poisons. I would only use untreated wood in a veggie garden. Yes, it will eventually rot. I'd rather have the wood rot than my body.

[Flo]

Yes wooden pallets are good for making small raised beds. Done regularly on all the local allotments. Not treated. Better for small beds.

But allotment holders prefer to use them for compost bins or staging under tubs for drainage and to gather scaffold boards for raised beds. These would be a bit big for what you want to do sleepyowl.

[bonniethomas06]

I have done this in the past too - they lasted three years untreated, which I was happy with. How many beds are you making?

[sleepyowl]

About 9

[Green Aura]

The good thing about pallet wood is it is all pretty similar in size (not length obviously). We've got a few raised beds made from pallets and its easy to replace odd strips as they rot, so no need for wood preserver.

There never seems to be much of a shortage of pallets.

[Skippy]

Having a contact in logistics as haulage is now called I'll add my two pence worth.
Not all pallets are the same.
Firstly the most obvious one is to avoid the blue ones as they are all owned by Chep who can and do get arsey about people doing things with their pallets and have brought prosecutions in the past.
Secondly some pallets are chemically treated against rot whereas some are basically cooked to kill any wood bourne parasites. Generally these two types will be a Euro pallet that are used both internally and internationally . Odd sized pallets or those designed for a one use operation will generally not be treated in any way.
Here's a link that might very well be useful
http://www.1001pallets.com/pallet-safety/