Safety tips for upcycling wooden pallets in home projects

The humble wooden pallet has become a bit of a celebrity in the world of design, thanks to creative whizzes posting their upcycled masterpieces on sites like Pinterest.

We’ve seen our basic pallets turned into garden furniture, wine racks, bedside tables, outdoor benches, bike racks, signage, and much more.
It’s a delight to see pallets being reused in such fun and interesting ways. And it’s so much more satisfying than sending them to landfill. We’re all on board with these projects!

Without being a spoil sport, there are a few safety issues with pallets. We mention it only to make sure that your home projects are a roaring success.
These are the safety tips that you need to know about your pallets before you begin your project.

Check the marking on the pallet

If the pallets have been used in international transport, they’ll have certain markings on them. Once you know how to de-code these markings, you know if you’ve found pallets that are safe to use.

What you’re looking for is a heat-treated pallet. Wood that is treated with heat is less susceptible to moisture, and has less chance of developing rot or mould.
But even more important than that, it hasn’t been treated with a toxic pesticide called methyl bromide. Back in the day, pallets were treated with methyl bromide to cleanse them from bugs and pests. But the pesticide is harmful to humans and it has not been used since 2010. So any pallet which has the marking for methyl bromide (MB) is not only toxic, but also very old. Not ideal for your home projects!

Heat-treated pallets will be marked with ‘HT’. They should also have the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) logo on it somewhere. These pallets are a good choice for your project.

Below is a table of other markings that you might come across, together with an indication of whether or not they are safe to use:

You might find a pallet that has no markings on it whatsoever. That means that it has been transported within the UK and has not crossed borders. These should be safe to use, but there is no guarantee that they have been treated with heat. If possible, ask your supplier.

Find out what the pallet was used for

See if you can find out what your chosen pallet was used for. Ideally you’re looking for pallets that were used to transport dry cargo.

Steer clear of pallets that have been used to transport food or chemicals. These pallets are often contaminated with traces of their loads. Pallets that have carried food are known to be vulnerable to E.Coli and other bacteria that can soak into the wood. Similarly, harmful chemicals can end up in the pallet wood from their loads.

How to spot mould

Rotten or mouldy pallets should be avoided at all costs. But it’s not always obvious that the pallet is rotting inside. Things to look for are: evidence of splitting in the wood, or areas of wood that are flaking off.

Safeguard against bugs

Bugs are usually attracted to moisture in the wood, so if you have damp wood you could run the risk of an infestation. As we said earlier, heat-treated pallets are less likely to absorb moisture, so you should be on safe ground with a pallet treated by heat.

The other things you can do are protect your wood with paint, stain or sealant to deter any unwanted guests.

Best projects for wood pallets

The best projects for wooden pallets are those that you will keep outdoors, such as a bike rack, compost bin, or signage. That minimises the risk of any contamination in your home.

Just be careful if you’re using them to grow food in though. Make sure you know the background to your pallets if you’re doing this.

If you’re using pallets indoors, then it’s wise to get them from a trusted source, so that you know how they’ve been treated, and what they’ve been used for.

Looking for pallets?

If you’d like pallets for your home projects, please give us a call. We’d be happy to arrange some pallets for you, which will be safe and suitable for your project.