Have you ever wanted to build or buy a garden box? The cost of pre-built boxes and lumber itself is extremely expensive. Fortunately you can build one for just a few dollars in nails and tools if you use wood pallets.
Let's get started.
Let's get started.
Step 1: Gather your materials.
First, you will need to find a pallet or two, depending on how large you want your box. A good source is to check craigslist.org in your area under the free section and search for pallets or wood. A lot of times people give away the pallets that the pallet recyclers won't pay for.
Step 2: Assemble your workspace and tools
For this project I just did it on my backyard. It might help if you had access to a workbench for cutting the wood. These are the tools and supplies you need:
1. A hammer, preferably a claw type.
2. A handsaw of some type. Here I'm using a hack saw but it would probably be better to use a fine toothed wood saw.
3. A pencil for marking.
4. A screwdriver or crowbar for preparing the wood.
5. Nails. You will probably need some short (about 2 inch) and some longer (3+ inch) nails.
6. A pair of pliers to help pull nails.
1. A hammer, preferably a claw type.
2. A handsaw of some type. Here I'm using a hack saw but it would probably be better to use a fine toothed wood saw.
3. A pencil for marking.
4. A screwdriver or crowbar for preparing the wood.
5. Nails. You will probably need some short (about 2 inch) and some longer (3+ inch) nails.
6. A pair of pliers to help pull nails.
Step 3: Prepare your wood.
Start by taking apart the pallets with the hammer and the screwdriver/crowbar. If there are a lot of staples in the wood, you can simply hammer them flat in most cases. Be aware that they are still sharp and may interfere with your nails as you're hammering them in, depending on placement.
You want to make sure you have enough of the right size of planks for this. Separate them into piles. I used 4 planks per side along with enough wood to nail at each end.
You want to make sure you have enough of the right size of planks for this. Separate them into piles. I used 4 planks per side along with enough wood to nail at each end.
Step 4: Assemble the planks into sides.
Take the planks and line them up for each board. Use the small pieces and the awkward ones to make the side pieces. Hammer 2 nails for each plank on each side.
Do this 4 times and you should get something that looks like this.
Do this 4 times and you should get something that looks like this.
Step 5: Assemble the finished box.
Stand the boards perpendicular to each other and hammer them together with your longer 3 inch or so nails. Make sure you line the nails up to the most solid part of the wood on the thin side. Use at least 3 nails for these one on each side and in the middle. The final result should look like this.
That's it! Enjoy your new raised bed garden.
That's it! Enjoy your new raised bed garden.
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And here's why:
Wood pallets are like sponges - they’re porous and readily absorb water and other fluids. This creates a breeding ground for bacteria like salmonella, E. coli and Listeria that can cross-contaminate food. Wood pallets are so unhygienic that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said they must not be used in connection with food preparation because of the risk of Listeria contamination. Instead, the FDA advocates the use of stainless steel and plastic.
The FDA doesn't even use them for food preparation, much less direct contact and propegation of what would be "organic" produce. Kinda defeats the purpose of knowing where your food comes from.
Aside from government regulation, there are all kinds of chemicals in heavily processed wood like pallets. Same reason you're not supposed to burn plywood due for risk of inhaling the glue and chemicals like formaldehyde.
Just something to think about.
http://www.themhedajournal.org/blogs/Steve-Guglielmo/index.php/2010/11/what-the-fda-vote-means-for-wooden-pallets/
Also, the study that showed the high bacterial count was done by a competitor to the wood pallet industry, showing that it was heavily biased.
The FDA also approves such substances as Aspartame for human consumption, which essentially breaks down in the human digestions system into formaldehyde and methanol. To me this just seems like a big push from the plastic pallet industry.
Wood pallets could perhaps be cleaned up as an industry when it comes to chemical treatments. They are however easier to recycle in projects such as these.
To clarify, I'm not arguing against re-using pallets in general or in favor of plastic for that matter, just against chemicals and bacteria in a planter bed.
You can't ignore the fact that pallets like these see very active service and are incredibly porous - soaking in anything that they come in contact with including sitting next to dumpsters or stagnant water in an alley. And that's just what we assume happens in the life of a pallet. Shipping ports are havens of disease.
Try something else for the pallets, because people with less knowledge will do this instructable and consequently be consuming the chemicals they are trying to get away from by growing their own food.
I'm not knocking you for the project, it's really great - and very accessible to those with less know how. All I'm saying is I think these could be re-purposed for something that you won't eat.
one more comment--- if you can find the pallets with the 4x4 0r 3x4 on them if you use those on the inside corners to nail to they really strengthen the boxes.