Wooden pallets

Would it be okay to use the wood from pallets to build raised beds or would the preservative stuff inside the wood be harmful to the plants? Thanks ☺

 

That's great thanks mate

 

Be carefull of using any newish GKN (blue) pallets as they are own by GKN
and some other pallets with names on them

Some one i know had to pay for the pallets after they made something, some one had words with the owner and they wanted paying for the pallet as it wasn't there's

 

Dont think pallet wood will last very long in contact with soil.
But might be good for two or three years.

Old decking might be better if you can get some.
I think the "decking" craze is now over.

 

We sometimes get free wood 'skids' from local companies up here for the woodburner. They would be good for making things such as raised beds as quite thick, so it might be worth asking around where you live.

 

Well nobody told me , ive only just installed mine ,

To be honest its not expensive to buy new these decking planters worked out at around £6 each.

 

Well I've had a look at them and can't find any writing saying if its treated or not, so would it be best not to use it?

 

So much pallet wood goes to waste...burned or buried in land fill. If you can use it to make something useful that is a GOOD THING! Even if it is treated with something nasty as long as you are not going to eat what is growing against it, I can't see that there is a problem. I have used old railway sleepers as retaining walls and the plants growing in the beds beside them don't seem to suffer any harm.

 

I'm planning to build a green wall using pallets, to hide our bins and a water butt. My wife also wants a table made from pallets and my boys want a treehouse, I'm going to have pallets coming out of my ears!

 

I'm only growing vegetables this year, never mind I'll have to use them for something else. If the plant seemed to be growing OK, would be alright to eat? ☺

Good luck mate!

 

I built a table out of them

 

Might have to do something similar myself mate lol. Do you know if the stuff in the treated wood would pass over into the vegetables? I've had a look online but can't find anything about it

 

@jay22
This website may help: http://www.1001pallets.com/pallet-safety/
For international trade pallets have to be treated to kill insect pests, often done by heat treatment.
I wouldn't use untreated timber outside in contact with the soil as it will only last a year or so.