Ever been driving down the road and see these?
When I first started seeing wooden pallet projects on YouTube, I wondered where to get some. I actually bought a couple from a hardware store, lol. (I was a Scavenger Noob at this point.)
One day I was on my way to the YMCA, and realized that I always see pallets behind a waterbed shop, leaning against the back wall outside, and I wondered... are they going in the trash?! I stopped in and asked the fellow behind the counter (Phil) if I could have them.
He said yeah, "Take them all. Take as many as you like whenever you see them. I hate to throw them away." He asked me what I do with them? I told him I was building a cabin in the woods.
He asked, "What are you using for the floor?" I don't know, I said. "Today is your lucky day!" Long story short... he also sold flooring (which I didn't know). He gave me all I wanted of some random hardwood flooring, for FREE. I filled up my van and drove away smiling.
That was a Eureka moment. Discarded free stuff is everywhere.
Pallet Wood has free aesthetics.
This pallet wood is so aesthetically pleasing, I hesitated cutting it.
I decided to use this board in a more prominent place in my cabin...
As full frontal window trim.
The window sill is one of the boards Phil gave me.
I flipped the board over to the unfinished side, so I can finish it however I choose later.
All of this was absolutely free. All I had to buy was fasteners.
I got off on a tangent here. In this case the tangent simplified my post. I started out with the idea of showing some examples of what could be done with free wood/pallet wood.
I will leave you with a few examples so that my post will be closer to my original intention...
The step onto the deck is a heavy duty hardwood pallet. I just picked it up on the side of the road. Didn't cost a cent.
The table on the deck cost me two times fifty cents. When I picked up the base (free), it had carpet on it. (Must have been an interior landing.) The boards on the top cost me fifty cents, and the legs fifty cents. (I call it my fifty cent table.)
The inlaid boards on the door is pallet wood. On the cabin is the finished painted product.
Closing thoughts...
It’s disgusting to throw stuff out.
Second hand always has a story.
Pallet Wood has free aesthetics.
[Later, take care!]
