Separating pallet boards
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Anyone have an easy way to separate pallet boards? I seem to break more trying to separate them then I save. And the one's I do manage to get apart in one piece take forever
14 answers
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It does take some time and patience, but you can try using cinching clamps in reverse. Instead of holding things together put them between the two sides and squeeze the grip until your boards re pushing out instead of being held tight. Then when you release the grip, and use the clamp to pull the boards together, the nails stay out enough to get a grip with a pair of pliers. Works great for me.
Debbie Harris
on Nov 29, 2013
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I use a reciprocating saw with a blade for cutting metal. Get someone to hold the pallet while you use the saw to cut the nails. You will have the pallet disassembled in 10 minutes...better yet get hubby to do it for you!
Tammy Ellis
on Nov 29, 2013
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Good advice @Tammy Ellis - a good Sawzall with a sharp blade meant for cutting metal and a little patience is all you need. The thickness and widths of the wood will vary so before you invest too much time in taking one apart make sure the boards are a good fit for your project. Good luck and watch out for the hot blades!
Vintage Headboards
on Nov 30, 2013
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Ladies we are on these sites to learn how to do things and make beautiful and useful things with our hands so please do not feel you have to ask a man to help you do something that you are capable of doing yourself. It is hard to separate some of the pallets but work at it and learn something new. (not meaning to offend anyone, just how I feel) Nanci using the saw is the best way for me to do it. It does take lots of patience but you can do it and the results are worth the time.
Hisstorybuff
on Dec 01, 2013
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@Caley's Culinaries came over to the nursery to get some pallets and showed me a really easy way to break them down using a sawzall saw. Not difficult at all to do. i think she made a youtube of the process or at least has all the particulars on how to so I am tagging her and hopefully she will chime in
360 Sod (Donna Dixson)
on Dec 01, 2013
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Not sure if you have something like this in the US: http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/handtools/hammers-crowbars/crowbars/JCB-Demolition-Bar-Set-11247754. Grab the larger one of those and with a hammer bang underneath the structs and gently pry until they pop. It takes some getting used to and you will make lots of firewood to start with, I can now do a pallet in 10 or so minutes :)
Ryan
on Dec 01, 2013
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I'm not having as much luck either. I have more to make the furniture but they keep breaking to. I need help too.
Debbie Moore
on Dec 01, 2013
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Use an old fashioned crow bar. The longer ones have better leverage. They are cheap, and worth a try!
Marjory Ackerman
on Jan 26, 2015
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The challenge @Ryan with using pry bars is that the nails used to construct the pallets are designed not to come out. The boards will crack and split if you don't use a sawzall and cut the nails between the pieces of wood then drive each one out.
Vintage Headboards
on Jan 28, 2015
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Someone suggested to us that we use a saws-all with 10 inch contractor's grade blades, you cut right through the nails, they leave their own character. We tried it and it worked great!
Rho1782499
on Jun 05, 2015
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Rhonda is right --a sawsall but with a blade that cuts through nails. you can pry the boards apart a little then attack with a sawsall;
Toni
on Jun 20, 2015
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Once you have used a sawsall to do this, you will never attempt any other way........
Danny
on Jun 25, 2015
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There is a cool pallet tool that dismantles pallets pretty well. I have seen the video on Youtube. It requires hardened steel, so making it yourself is a challenge, but you can buy one and it was not that expensive. I will see if I can find a link to it.
Carol Oswald
on Jun 25, 2015
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Here is an example. There are other examples on instructables.com
Carol Oswald
on Jun 25, 2015
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