Wooden Pallets?

Happy_bunny

A group of parents for our local school are aiming to build small wooden birdhouses for the school to sell at fetes. Does anyone know where we could source old wooden pallets from in/around Exeter? Any help appreciated!

chalkie99

I would just go around a few industrial estates and ask wherever you see a pile of them. Some firms re-use them and others are only too pleased to be rid of them once their deliveries are unpacked.

I don't get many but find those that I do get a blooming nuisance!

Just don't take any blue painted ones - they are owned by a company that charges a refundable deposit so they have to be kept.

savemoney

As above I ask local businesses I get mine from a large electrical tarde retailer and another from a large plumbing company all for free, I do ask though

Be careful with them they can mess up your car and they have large nails in them, the wood isnt all that good quality

david69_2

Also have a look on any building sites when they open up again
They are good places to look because they want to clear the sites quickly

MrYorke

whilst your driving around the trading estates, keep your eye out for joinery's. They will usually have lots of off-cuts that they would be willing to get rid of....and probably for free.

gethro

Ask at the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital stores,we use to deliver around Exeter and found that the hospital stores couldn't wait to get rid of any pallets they had.

badmumof1

I have made loads of these and sold them with great profit too.
I can see your logic in using pallets but you have to make sure the wood is the same width
I have instructions that will make a bird box out of a 1.5m strip of wood with no waste and can be made in a couple of hours

SailorSam

Some good ideas on here to make boxes to suit different birds.
Factsheet: Building bird nest boxes

bordercars

builders merchants.

Russe11

I would say pallet timber is not really suitable for making bird boxes.

Forris

Russe11 wrote: »

I would say pallet timber is not really suitable for making bird boxes.

Why?

I have made plenty of birdboxes (and birdtables, although these require a bit more planning) from pallet wood. Remember, birds don't care how 'rustic' the box looks, as long as it is wind and rain proof.

It can be tough getting nails out of pallets as most are ring-shank, machine-nailed. Its easier to cut around them. Don't worry about knots and other blemishes, they add character.