Thursday, October 25, 2012

Pretty handy pallets


We just love the very quirky and practical things crafters all over the world are doing to up cycle palette wood.

From furniture to storage and even in the garden it’s very inspirational to see people taking something that is often discarded and turning it into a focus point.

Have a look at the clever and inspirational items we have found and please read the section at the end of this post that will inform you if your pallet is safe to use.

Lots of love, D&M made with love xxx
 
Bed om pallets to create a minimal almost Eastern look to a bedroom.

 
Cupboard doors and drawers from salvaged pallets creates a warm textured element to this kitchen.


 

Boxed floor cushions on a double layer pallets as lounge furniture adds to the industrial look of this apartment.

 Outdoor daybed on pallets with castors to wheel in and out easily
  http://scraphacker.com/pallet-sofas/

Sleek coffetable where the wood is painted and finished off with a glass top looks very elegant

www.pinterest.com

 Kitchen island painted in dark grey screams sophistication and creates beautiful lines
Raw pallets used as office furniture
flavahome.com
Lovelly shabby chic love seat
Headboard of pallet wood with graphic element is the perfect focal point in this room
House of pallets! Adorable!
reclaimedwreckage.blog
 
Quirky plate rack from a complete pallet
 
Handy shelving units with vintage feel
 
Wall cladding
 
Vertical garden in pallet
 
Neat vegetable rows planted in a pallet
Colorful palettes against wall used as vertical gardens


D&M made with love - our placemats made from pallet wood in dove grey
 
 
 
Are your wood pallets are safe for crafting?

Setting aside the contamination question, there's another safety issue to consider, if you're thinking about crafting with reclaimed wood pallets: fumigated or pressure treated wood.

It sounds innocuous enough, right? But the "pressure" part only gets at part of the treatment process. Manufacturers use pressure to force chemicals like formaldehyde into the wood. The idea is to prevent decay and pest infestation, but you definitely don't want those treated pallets inside your house or touching food. Fumigated wood is treated with pesticides, which also isn't great from a health standpoint.
Pallet crafters, don't despair! There are some ways to tell if your wood is treated or fumigated.

How to Tell If Your Pallets are Treated Wood

Most wood pallets will have an IPPC logo, since they oversee internationally-shipped pallets. Pallets that ship overseas are the ones usually treated or fumigated to prevent the spread of invasive pests. Here are the marks to look out for (they should be near the IPPC logo):
  • HT - This means the pallet was heat treated, possibly with harmful chemicals.
  • MB - This indicates that the pallet was fumigated with methyl bromide, a toxic pesticide. Pallet makers are phasing out methyl bromide, but you may still see this mark on some older pallets.
You can also educate yourself to spot pressure treated wood. Head to your local home improvement store and poke around the lumber section. Pressure treated wood looks different from untreated wood, and once you see the difference in color, it should be pretty easy to spot.



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