How to Take Apart a Pallet Without Breaking It

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Four to five billion feet of lumber is used to produce shipping pallets each year. [1] The wooden pallets are built for stability, so breaking them apart to reclaim the wood requires good planning. Take apart a pallet by cutting through the nails with a reciprocating saw or use a prybar to carefully rip the nails up.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Using a Reciprocating Saw

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  1. Although they might be easier to disassemble, the wood is more likely to be damaged beyond use. You can get up to 40 feet (12m) of wood from a good pallet.
  2. Shipping pallets are built with annular ring nails, which are meant to stay put. [2]
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  3. [3] [4] A handheld reciprocating saw will reduce pallet deconstruction from 30 minutes or more to about 10 minutes.
  4. 5cm) demolition blade. The five-inch (12.7cm) blade that comes with the saw will not work, and you will break the saw if you use it for this project. [5]
  5. Make sure it is secure. Plug the saw into an electrical outlet.
  6. Earplugs or ear protectors will also reduce the risk of hearing loss. [6] A dust mask is also very helpful. [7]
  7. If you can’t, lay it across sturdy workbenches and you can saw the nails off using a horizontal motion.
  8. The smaller horizontal slats, usually 2 x 4 wood, should be nailed to these pieces to create the top surface of the pallet. You will need to cut through the nails along the vertical pieces where the horizontal and vertical slats meet.
  9. Place your saw between the two pieces of wood and cut downward or sideways, away from your body, in a smooth motion. You will cut through the spiral nails that connect the two pieces of wood. [8]
  10. [9]
  11. The horizontal boards may start to fall off. Ask a friend to pile them up if they are becoming a hazard.
  12. Saw around the outer edge, cutting between the wood where the frame pieces meet.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Using a Crowbar

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  1. Always ask before you take them, unless they are near a garbage can.
  2. This is the place you will start.
  3. [10] This method is far more labor intensive than the saw method.
  5. You will usually loop the pry bar underneath the 2 x 4s, where it meets the frame. [11]
  6. Don’t try to lift the board all the way up, just loosen the nail. Move a few inches away and repeat to loosen the nail further. [12]
    • Doing too much too soon with your pry bar will split the wood. You must move slowly and rock the pry bar around the nail, rather than trying to lift it up forcefully.
  7. Hit the top of the crowbar with a hammer to help wedge it under tightly nailed sections of board.
  8. Once all three nailed sections of the slat are loosened, work the pry bar underneath as far as you can and pull up the slat.
  9. Dispose of the nails, rather than keeping them on the ground.
  10. The whole process can take 30 minutes or more and requires physical strength.
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  • Question
    What's a reciprocating saw?
    Ashton Gilmore
    Community Answer
    A reciprocating saw (or sawzall) is a tool that cuts a wide variety of material using straight, toothed blades. If you Google it, there will be many good pictures and descriptions. They are great for rough cuts in difficult materials.
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  • Question
    Cutting the outer boards with a sawzall looks like it could be a decent idea, but how do you get the middle board unnailed?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Use a hammer and crowbar / prybar.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 1
  • Question
    How do you make lettering on a pallet if all you have is a pencil and paint and ruler?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    If the wood is smooth, a pencil or paint will work. If it's rough, use paint.
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      Warnings

      • Shipping pallets are made of rough wood. Don’t do this project without protective gear. You can hurt your hands with surface of the wood and the nails.
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        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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      Things You'll Need

      • Sawzall/reciprocating saw
      • 12” demolition (metal cutting) blade
      • Safety goggles
      • Ear plugs
      • Work gloves
      • Clamps (optional)
      • Work table
      • Large pry bar
      • Hammer

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.toolcrib.com/blog/2008/06/woodworking-with-pallets-a-guide-to-finding-breaking-down-and-building-with-pallets
      2. ↑ https://toolcrib.com/blog/2008/06/woodworking-with-pallets-a-guide-to-finding-breaking-down-and-building-with-pallets/
      3. ↑ https://oldworldgardenfarms.com/2015/07/10/how-to-take-pallets-apart-with-ease-in-less-than-2-minutes/
      4. ↑ https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/g2488/how-to-tear-down-a-pallet-in-under-5-minutes/
      5. ↑ https://oldworldgardenfarms.com/2012/09/18/building-with-pallets-how-to-disassemble-a-pallet-with-ease-for-great-wood/
      6. ↑ https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/safety_haz/power_tools/saw_bld.html
      7. ↑ https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/g2488/how-to-tear-down-a-pallet-in-under-5-minutes/
      8. ↑ https://diyprojects.com/make-pallet-workbench/
      9. ↑ https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/g2488/how-to-tear-down-a-pallet-in-under-5-minutes/
      1. ↑ https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/g2488/how-to-tear-down-a-pallet-in-under-5-minutes/
      2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYi73YvTak8
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYi73YvTak8

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you need to take apart a pallet without breaking it, you have a few options. One thing you can try is using a reciprocating saw. Use the saw to cut all the way down 1 side until all of the horizontal slats are loose. Repeat the process on the other side and the back of the pallet to separate all of the pieces. You can also use a crowbar to take a pallet apart. Just wedge the bar between the layers of wood near the nails and lift the bar to loosen the wood so you can separate it. For tips about which cutting blade to use to take apart a pallet without breaking it, keep reading!

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      Reader Success Stories

      • Paula Hodkinson

        May 18, 2019

        "The instructions were well written and easy to undertake. I have a pallet I wanted to take apart and use the wood ..." more
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