Before starting to work on your next crafting project with recycled wooden pallets, you need to be sure that you have the essential tools to get the things done and to be sure to complete your project in your weekend. Read our list of the ten must-have tools you’ll need to tackle any pallet project :)
Starting a pallet project without a hammer is like cooking a cake without a mold! A hammer will come in handy for almost all your pallet projects and more generally all your woodworking projects. Moreover, a hammer is not the most expensive tool in your pallet crafter kit and is one of the useful ones. There are several types – such as framing, roofing, drywall, ball peen, bricklayers and even sledgehammers. A curved claw hammer is a great all-around handy tool, but you may find you need more types or a different style for your body type. Hammers come in different weights, lengths, and even grip sizes.
A pallet project means working with wood and working with wood means cutting it, and guess what, the best invention we have made to cut wood is a saw! :) You need a handsaw, but if your budget permits it, you can buy a powered saw like a jigsaw (very useful for precise cutting) or a circular saw if you need to cut a significant amount of pallet planks. Table saws make quick work of ripping long lengths of pallet wood to narrower sizes. Scroll saws are great for those advanced tasks and doing decorative cutouts. A reciprocating saw (such as a Sawzall) does quick work of disassembling a lot of pallets and has many blade styles that can cut through metal and wood. To sum up, a saw is essential for all your woodworking projects! There are even pull saws (cuts when you pull towards you instead of with the push away from you) and can be easier to use if you have less upper body strength.
It seems like an obvious household item, but you’d be surprised at how much you struggle to find one when you need it the most. Never lose your tape measure; it is an essential tool! You may find a device that does double-duty. Some rulers also function as a T-square so you can measure AND check for square assembly.
Any pallet project needs screws & nails so must be sure to get prepared and have a variety of nails and wood screws (different sizes and diameters). Some are appropriate for outdoor use (such as stainless steel or deck screws). Some are better for indoor use only, as they don’t have the protective coatings or are more prone to rust. If you have to use a lot of longer screws (more than 3″), the different head styles can make a difference, such as a square or Torx style. It gives more surface area for your bit to hold onto and prevents stripping the head of the screw.
Whatever the scale of your pallet project, a screwdriver is a handy tool. You can start with an inexpensive, manual one. You’d need a Phillip’s, and if you’re recycling old hardware, you may need a flat (slotted) screwdriver too. As you start to perform more and more projects, a powered screwdriver will save you time, but more importantly, it will protect your hands and muscles. Powered screwdrivers come in different sizes and weights – so you can find one to fit your personal needs.
Not one of the most helpful items you could use for working with pallets, but if you want to make some holes on your pallet planks to achieve the particular project, you need a drill. A drill will also be handy for any other crafting project you could have. Drills are great for creating pilot holes. Sometimes pallet wood is aged, and very dry. It’ll split apart as you drive a nail or screw through it. A drill will allow you to make a hole slightly smaller than the hardware you’re using, allowing the screw to hold the piece without splitting it apart. You can also use a drill to do decorative touches, such as countersinking (drilling out a funnel-shaped hole that lets the screw head to sit flush or slightly below the wood surface). This can add to a polished look.
A sander is particularly useful to prepare pallet wood. You can use one to simply remove the very rough edges and splinters, or all the way down to fine finish work. Sanding can be part of your finish or as a preparation step before applying any treatment on it like painting your pallets or varnishing them. Maybe you prefer the raw aspect of the pallet wood, but a sander will come in handy for any crafting project that involves some pieces of wood. There are different types: Random-Orbital sanders, palm sanders, sanding blocks, belt sanders, disc sanders, drum sanders, and more. You can even use sanding attachments on your small rotary tools.
Safety first part one: safety goggles are essential for any woodworking project. Make sure you don’t forget about these – your eyes will certainly thank you! Remember – EVERY STEP of a pallet project could result in eye injury. Find a pair that you feel is comfortable. You won’t wear them if they don’t fit well. Proper safety goggles come in many styles now and look like “regular” sunglasses, but they’re impact resistant. Don’t forget to protect yourself from damaging UV rays!
Safety first part two: safety gloves are also essentials when working with wood and even more with pallets. If you want to avoid splinters, which pallet wood is perfect for, don’t forget your gloves. Sometimes, your wood piles can also become a haven for bugs and spiders. Some are VERY poisonous. Don’t forget – spiders are also fond of the underside of the bins, trash cans, and containers that a lot of us DIY’ers have. Gloves can prevent injury! Follow your manufacturer’s guidelines when using gloves and power tools.
Yes, this is the must-have tool :) Take a good breakfast or a healthy lunch before starting any woodworking project as you will need a lot of elbow grease to achieve it ;) Remember – HYDRATE! Getting fatigued can result in an injury.
And a non-exhaustive list of tools that could be helpful for your next pallet project:
Prybar, chop saw, wood chisel, clamps, nail punch, hand plane (smallish), Sawzall (to get the pallets em apart), draw knife, bolt cutters, spokeshave, custom-built prybar, pallet tool, and vice grip. Do you use any other tools for your pallet works? Which device are you finding the must-to-have? Share with us in the comments.
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I bought apallet buster. About $A80-00. The 2 forks go under cross boards and the middle piece rests on the stringer then it just a lever action. Any nails that sit up I use either the centre single notch or the 2 outer notches to lever them out. The boards are often left with the nails in so it is just a matter of hammering the nail back and taking it out. They are often straight enough to use them again.
Invest in an angle grinder to cut off the nails; then, "punch" them through the wood for easy removal by the heads with a claw hammer. It will take a bit of practice at first so as not to grind into the wood. This is much easier than trying to remove the entire nail with a hammer and you will pick up more length to the boards. Also, screws go into the hard wood easier by piloting the holes and using a little oil or liquid soap on the screws.
This all tools are very useful.
I'd add a wire brush and a paint scraper because some pallets have residue on them that needs removal. A hot air gun can also be useful. And some big heavy duty c-clamps or tie-downs to provide 'an extra pair of hands' - and stop work shifting.
In addition to safety mask or goggles - a facemask to prevent inhalation of sanding particles. Your lungs will thank you.
I have a problem well I'm still new to this pallet business and I don't know which tool to use to secure nails/screws into my pallets for a couch I am making. I have been advised to us a drill to more a hole Ben hammer a nail in, I was also told to use a screwdriver but then it might damage my wood.
What do I do?
screw's last longer don't pull out like nails but also depends on the project ect...but a couch Definitely screws go to your local Lowe's or Hope Dept let hardware know what your building they will show you your options.
In my experience, the most important tool for working with pallets is the Reciprocating Power Saw. This works like a hacksaw but has the added advantage of having a motor to do all the work & without the frame to get in the way. Increasingly, twisted nails are being used to hold pallets together & any attempt to dismantle them using leverage is likely to result in splitting the wood.
WARNING: Never strike a hammer with another hammer. Steel hammers are hardened and will shatter.
I am so sorry you were injured Krystal.
My essentials, besides those you listed , are 1.) a Pallet Paw- best investment ever! 2.) an air brad nail gun. 3.) a Dremel Saw and like you said the hammer, miter saw, nails screws, various bits. I love working with them. I want a planer but its not a necessity right now.
My two essential tools for deconstructing a pallet are two pieces of wood. One 4x2 with no knots about 1.2m long, dressed is best because it's smoother and slightly thinner than rough sawn. The other piece should be slightly longer and thicker, maybe 4x4.
Now how do you use the two boards to split the pallet apart? Perhaps you could make a short vid that we can add to our info. database? Any alternative techniques we can use to help others is GREAT! <3
Thanks - HS.
I think y'all pretty much covered it with the tools. And I agree with Heather. I have stupidly gotten a real tiny piece of metal one time and a piece of wood another time in my eye, playing shop. And someone mentioned that we don't know for sure what kind of chemicals have been on those pallets before becoming part of our play lumber yards, and we don't want some nasty chemical in our eyes. Remember when you think things always happen to "the other guy," to everyone else in the world, you are that "other guy," so what are the odds we are going to get hurt if we don't act safely? Ya, you guessed it, really good!! Sorry, for the lecture, my mom was a nurse, and I worked in the chemical plants and refineries around here for 5 or 6 years, and they are very thorough in the safety training part. I gets engrained. Always take the extra step, err on the side of caution. It just takes a second to double check something. In that one second your life can change if you don't.
Another thing is to have good wood clamps. You may have already mentioned that. I like the springy plastic ones. The come in all sizes, but for some stuff I break out the metal screw kind. And if you can find one, I have one of those little metal "horses" that folds up, but has a wooden top that you can screw the boards together like a long big clamp. I replaced the boards in mine last year. I used it for ten years before that, and bought it used for $40. Real good investment.
And everyone teased my husband for getting me an electric screwdriver for Mother's Day about 20 years ago, but it has been the very best present ever. He has replaced it and I have since bought extra batteries and chargers, because mostly you can get lots of tools to go with the same batteries, which is super handy. No cords. I am very clumsy and don't need a bunch of cords to tempt me into tripping and falling down.
I hear women say, "tell me I'm pretty and give me jewelry." I say, "tell me I'm strong and give me power tools."