Free Pallet Wood?

[Petey83]

I know there are free pallets here and there on gum tree but wondered if any body knew of a regular supply in London / Hertfordshire? Looking to do a pallet wood floor as the discovery of blue asbestos pipe lagging in new house has blown away the budget for flooring and a number of other things

alternatively if anyone knows a good supply of reclaimed / recycled hard wood flooring please let me know - at the moment everything i find works out more expensive that the engineered oak we were looking at originally.

 

[lurker]

Can you not claim against the previous owner for lack of disclosure
AND your surveyor?

 

[Petey83]

Can you not claim against the previous owner for lack of disclosure
AND your surveyor?

it was under the downstairs floor so would not form part of any survey.

We have looked into claiming against the seller as its obvious they have been under the floor on a number of occasions based on the hatches cut into the T&G floor boards but there is no way we can ever prove they knew asbestos was there.

 

[lurker]

A decent surveyor would/should suspect asbestos in a house "of a certain age and design".

 

[Petey83]

A decent surveyor would/should suspect asbestos in a house "of a certain age and design".

the garage roof and water tank was picked up on the survey but the pipe lagging seems very unusual as even the asbestos specialist said they had never seen it like this before.

All surveys clearly state that they do not take up flooring / wall coverings etc as they are not allowed to.

 

[Sheffield Tony]

The surveyor would presumably add some weasel words to the effect that "a house of this period may contain asbestos". Like our house "may" have had some woodworm present, and "may" have had some lead pipework, and the chimney breast "may" have been unsupported, etc. Makes the survey a bit of a waste of money, might as well just have a look round yourself.

 

[JohnPW]

I think you can get free pallet wood just picking up what gets left lying around, from industrial units, house being renovated etc.

 

[tomatwark]

Talk to your local builders merchants, we get our pallets from a couple of them to heat our workshop to supplement the off cut we use, we have had about 200 or so in the last year.

 

[coach-carpenter]

Try local garden centres! I've always got mine from my local centre and there has never been a problem. Just along as they are not blue or red.

 

[pcb1962]

The surveyor would presumably add some weasel words to the effect that "a house of this period may contain asbestos". Like our house "may" have had some woodworm present, and "may" have had some lead pipework, and the chimney breast "may" have been unsupported, etc. Makes the survey a bit of a waste of money, might as well just have a look round yourself.

The survey I paid nearly a thousand pounds for when I bought my house said it was of 'traditional brick construction' when in fact it's timber framed. I wasn't too impressed with that.

 

[Adam9453]

Hi Petey,

We regularly have to get rid of loads of pallets that are either broken or funny sizes. We're based in broxbourne so not far from you either.

We dispose of roughly a transit van full every month or so.

You would be welcome to take as much you like free of charge as it saves us the hassle of disposing of it.

PM me for details.

Thanks

Adam

 

[Petey83]

Hi Petey,

We regularly have to get rid of loads of pallets that are either broken or funny sizes. We're based in broxbourne so not far from you either.

We dispose of roughly a transit van full every month or so.

You would be welcome to take as much you like free of charge as it saves us the hassle of disposing of it.

PM me for details.

Thanks

Adam

Adam thats perfect, thank you very very much - I am actually in Goffs Oak now as that where the new house (currently building site) is so even closer. i'll ping you a PM with my mobile number on so we can make direct contact. we only have a car so will need to come down with the cordless recip and cut up to get the most in the car.

 

[sunnybob]

Theres always a word of warning, and this is it. Be VERY careful which pallet wood you use in your house.
Many pallets are treated with insecticides and worse.

Heres just one of many sites to help you choose.
http://www.1001pallets.com/pallet-safety/

 

[ED65]

On pallet safety, the usual one to look for is an HT stamp (heat treated to kill nasties, not pressure-impregnated with insecticide).

But if I'm remembering right pallets made for use within the country of origin aren't required to have any markings. They're generally supposed to not be treated but you won't know. Might not make any difference as far as the finished floor is concerned, but obviously a very big deal if you're planning on sanding it.

 

[ED65]

Petey, how would plywood fit in with your budget? Obviously pallet wood is free but with plywood you're getting more of a known quantity.

 

[Petey83]

Petey, how would plywood fit in with your budget? Obviously pallet wood is free but with plywood you're getting more of a known quantity.

Ply wood only be for a sub floor surly? Never seen it as a finished floor before...?

I've only known decent quality ply to be relatively expensive.

 

[dickm]

How much of a hurry are you in for this? Just wondered if it's worth looking on the 'bay or in local free-ad papers for flooring from old properties/factories or the like. We got a load of very good quality (but FILTHY) maple flooring out of an old jute mill in Dundee a couple of years ago, and there seems to be similar stuff advertised reasonably often. But maybe in the prosperous south east, there aren't any mills or the like closing.
Just seems a pity to floor with basically carp pallet wood (unless you are VERY lucky) as you will have to look at it for ages and it will upset you every time!

 

[Petey83]

How much of a hurry are you in for this? Just wondered if it's worth looking on the 'bay or in local free-ad papers for flooring from old properties/factories or the like. We got a load of very good quality (but FILTHY) maple flooring out of an old jute mill in Dundee a couple of years ago, and there seems to be similar stuff advertised reasonably often. But maybe in the prosperous south east, there aren't any mills or the like closing.
Just seems a pity to floor with basically carp pallet wood (unless you are VERY lucky) as you will have to look at it for ages and it will upset you every time!

In the south east it's all "reclaimed" and seems to cost more than new solid ok flooring!!

I'm thinking about looking for reclaimed pine boards and laying them as a finished floors as it's currently a moisture of chip sheet and battered T&G pine

 

[coach-carpenter]

I made a headboard out of pallet wood, I have to admit i never checked it for Pesticides but I seem fine never the less - have to admit sometimes I wake up with a cracking headache and nausea... Mainly on Saturdays, wonder if that has anything to do with the headboard?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Loads of really nice properties in NZ have chipboard floors throughout with rugs. Two or three coats of water based PU varnish, and job done. Good for insulation, as well - no gaps.