Can You Burn Wooden Pallets (And Should You?)

Wooden pallets are used to stack, store, and transport materials in a variety of industries. Unwanted pallets that are no longer in use are also a great source of recycled wood for DIY projects – but can you burn wooden pallets as firewood?

Is burning pallet wood safe?

It might be tempting to use old pallets as firewood, especially as they are easy to find and often free. However, pallet wood is very dry and smaller than typical firewood, meaning that any fire made using wood from pallets will burn big and hot – not what you want in an indoor fireplace. Pallet wood also burns fast, so the fire will burn out quickly and need regular refilling, so you may need more wood than you expect to supply your fire.

If you do want to recycle wooden pallets as firewood, use the wood alongside other types of firewood or as kindling for a smaller fire. It is generally safest to burn pallet wood outside, but it’s essential to check whether the pallets have been chemically treated before using as firewood. Any pallets that have been chemically treated or painted are not safe to burn.

Can you burn chemically treated wood pallets?

Some wood pallets are treated with chemicals when manufactured, which can be toxic if burnt. Check for marks or stamps on the long sides of the pallet. Markings to look out for include MB, which means the pallet wood has been treated with Methyl Bromide. This is harmful to humans and the pallets can release toxic fumes if used as firewood.

Pallets marked EUR, which is an old EU logo used on wooden pallets, may also have been treated with chemicals, so you should avoid burning pallets with this marking.

Heat Treated (HT), Debarked (DB), and Kiln Dried (KD) stamps generally mean the pallet wood will be safe to burn, however remember that pallet wood burns hot and fast, so care should still be taken when using it as firewood. Unmarked pallets should not be burned as it is impossible to know for certain what the wood has been treated with.

Can painted wood pallets be burned?

Painted wood pallets can also release toxic fumes when burning, so avoid using painted pallets as firewood. This includes pallets that are marked with small splashes of paint, as any amount of paint can contaminate the wood and make it unsafe to burn.

Can you burn dirty wood pallets?

Wooden pallets that are contaminated in any way, whether with paint, dirt, oil, or other unknown substances should not be burned, as anything on the wood could be released into the air as it burns. Only use clean, unpainted pallets for firewood.

How to strip a pallet for firewood

While wooden pallets are often a cheap or free source of firewood, it can be time-consuming to break a pallet down. You will need a hammer and a wrecking bar to pry the boards of the pallet apart. Alternatively, a reciprocating saw can be used to cut through the nails holding the slats together. Remove any remaining nails from the wood before burning, as nails will not burn and may have been chemically treated.

How to recycle wooden pallets

If you have wooden pallets to dispose of, you don’t need to burn the wood to get rid of it. Instead, pallets can be recycled. There are lots of creative things you can do with wooden pallets, including making furniture, shelving, or garden planters. If DIY isn’t your thing, many companies will buy unwanted pallets for recycling.

Recycle with Alpha Pallets

Alpha Pallets recycle unwanted wood pallets by using the wood to repair other pallets or make new ones. If your unwanted pallets have any value, Alpha Pallets could buy them from you for recycling – so there’s no need to start a fire when you have pallets that you want to dispose of. Call us on 01604 230579, use our contact form to get in touch, or visit our site in Northampton.

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Posted on 14th October 2022 Posted in News