palette raised beds are a fun and eco - friendly manner to grow plants . However , since they are on a regular basis exposed to soil and water , their living expectancy is a big query . Lucky for you , we did the research and found the answer !
palette elicit bed can last from three to five year , depending on weather conditions , moisture , and the type of wood they ’re made from .
Wood pallets are design for transporting good and are not tough enough to last long in the garden , so they are n’t equipped with the right “ recipe ” to quell intact for a very prospicient time .
There are a act of ways you could avoid changing the pallet every three to five years ! The key is in the details and make out how to treat your pallet ripe . This postwill provide you with the most valuable pourboire for keep your pallets strong . take more to learn more .
Lifespan Of Pallet Raised Beds
Pallets are mostly made of untreated pine tree or timber . Because they ’re made only for cargo purposes , they ’re not mean to be fancy .
Since they ’re usually made of untreated forest , pallets can be powerfully affected by their surrounding environment .
Pine , a eccentric of softwood , is the cheapest and most common material used to make palette . These pallets are often used to make a raised bed in a garden .
When exposed to fast - switch weather , soil , and moisture , you could expect such a pallet to last three to five years .
With all the exposure , untreatedpallets will be prone to mildew and insect , causing them to rot in the retentive running play .
It ’s loose to understand why gardeners love using wood pallets as rear garden beds . They ’re relativelycheap(sometimes they ’re free ) , and the wood easily fits in with the garden ’s theme .
Even if you take really good care of an untreated palette , you probably wo n’t be able-bodied to keep it for longer than its life anticipation . And replacing it every five years will be tiresome !
Also mark that notallpallets are suitable for garden bottom . Some pallets have been handle with harmful chemicals or pesticides that could percolate into the soil or plant .
How To Prolong The Life Of Raised Pallets
you may always choose for better material than wood and attempt to make your pallets last longer with the adopt tips :
Use Plastic Liners
Adding plastic liners to your raised garden beds is a good way of life to make the wood palette last longer .
With a plastic line drive , the piss does n’t ooze out of the dirt and into the wood . In other words , the credit card acts as a roadblock , preclude the palette from infestation and rot .
Other than that , it ’s alsorecommendedto use plastic liner in the garden . They keep dirt ball and away and are good for insulation .
If you want to keep your garden plastic - free , there are many material out there that you may expend .
To larn more about lining your pallet elicit beds , read our postHow To Line A Planter Box [ And Should You ] .
hold out this plastic lining on Amazon .
Treat The Pallets
If you find to have untreated pallets in your garden , do n’t worry ! you could still treat them at home . Treating your palette will foreclose them from get into out and rotting .
If you treat your pallets , make indisputable that you ’re not using them to grow crops because you ’ll be using chemicals for intervention that should n’t be around eatable fruits and veggie .
you could treat your pallet with any of thesolutionsbelow :
These solutions are keen for keeping moisture out and for ultraviolet shelter . Before treating , ensure to sand the pallet for the solvent to adhere .
you may also buy cover pallets that have already been coated with the right solution , and all you have to do is store your dirt . Using treated pallets will increase the lifespan for more years .
Besides chemical substance - treat pallet , you may also choose for a heat energy - treat pallet . Unlike chemical substance - care for wood , these pallet are dependable to use around crops .
Heat - handle pallet aresterilizedin order to remove any hazardous depicted object and forestall insect and white ant from digging through .
Choose A Sturdier Type of Wood
you may also opt for a tough type of wood for a longer - lasting palette . sequoia and cedar are naturallyrot - resistant . These types of pallets may last between 15 - 30 years !
Juniper is on another level , too ! It can last for more than 30 years , count on how you address it ( a bonus if it ’s lined or treated ) . Juniper Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree areknownfor lasting for centuries , so it ’s no wonderment that the Grant Wood lasts a long time as a raised garden seam .
These eccentric of palette can be a little more than your typical palette , but if they last for decades , that ’s a great tradeoff .
Choose A Different Material
Sir Henry Wood pallets are both esthetically pleasing in the garden and eco - favorable . But you could always prefer for other material that are long - endure and require less sustenance .
Recycled plastic pallets , for representative , last as long as 50 years . Galvanized steel can last between 20 and 40 days . Concrete and Harlan Stone can last for a lifetime , but they be more than wood pallet .
If you mean about it , what ’s of import when it comes to garden pallets is enduringness and longevity . With untreated pallet , you ’re take a hop to replace them in a few years . Replacement is the least of your worries with concrete , stone , steel , or plastic .
These materials may also come with extra price , including the masonry unless you want to make the pallets yourself . You ’ll need to believe the required drive to DIY pallet at house .
With that in judgement , charge card pallets are a great way to store your plant or crops . They are cheap and long - lasting . Most plastic palette are made ofrecycledPET or HDPE . Even well , they can last for 50 old age !
This raised garden made of bricks also looks great — and you know it will last forever !
A garden outfit is also a immediate and soft means to fix up your own raised garden . It wo n’t require much upkeep since it ’s made of galvanized steel .
Check out this galvanized planter on Amazon .
Choosing The Right Pallet
Now that you know how to take good caution of pallets and which materials are the most long - lasting , it ’s fourth dimension to break down the ones you should get .
You should start by considering your budget . Yes , typical wood pallets are very bum , which means that you will have to purchase new ones every fourth dimension they rot and become home to pests .
This could also cost you your garden . If it ’s a home to pestis , what ’s the role of have a raise garden bed ?
Another circumstance is to call back of what easily conform to your garden . If you have a small garden , building a concrete or rock palette is not ideal .
Even though concrete or stone will last a lifetime , will it fit your garden ? It could also take up a deal of distance .
peradventure you need a modest herb garden in your apartment . You could start with cheap Natalie Wood pallets . As long as you line them properly , they will last .
How Can You Tell If a Pallet Has Been Treated?
It ’s of import toknowwhether your new purchase pallet has been chemically treated to be good . The manner to do this is by wait for the International Plant Protection Convention ( IPPC ) logotype stamped on any side of the Ellen Price Wood .
If the forest has been fumigated , you will see the letter of the alphabet " megabit " stamped on the wood . " MB " stand for methyl bromide , a chemical used to treat forest .
Additionally , as per IPPCstandards , a palette stamp with the alphabetic character " HT " has been heating system - treated .
Generally , you should invalidate unmarked pallets for a safer horticulture experience . You do n’t want to grow produce in a pallet made of chemically treat woodwind instrument .
Do Heat-Treated Pallets Expire?
Again , if the wood has the IPPC stamp and the alphabetic character " HT , " this means that it has been heat energy - treated in good order . As long as it has been oestrus - treated , it willneverexpire .
In Closing
Now that you have all the info about selecting the right pallet materials and tips to make them last longer in your garden , you could prefer the palette that you really need ( and want ) .
If you need a brick palette , a reuse plastic pallet , or just a distinctive wood palette , it ’s up to you . The important matter is to know what ’s best for your garden .
think back that some pallets only last a handful of age . Their seniority count on your effort to make them last longer .