[HyChief]

Pallet Business 101

Some companies simply discard these pallets. They leave them outside their business for anyone who is willing to pick them up. People like you and me then gather them and haul them to another location for resale. Anyone looking for ways to make extra money can collect these pallets and sell them to other companies. Yes, you’ll have to put in a little time and effort. However, the money you make may be worth it.

A study by Virginia Tech shows that of the 700 million pallets manufactured and repaired in the US, a little less than 3% end up in landfills.
So, there are a good number of free pallets near you that can be sold for cash.

Pallet Consultants purchases pallets in truckload quantities or greater. A truckload of pallets is roughly 500 or more. Some sizes of pallets we purchase include:

• 36×36
• 42×42
• 42×48
• 48×40
• 48×42
• 48×44
• 48×48

Where Can I Find Wood Pallets for Free?
There is no shortage of places where you can find low-cost or free wood pallets. You can find different places where pallets are disposed of. Ideal places to find pallets for recycling are businesses where large quantities of goods are delivered or businesses that manufacture and sell large quantities of products.
Here is a list of common places where you can find free or low-cost pallets:

• Manufacturing or processing plants
• Warehouses
• Retail outlets
• Hotels and restaurants
• Small businesses
• Cruise ship docks
• Trucking terminals
• Airfreight terminals
• Tire shops
• Ports
• Construction sites
• Landfills
• Craiglist.org -Many people place ads here to have their pallets collected for free.
• Freecycle.org -They have a section on their website for selling and buying pallets.
• Department stores
• Factories
• Warehouses
• Tire shops
• Flooring/tile stores
• Any business engaged in manufacturing and selling large quantities of products.
• Walmart
• Tractor Supply
• Lowe’s
• The Home Depot

Note that most businesses don’t have enough room to have empty, unused pallets lying around. Some even pay to have pallets removed, especially if they have very large volumes of them. So, they’ll be happy to let you take them away for free.

There are even companies that tend to give away their shipping pallets. Call your local Walmart, Tractor Supply, The Home Depot, and Lowe’s are among the top places that get rid of pallets.
Most of these businesses lack enough space in their warehouse to store unused pallets, and it is not rare to see idle and unused pallets lying around on their premises. Therefore, they will be more than happy to have someone get rid of them for free. Just talk to the owner or the manager to pitch your idea of removing them for free.
You can even make further arrangements with the business owner for wood pallet removal weekly or monthly. Some businesses, especially those with bulk quantities occupying space in their warehouse, may even be glad to pay you to recycle the wood pallets.

Once you find businesses that have an ample stock of wood pallets, you will need to then:

• Approach and Pitch: Reaching out the company in a professional manner, letting them know your interest in their wood pallets, and explaining why it can be beneficial to them for you to cart away the wood pallets that are no longer in use is key to making sure that you have a steady stream of inventory (and, therefore, a steady stream of income). Let them know that you will save them time, money, and effort by offering to remove their wood pallets from their site.
• Aim to Provide Free Removal or Negotiate Downwards: Many businesses simply want to be rid of their extra wood pallets, and if you can develop a relationship with these businesses, you will have constant access to free resources that you can flip for cash (this is especially desirable for businesses that pay to have their pallets removed). If they tend to sell their pallets, provide them with a desirable yet profitable offer so that you can make money after you remove the pallets and sell them.
• Develop a Rapport and Schedule With Your Clients: As it is with any business, you want to make sure that you have a strong relationship with your clients to ensure that you gain access to steady work and that they reap benefits in return. Be on time, be presentable and professional, and develop a schedule with them so that they are regularly getting their pallets removed.
• Diversify Your Client Base: The more businesses that you approach, the more inventory that you are going to have. Although landing your first client is exciting, making sure that you have multiple clients to rely on can be helpful in the event that something happens to a business and you no longer have their wooden pallets to depend on for income.

Where To Sell Pallets For Big Money In 2022
Here are places where you can sell your wood pallets for cash:

• The North American Pallet Recycling Network.
• Kamps Pallets.
• National Wooden Pallet & Container Association.
• RecycleNet.
• PalletOne
• Gruber Pallets.
• Local Manufacturers.
• Local Woodworking & Furniture Schools.
• Craigslist.
• Local Pallet Company.
• Wood Waste Processing Companies.
• Bonfires.

How Much Are Wooden Pallets Worth?
How much you sell your pallet depends on the following factors:

• Where you live.
• The number of wood pallet recycling near you.
• What pallet buyers are willing to pay.
• Size and condition of pallets.

Of all the factors, what plays a major role on how much people and companies pay for pallets are size and condition.
So, depending on the size and condition of used wood pallets, you can anticipate selling them anywhere from $0.50 up to $2.50 to $4 each. The agreed cost, however, depends largely on the condition of the pallets and your buyer.
Here is how it works…
Now, if you want to sell your pallets to local manufacturers, always remember that any busy manufacturer would require fifty to a hundred pallets per week. So, if you can locate just five buyers requiring fifty pallets 5 days per week, each paying $2.5 each, your weekly earnings will come to $625.
Cool right? Let’s get to know the value of various pallet sizes.

Value of Different Pallet Sizes
Aside the condition of a pallet, its size is a major determining factor to how much money people, industries, companies are willing to pay. Below is how various pallet sizes are valued:

• 48 x 40 Cores, 4ways, GMAs, 1’s and 2’s, A’s and B’s are the industry standard pallet that most companies use for all kinds of applications. As a seller, if you have pallets like this, chances are good that somebody can pay for them. They are the most valuable because they are easy to fix and there is also a high demand in the market for pallets this size that have been repaired and resold.
• Odd sized 48 x 48, 48 x 42, and 42 x 42 are just a few odd sizes that a pallet company may also save and repair for resale. Note that some companies save pallets like this, and some do not, but if they do they might also be able to compensate for those sizes.
• Very Odd Sized Pallets come in all shapes and sizes and some industries collect an assortment of pallets that do not fit any of these common pallets. A pallet might be 72 x 50 or 40 x 51 or 52 x 24 or have a strange block in the middle of it, and so on. So at full truckload volumes, a pallet company might pay a small price for them but most likely they will pick up for free or a small disposal fee.
• Broken beyond repair / wood waste. Plywood pallets, particle board pallets, crates, bundles of loose wood, and pallets needing numerous repairs are a few examples of wood waste that most companies will charge a disposal fee to pick up and process.
  However, if no pallet company will pick up the wood waste at no charge, there may still be companies that are dedicated to grinding boiler fuel and bark mulch that may recycle the material at no charge.

How To Sell Your Wood Pallets
To sell your wooden pallet, simply call or visit each company or your potential buyer and let them know you have wood pallets for sale. You also visit their official website if any to know how much they buy. Usually, you can sell your used wood pallets to them for $2.50 to $4.50 each or more depending on their condition and size.

What Will I Need to Get Started?
The costs to start recycling wood pallets can vary. If you’ve got one of the main items already in your possession, they’re minimal.
The main things you’ll need to get started are a truck and a trailer. Of course, the start-up costs will be cheaper if you already own these things.
I wouldn’t recommend purchasing these items unless you’ve already done your research. If you are certain there’s a market for recycling wood pallets in your area, it might be worth the expense.
Or if you were planning on purchasing a truck or trailer anyway, it could be worth the expense too.
You’ll also need a decent pair of work gloves. Along with that, you’ll want to have a drill and some nails for repairing any broken pallets. Remember the better shape they are in, the more money you’ll get for each pallet.
It’s likely the biggest expense you’ll have is the gas needed for hauling the pallets. You can save money on gas for your pallet recycling business in many ways.

• First, you can plan your trips so that you’re hitting businesses near one another on the same day.
• Second, if your truck has a topper or sides installed on it, or if your trailer has high sides on it, you’ll increase the number of pallets you can haul. This can minimize the number of trips you’ll need to make which will save you money on gas.
• Third, knowing where you’re going in advance (so that you can avoid extra driving) will save money on gas. Use your GPS to plan your route.
• Fourth, keeping your truck well-maintained will help it run better and use less gas.
• Fifth, knowing where the cheapest gas prices are in your area will also help you save money on gas.

Combine these tips to maximize the profit you make on your wood pallet recycling business.

The Benefits of Recycling Wood Pallets
There are several benefits to recycling wood pallets. One great thing about recycling wood pallets is that you choose the hours you work. You can plan your work around your schedule and your client’s schedules.
Also, you get to choose the clients with whom you work. If you find that a client’s attitude isn’t worth the money you’re earning, simply move on.
Being your own boss also means that you choose how much money you’ll make. You can work ten hours a week or fifty hours a week – the choice is yours.
Note: When you earn money recycling wood pallets or any other “on your own” job, know that you’re considered self-employed. This means you’ll have to keep track of your income and your expenses.

When tax time comes around, you’ll need to report your earnings on your tax reporting form. Keeping track of expenses helps reduce your taxable income. However, if there is a profit on your business after expenses, you’ll need to pay taxes on that income.
For that reason, we suggest putting aside some of your side hustle income in a separate savings account. Keep this money untouched, so you have money to pay the tax man in the spring. Saving 20% is a good number to start with.
After you get through a year or two of side hustling, you can adjust your tax payment savings accordingly.

Where Can You Sell Wood Pallets?
Whether you are looking to sell to individuals or organizations, there are a number of places that will help you make money off of the pallets that you have stored away. Some places to begin looking into for your wood pallet selling needs include:

Recycler’s World: Recycler’s World is not a pallet broker that you can sell directly to like other items on this list, but a large directory of pallet recyclers that may pay you in return for giving them the extra pallets that you wish to recycle. If you are having difficulty finding the right buyer for your needs, this website will help you find more local options where you may be able to consistently sell your inventory.

National Wooden Pallet & Container Association: Didn’t find what you are looking for with the above website? If not, there is another high-quality directory known as the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association. Fortunately, this website will not just list some well-known pallet recyclers. Instead, those looking to buy or sell pallets will enter their location information (as well as the search radius for nearby recyclers) as well as pallet and business information to seek out their desired listings. If you want hyperfocused search results, you should consider using the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association website over similar wood pallet recycling search directories.

North American Pallet Recycling Network: To top off the directory options, we have the North American Pallet Recycling Network. This website is, unfortunately, not hyperfocused by region, but once you identify yourself as living in the states, will give you a list of state recyclers where you can sell your goods.

Kamps National Pallet Solutions: Kamps National Pallet Solutions is a company that provides recycling services to those wishing to sell their old pallets. With over 100 locations nationwide and programs for both reconditioned (repaired) and remanufactured (those that have been made out of recycled parts) pallets, you are sure to be able to fetch a fair price for all of the pallets you need to sell, whether they are somewhat worn down or in great condition.

Gruber Pallets: Gruber Pallets is another company that will directly purchase your pallets, with quantity pickups as small as 100 pallets at a time. However, there is a catch. Gruber Pallets is only looking for pallets of certain sizes, with the four main pallet sizes they are searching for being 48×40, 48×42, 42×42, and 48×48. They will accept other sizes, but the earnings that you make will be dependent upon how valuable those pallets will be for the company to resell.

Local Online Sales Platforms: Much like you are able to fetch pallets on local sales platforms like Craigslist, you should also consider listing your items on these types of sites as well, with some notable additions being apps like OfferUp or Facebook Marketplace. Although you can’t guarantee income as you would with the above companies, this can help you to diversify your buyers and ensure that you have income coming in from all directions.

Local Manufacturers and Factories: As long as manufacturers are producing products that they will offer wholesale to nearby companies, there is going to be a need for wood pallets on which to stack these bulk goods. Consider reaching out to local manufacturers, explain why you would be cheaper and more responsible than purchasing new pallets, and begin trying to become their regular supplier of wooden pallets for their storage and transportation needs.

Local Furniture/Woodworking Schools: High-quality pallets are made of wood that can be repurposed rather than turned into pallets over again. If you know that there are local furniture schools or schools and organizations involved in woodworking, see if they may be interested in purchasing the used pallets you have to use for the wood rather than for loading and transporting goods!

RecycleNet – Wooden Pallet Recycling Exchange Listings
Established May 1, 1995 as an online B2B portal to promote the trade of scrap, waste, and by-products, Recycle.net offers a variety of services related to secondary commodities and the recycling industry.
It has a section dedicated to people and businesses who buy and sell pallets of all kinds. Here, it acts as a directory of listings. All you need to do is to search for your area and see if you can find anyone interested in buying your pallets.
Click on the link below for more information on the RecycleNet wooden pallet recycling exchange listings.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE

PalletOne
PalletOne is focused on continually improving its ability to produce pallets at the lowest possible cost and strives to be the best at meeting the customer’s expectations. In line with this, it buys used wood pallets for recycling, from corporations, local businesses, and the general public.
So, if you’re looking to sell your repaired (or repair-able) pallets, the company offers a fair market price. They buy used 48” x 40” 4-way pallets, GMA pallets, EU pallets, and other common pallet sizes in a variety of grades.
Visit PalletOne official website for more information on how to start selling your pallet.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Local Woodworking & Furniture Schools
This is another place where you will see buyers to sell your wooden pallet to. You can locate these local woodworking and furniture schools in a telephone directory, Woodworkers Directory or google for those closest to you online.

Craigslist
In my personal experience, Craigslist is the fastest and easiest way to find pallets for free that you can sell for profit. Every time I look at my local Craigslist’s “free” section, there are tons of ads by both individuals and local businesses where they giveaway pallets in various sizes and shapes

Local Pallet Company
If you are unable to sell all your pallets, you can sell the balance to a local pallet company. You can locate these companies from the local telephone book or white pages.
In fact, most wood pallet recyclers usually sell to a pallet company as it is quite convenient. However, your profit may get reduced here.

Wood Waste Processing Companies
This is a good option for where to sell especially if you have inconsistent-sized pallets along with crates and other nonpallet items. Here, a pallet company may help but you will have more luck calling a company that produces boiler fuel or wood chips because they tend to be less picky with the wood waste that they recycle.
Furthermore, Garbage disposal companies have also been known to leave a dumpster on site at low cost if they can guarantee that only wood waste is being thrown in it.

Bonfires
This isn’t necessary where to sell, but you know pallets burn real nice. So, if you can’t find a company, recycler, or a pallet scavenger to buy your pallets, bring them home or out to a field to burn.

Overall, selling wood pallets may require you to be a little creative, but there is a demand and a market for it. With the right work effort and determination, you will be able to find buyers for your used wood pallets.

Selling Wooden Pallets in Other Formats
As we stated above, some wooden pallets may be more valuable for their wood than they would be trying to repair and resell them. If you are someone who is highly creative, you may wish to make your own goods out of the used pallets to create furniture, crafts, and other items. Then, once these items are ready to be purchased, sell them locally or through websites like Etsy. Although this will be a much bigger task than selling used wood pallets, it can be a great way to make a little bit more of a profit off of your time and effort.

Additional Considerations
At first glance, selling wood pallets can seem like easy money. But the truth is that those who are making money through this side hustle do have to make an investment in order to make a profit. There are also certain considerations you will need to make besides startup costs when you want to sell used pallets regularly. Some things to keep in mind when you begin trying to sell wood pallets should be:

• The Equipment You Need to Haul Wooden Pallets: Picking up and transporting wooden pallets takes a vehicle that can handle the capacity needed for your clientele. While a pickup truck may work at first, you are most likely going to need a large trailer as you move forward if you plan on working with companies that have a substantial number of wood pallets that need to be hauled away.
• Where You Will Store Your Wood Pallets?: Unless you have enough storage space at your home, you will need to find a safe space where you can keep all of your inventory and work on it before you resell it. Look closer into storage companies and other places where you may be able to store your wood pallets until it comes time to sell them.
• Safety Equipment for Transportation: There is nothing worse than transporting your wooden pallets only to find that some of them have taken damage during the trip. Make sure to invest in safety equipment that will keep your wood pallets protected during their journey home.
• Repairing Broken Wood Pallets: Repairing wood pallets is a part of the job as many pallets will break or take damage while supporting bulk material. Look into what repairs you may need to make and how those are done so that you can successfully sell these products once they have been fixed.
• The Amount of Money That Will Be Spent on Transportation: Fuel is an additional expense that you will have to calculate when looking at your total earnings. How much can you afford? How much profit are you looking to earn? Do you have enough local options that you won’t be spending too much on gas and losing out on income? These are all things to keep in mind as you begin seeking out wood pallets.
• What the Local Laws and Regulations Will Be for Your Business: At the end of the day, your wood pallet business is just that, a business. You need to ensure that you have the proper permits, paperwork, and are following all of the rules and regulations set forth by your local and state government. Otherwise, you run the risk of facing fines and other legal issues.

Once you have assessed these areas and are positive that you are set up for success, you can begin collecting/buying and selling your pallets!

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