Knock on wood

I've inherited a few things from my dad; a need to keep a stick for stirring paint (see earlier post), a bunion and an inability to throw away wood.

So when I was left with a pallet after a delivery of plasterboard, did it get thrown away? Absolutely not - I am my father's daughter. It was left hanging around in the garden until I had the time to dismantle it and use it for raised beds for my blueberry bushes:





The problem was, these things are sturdily built. I guess they have to be, considering the weight they have to support. There is a very useful demonstration on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtPmUZ-k3aI) on how to break up a pallet in a way that doesn't destroy the wood, but it would appear you need to be a big strong chap to do it this way. When I tried, nothing moved at all!


So, just in case any of you girls have plans to reuse a pallet, I thought I might show you how I, a weak and feeble woman, took mine apart.


Firstly, here are the tools:

A crowbar (otherwise known as a jemmy to your local burglar) and a rubber hammer (don't use a metal hammer as this will jar your hand and arm).

Get the bar into the corner of the first join and hammer in at an angle.

After prising and jiggling you should be able to lift the first section from the beam:

Do the same with the next three joins and you should be able to remove the first plank. Carry on doing this to all the places where the planks meet the beams. I warn you it's hard work and it took me about forty/fifty minutes to complete, but now I have some great bits of wood to make my raised beds:

My dad will be so proud!

Blessings,

Andi