Old wooden pallets 

Did you know that old wooden pallets can be recycled to make instant garden decking?

Some pallets have very close fitting wooden spars and can be instantly treated with garden paint/stain. Others have wider gaps in the spars but these gaps can easily be infilled with old pieces of wood.

As the hight of pallets is never usually more than 20-30cms (between 8 and 12 inches appeox.) the finished decking is ideal for areas where either small children might want to 'roam' or disabled or elderly people may not want to climb steps to higher level decking.

For higher level decking ensure pallets are stongly and safely suspended.

Pallet wood is usually unfinshed soft wood and can be subject to spliters etc. but paint/stain usually cures this problem without the need to sand or plane. Pick pallets which have been used quite a lot and the grain is generally smoother. Pallets in childrens play areas will need to be smoothed for safety reasons.
As long as the pallets have concrete or old bricks under the corners they will not rot quickly.

Small 3-4 cms high wooden decking squares are already on sale in garden centres for between £2-4 each so it makes environmental and economical sense to re-use old pallets.

Another use for pallets.... 

I know that broken down pallets can also be used in gardens and for play areas, stained in all sorts of colours or kept naturally. This has been branded Enviromulch by West Bromwich Pallets - try www.wbpenviromulch.com