Photo: Galactic Droids (Shutterstock)
Pros: Wood pallets are those rough square platforms that stuff is delivered on. They’re literally everywhere, and anyone who has had a big delivery of construction or landscaping materials or large appliances likely has a bunch lying around. Warehouses and stores also tend to have a gazillion of them, often found in dumpsters around back. In other words, you can probably source them for free. One tip is to look for the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) logo—that means they were treated to resist insects and rot. You probably still need to stain or seal them, then attach them to posts—but then, ta-da! Cheapest fence in the world, and it will look rustic-chic.
Cons: Pallets aren’t exactly built to last. The ones you salvage will probably be very beat-up and weathered, and will require some TLC—you’ll need to stain or otherwise waterproof them, and probably replace some nails or screws to ensure their stability. And “rustic-chic” is one of those design goals that sounds great but often turns out much more rustic than chic, meaning it may take a lot of effort to get your fence looking nice.
Price: That said, the price for this fencing starts at $0 (if you can find enough unwanted pallets and have posts of some sort on hand). Even if you have to buy posts, this option won’t be very expensive at all.
