That's the case with pallet wood, which you'll see almost everywhere you go. The pallets stacked up behind warehouses and in alleyways are often spoken for, but if you're looking for free ones, it's worth asking your local furniture stores. In the 1990s, pallets started to be seen as something that could be salvaged, and they started being repaired for reuse. There's also competition from pallet wood scavengers, also known as pallet hounds, and other DIYers working on small wood pallet projects. But if you want pallets for free, there are local and small-chain businesses, including furniture stores, that sometimes receive freight on pallets, and they may be willing to give them up when you ask.