Originally Posted by jplinville

They are also known as shipping pallets. They are roughly 4 foot by 4 foot, and have about 6-8 planks each. Most companies toss them out when they start to break. You can get them free, usually.

Since I've always worked with steel, and oak is the cheapest, strong hardwood that is used for skids, I've always been able to get them for nothing. They are generally constructed with long staples.