Wooden Pallet Furniture Ideas

I need to send a thank you note to the companies that make wooden pallets. What a wonderful service they provide for all of us who are interested in saving money and recycling.

I also need to give a shout out to all of the local businesses in my area that graciously give me their used pallets for free. It really is a win-win situation because they do not have those pallets taking up space on their property and I don’t have to spend a penny of my precious money on building materials.

If you are into frugal living like I am, then you are always looking for ways to recycle old materials and put them to use in your world. If you have not discovered the joys of wooden pallets then you really are missing out on something special.

For a diligent and determined do-it-yourselfer, pallets are available by the thousands in practically every city and town in America. Pallets are a staple in the shipping industry. They are made of hard-wood and thus are capable of supporting a large amount of weight. They are easily dismantled, thus giving you an unlimited number of building options.

Whenever I talk about building things with pallets, I make sure I first mention that I am not a carpenter. I have practically zero carpentry skills. I do, however, have a strong desire to save money, so what I am lacking in hammer and saw skills I more than make up for in determination and a willingness to learn.

Do you know what I really love about building with pallets? They don’t cost me a penny, so if I goof up and make a mistake, I just shrug my shoulders and say “oh well” and then grab another pallet and try again….and, when I make a mistake and can’t use a pallet, I can cut it up for burning in our wood stove. Talk about a hot idea! LOL

So let’s toss out a few ideas for you and hopefully you will see something that will work for you in your home.

Call it a kitchen island or call it a kitchen table. Whatever you call it, this very simple piece of furniture will seat four and provide you countless hours of entertainment and practicality in the kitchen.

Items needed:

· Four pallets measuring 40”x48”

· Screws

· Sandpaper or electrical sander

· Paint, varnish or finish

How to make it:

· Sand down four pallets and paint or varnish

· Take a look at the picture to the right. Do you even need me to tell you how to make this?

· Lay three pallets down on their sides with a 24” space in-between each

· Lay a pallet on top of the three and screw the top pallet onto the three pallets that comprise the legs and sides of the table.

And you are done! If you do not want a pallet for the tabletop, then go to Home Depot and find a nice piece of specialty wood and cut to size.

The pallets are free. The futon mattress can be found on Craigslist at a relatively low price.

Items needed:

· Two or four pallets 40”x48” in size

· Screws

· Sandpaper and paint

· Futon mattress

What size do you want your futon bed? If you are making one for a child then you will only need two pallets, one on top of the other. If for an adult, you will need four pallets.

How to make it:

· For a child’s bed, screw one pallet on top of the other and add mattress

· For an adult’s bed, lay two pallets, one top of the other, next to two more pallets, one on top of the other, and screw the two stacks together to make a bed 48”x80”

· Add mattress and paint if you so desire.

What is nice about this piece of furniture is that you have shelves that are created by the pallets laying on top of each other, so you have just created extra storage space.

If you are into rustic then don’t paint the pallet. Otherwise, paint it a complimentary color to match the room in which it will hang.

Items needed:

· One pallet

· Screws

How to make it:

· Locate the studs in your wall using a stud finder

· Screw the pallet onto the wall, backside facing out.

· Set pictures and other mementos or knick knacks in the openings of the pallet.

Don’t have enough storage space in your kitchen for all of your pots and pans? No problem! This simple solution is a space saver that anyone with a screwdriver can make.

Items needed:

· One pallet

· Screws

· Hook screws

How to make it:

· Locate the studs in the wall and screw the pallet to the wall.

· Attach hook screws to the pallet

· Hang your pots and pans on the hook screws.

Everything you need to prepare a meal is now neatly hanging from the wall for easy access.

Do you know why so many people never consider building with pallets? Simply because they never thought of doing so.

Pallets are practical! Pallets are inexpensive and oftentimes free. Pallets can be left unpainted for a rustic look or pallets can be painted to match any décor. They are strong, they are long-lasting and they are just funky enough to be a nice conversation piece.

And did I mention they are oftentimes free?

2013 William D. Holland (aka billybuc)