Pallets are just about anywhere and often for free.
Some are safe to use as it is, while others may need a little work before they’re ready to go. Either way, pallets are an incredible resource that’s too good to pass up.
Pallets come in all shapes, sizes, colours, and levels of disrepair. Most will only require a little elbow grease before they’re ready to go. A few may need a little more work, but it’ll still be worth the effort.
You can transform one wooden pallet into different peices of furniture with the right know-how, from garden beds to coffee tables and wall shelves. The next time you come across these wooden pallets, don’t throw them in the trash. Instead, try to visualise what can be made from them.
Below are twelve great ideas for repurposing wooden pallets:
1. A Nice Garden Bed
Pallets are great for making garden beds. The slats are easy to pull apart, drill through, and cut with a miter saw. Plus, they’re relatively inexpensive compared to other materials that can be used to make raised beds.
One of the favorite repurposing projects for garden lovers is turning a wooden pallet into a raised garden bed. It’s pretty simple to do, and you can make it as big or small as you need.
Here’s an easy way to make the garden bed using window pallets:
- Measure and cut the boards according to the size you need.
- Attach all of the pieces using wood screws or nails.
- Fill it with soil, and add your choice of plants.
- If your garden bed is really big, you should add support underneath for extra stability.
The brilliant thing about this project is that you can just fill your window pallet with dirt and plant flowers in it. It’s a beautiful way to add colour to your new garden bed.
2. A Pretty Side Table Or Kitchen Island
Another fantastic idea for repurposing wooden pallets is to make something functional, like a side table to place in your house.
Repurposing wooden pallets into side tables is an easy weekend project that doesn’t require many tools, making it perfect for people of any skill level.
All you need to do is the following:
- Cut the boards into pieces that measure around 24 inches.
- Screw them all together to form a rectangle (or square).
- Sand it down.
- Stain or paint the table.
Some people like to paint wooden pallets before using them as tables, however, some are already coloured. You may even find ones that are custom-made just like the ones in https://www.challengerpallet.com/. Whether or not you want to paint it is really up to you. As long as you’ve sanded it down and cleaned off the rust, you can use your pallet table just how you want it.
3. Kitchen Island
Kitchen islands nowadays are trendy, but buying one can be really expensive. Instead of buying one, it would be practical to make your kitchen island using these wooden pallets.
Pallet islands are easy to make, and you can create them in different styles, depending on the look you want for your kitchen. They’re especially ideal if you have a small-sized kitchen, since they can save a lot of space.
A kitchen island made from wooden pallets, is a practical and stylish way to add storage, workspace, and seating in a small kitchen. And it would be great building one yourself by following this:
- Start by measuring the height of your countertops.
- Cut the pallet boards to according to the measured height.
- Sand any rough edges down until it’s smooth enough.
- Stain or paint it, to fit in with your other décors.
You can even add some plant pots underneath, a great way to have a spot for some herbs plants that can be used for cooking.
4. A Rustic Bench
You can never go wrong with a nice wooden bench. They’re great for sitting and relaxing. If you’re looking for an awesome rustic bench that you can use for your home, this is the perfect project for you.
All you’re going to need is a few pallets and some spare boards from other projects. Once you’ve gathered them together, here’s what you need to do:
- Saw off all of the nails from one side of the pallets.
- Turn the pallet boards around and nail them together.
- Attach the spare panels to the bottom for added support.
- Sand it down until it’s smooth and you’re done.
You can paint or stain your bench in any colour you want. It’ll easily match whatever décor you have in your backyard, and it makes a great place to sit and relax.
5. A Deskside Lamp
If you feel like digging through some old pallets, then a nice desk lamp is a great project that you can make. You’ll need a few boards from a pallet and several pieces of scrap wood.
- Cut the pallet boards into strips for your lampshade.
- Attach them with nails or glue.
- Add a lightbulb and a dimmer to the lamp.
You may use it as an extra reading light for your home.
6. A Little Hammock
If you have spare hours and some extra pallet boards, it would be a great idea to turn them into a comfortable hammock. You can attach it to two trees in your backyard for that perfect afternoon nap.
- Cut four pallet boards of the same length.
- Sand down any rough edges until they’re smooth enough.
- Attach the boards with glue or nails.
- Add some rope in both edges to tie it to two trees in your backyard.
You can paint the pallet boards if you want it to match your backyard décor. It makes a charming place to relax with friends or just for an afternoon nap. You can even add some cushions to make it more comfortable.
7. A Pallet Bed Frame
If you’re looking for a new bed but don’t feel like paying a lot of money, then check out this project that shows you how to build a bed frame from pallet boards.
- Start by measuring your mattress.
- Cut the pallet boards according to your measurements.
- Screw them together with nails or screws, the add some legs for added support.
- Sand it down until you have a smooth surface.
You can even paint or stain the pallet boards any color you want. If your mattress has a particular colour, matching the bed would make the bedroom look unified.
8. A Bar or Buffet Table
This idea is perfect if you need extra space in your kitchen, repurposing some pallets will do the trick.
Here’s how:
- Cut the pallet into boards that are as wide as your table.
- Attach them into a rectangular shape with nails or screws.
- Sand it all down until you have a smooth surface and use it as an extra counter space in your kitchen.
It can also be used as a fun buffet table for parties, just add some candles and flowers for décor.
9. A Pallet Fire Pit
Maybe you have a lot of wood lying around the yard, putting it to good use by making an amazing pallet fire pit is a modern concept that you can make as a project through these steps:
- Start stacking some boards on top of one another.
- Place some rocks or river stones in the middle of your pallet boards for a chimney effect.
- Add a grate on top and use it as a fire pit.
You can paint the pallet boards or leave them like they are. A pallet fire pit makes an excellent place to sit back at night with friends while roasting some marshmallows.
10. Pallet Wood Art
There might be days that you’re feeling artistic, then adding some art to your walls would definitely do the trick. You can easily do that by repurposing pallet boards.
Here’s how:
- Cut the pallet boards into small pieces depending on what size of wall art you want each piece to be.
- Sand them down until they’re smooth enough to paint over.
- Paint them in the colours you want, and hang them on your wall.
It makes an adorable piece of art to add to any room. You can be creative by painting a design or sticking with monochrome paint for a modern look. Either way, it’ll be unique art that you made yourself.
11. A Pallet Headboard
If you’re decorating your bedroom and need extra wall space, then this idea is perfect:
- Start by measuring the size of your headboard.
- Cut pallet boards to those measurements.
- Use nails or screws to attach them.
- Sand it down until it’s smooth enough to paint over.
- Paint it in the colours you want, or even paint stripes on it for that extra design.
It makes a unique headboard to add style to your bedroom.
12. A Pallet Wall Shelf
Lastly, if you need extra space for storage, repurposing pallets is the way to go. Here’s how:
- Start by measuring the size of your wall shelf.
- Cut the pallet boards into those measurements, and sand them down until they’re smooth enough to paint over.
- Paint them whatever colour you want.
- Arrange the pieces of wood on top of each other, nail or screw them on the wall to form your shelf.
It makes an appealing addition to any room in the house, and you’ll never have to spend money buying extra storage ever again.
Final Thoughts
Now you see just how limitless the possibilities are in repurposing unwanted pallets. They are the perfect material for different projects and it doesn’t require any artistic or construction skills to make. Repurposing pallets is an innovative way to create something new from something old, and it helps conserve the environment by not adding more waste.
So, if you have unused pallets around your home, don’t throw them away. With these ideas, you can repurpose them for an extraordinary new project.
