How to Build a Comfortable Pallet Sofa in 3 Simple Steps

Sep 5, 2014

I bet you never thought about building a couch for yourself. A couch or sofa is one of the most basic, yet effective types of pallet furniture you can make. They’re highly usable and rewarding to relax on after completion. Plus, it’s not very hard to make a halfway decent one for yourself. One thing to keep in mind is the location, because this thing can get real heavy real fast. These are best used outdoors, or in an open-air space, but you could always make a pallet loveseat that weighs a little bit less. Below you’ll find a quick breakdown of how to approach this diy pallet build.

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Step 1 – Acquire pallets and prep the frame

You’ll need a decent amount of used pallets for this project, somewhere in the range of 6-8 to create something like you’ll see here. The first thing you should do is sand any surfaces that will be exposed. Nobody likes splinters, and you don’t want your project to bite you. Arrange two pallets on top of one another, two on the side for armrests, and two behind to get the basic frame laid out.

Step 2 – Add surfacing

You’ll want to cover the bare surface with something a bit more aesthetically pleasing, and in this case we chose a sort of grooved plywood. Get creative and use whatever you think will work. The main places you should cover are the armrests, the top of the back bolsters, and the bottom of the front.

Step 3 – Add cushions

You may want to have something custom made for the couch, that way the cushion fits perfectly up and down. Otherwise you might end up with loose fitting cushions that move around too much. Alternatively, you could cover the frame with a fabric, and choose some outdoor cushions to sit on top. It’s up to you really. Whatever you choose will add much more charm and appeal to the overall design than the simple wood pallets could ever provide.

Step 4 – Relax!

The result will be a totally hand-made pallet sofa that has a rustic look and feel to it without sacrificing comfort. Overall the cost will be less than $100 in most cases, if not free depending on the choices you make for cushions, surfacing, and so on. This is a pretty straightforward project that anyone can complete in a matter of an afternoon with a few friends and some beers to help with the creative juices.

45+ Incredibly Simple DIY Pallet Swings. Number 5 Looks So Comfy!

Sep 1, 2014

Who doesn’t love a good porch swing? Or perhaps a rope swing? The fresh air blowing past, sun on your face, or maybe relaxing in the shade with a calm rocking motion while reading a book in the warm summer afternoon. You get it. Any sort of furniture that swings brings with it a certain air of freedom and fun, and with that in mind we gathered some of the coolest DIY pallet swings together for this post. There’s not much to putting these things together.

Some of the hardware you can use includes a heavy duty swivel like the Hammaka Hammock Chair Swivel for example or this Byer of Maine Swivel Hook. Attach something like that to the ceiling, tree limb, or some other sturdy surface and get a heavy duty chain, metal cable, or even some thick rope to attach it to the pallet surface. It goes without saying that you should use relatively new pallets for a project like this, as the wood will be sturdier and less prone to cracking. You don’t want your peaceful afternoon siesta ruined by a sudden smash to the ground.

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Decorating the pallets for a nice look and comfortable feel is also easy enough. Find some pillows at the store, thrift shop, or from your closet and lay them on; cushions from an old couch can work. Be creative and think of the sort of surface you feel best on. The good thing is you can make it however you want. Amazon has all sorts of outdoor cushions up for grabs and is worth checking out.

Ultimate Collection of DIY Pallet Furniture Ideas

Aug 30, 2014

We come across so many great ideas that showcase pallets, and thought it would be nice to gather some of them in one place for your viewing pleasure. The amount of creativity shown below is astounding, and we can’t even imagine how some people come up with these ideas, but they do. From using pallets for gardening, to creating a beautiful pallet sofa, pallet bench, and much more. Most of these projects can be accomplished in an afternoon. While a fair amount may require some sort of instructions on cutting angles and so forth, the vast majority of these DIY projects can be done without instructions to be honest.

When building pallet furniture it’s important to keep in mind a few things.

Always sand the wood. Pallets are typically unfinished and have course edges that would give you splinters. You don’t want to be attacked by the piece of furniture you just built!
Use 2x4s or similar pieces of lumber to brace pallets together and create separation between them.
Keep a jigsaw handy for those tricky cuts, especially the curved kind
Use your imagination and let your creative spark take over – you’ll be surprised how easy it is to build many of these pallet projects

Now go forth and create your own tables, chairs, benches, and planters!

7 Impressive DIY Pallet Tables

Aug 23, 2014

We’re always impressed at the ingenuity some people display. Like with these tables for example, all of which are totally awesome and built for just a few dollars. Check out these examples below for ideas to create your own DIY pallet table from what would otherwise be scrap wood.

Two old crates + window

This one has a classy yet rustic feel with the combination of wood and glass.

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DIY Round Pallet Table

This approach is simple. Buy a table stand on Amazon, or re-purpose one you already have. Then use a jigsaw to cut a round piece of plywood, and lay the pallet staves over it. Use the jigsaw to trim the staves to match the curved edge, and voila, you have a beautiful round table for outside.

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Pallet Kitchen Table

Here’s a great example of how you can re-use pallet to create a kitchen table that not only looks great but won’t give you splinters. Using about 5 pallets, some wood stain and sanding you can build this in an afternoon, easily.

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Pallet Picnic Table

If you want a nice place to sit the kids outside, but don’t want to buy a picnic table this might be the best option. It’s a fairly simple approach, using several pallets that have been taken apart to a degree and then joined together with a bench on either side.

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Pallet Coffee Table on Wheels

Here’s another great idea, and one that’s simple to do. Attach four wheels to the bottom of a pallet, with a 2×4 separating them and you’re good to go.

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Pallet Planting Table

We love planting tables for the versatility they offer, and the amount of bending over they save on our backs. This one uses a single pallet for the back, some 2x4s and a few pieces of flat plywood for a work surface.

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Colorful Dining Table

One of our favorite examples is this dining table, which makes use of sanded and finished pallets laid tight together and joined by a clean metal frame.

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5 Amazing Pallet Bars For Your Inspiration

Aug 3, 2014

By far one of the easiest and coolest things we’ve seen done with a pallet is transforming it into a bar. Some are outdoors, others are inside, and some are meant to simply hold all your booze in a nice neat fashion. Whatever you’re looking for, the following examples should get your creative juices flowing.

1. The Outdoor Pallet Bar

All you need for this is a few pallets and a 1″ x 6″ or similar piece of reclaimed wood for the counter.

2. DIY Pallet Cooler

Now here’s a cooler that brings rustic style to replace those big ugly blue things you have laying around. Sturdy, solid, and functional for sure, even if it might involve a little more planning than other DIY pallet projects.

3. Pallet Bar V2

Here’s another look at a bar made from reclaimed pallets, only this time showing the inside of the unit, where convenient shelves have been built in to hold all your high end booze.

4. Pallet Bar V3

Here we have one built for the inside, using a simple configuration that involves two pieces of copper, a couple 2x4s for the shelving, and of course booze. Don’t forget the booze.

5. Pallet Tiki Bar

Sometimes you want to take the vibe back to the beach, and what better way than with a backyard tiki bar? If you’re looking for a budget approach, check this one out. It uses just six pallets, one 2×4 post, and some plywood for the counter. Simple as pie, and with a hanging sign above it you’ll be set. Oh, and booze.