how to make a table from pallets
The step-by-step instructions presented here will help you transform ordinary pallets into something unusual that will look great in your home or garden. Using these tutorials, you will learn how to make pallet tables that are just as beautiful as standard furniture. These are not only outdoor tables made from pallets for the garden , but also quite functional dining tables made from pallets . And of course, a variety of options for cute coffee tables made from pallets . DIY pallet tables are a really popular and easy way to make stylish furniture that doesn't require a high level of craftsmanship and saves you a lot of money. Most of all these wooden pallet tables only require good sanding, easy assembly and a good finish. Making a table from pallets with your own hands is an excellent practice for beginners. Using these instructions with step-by-step photos, anyone can make any of the options proposed here.
What tools and materials will be needed
The assembly of the bench begins with the search for materials. In addition to pallets, you will need self-tapping screws, wood protective impregnations, varnish or paint.
Standard tool for a novice carpenter:
- wood saw or jigsaw;
- electric drill, screwdriver;
- sander, fine and coarse sandpaper;
- hammer, pliers, screwdriver.
If the pallet is intended to be disassembled, a pry bar or nail puller is needed.
Advice! More complex benches with cabinetry, niches, and other fixtures may require hinges, mounting metal angles, and plates.
Which pallets are best to use?
Externally, any pallet looks like a wooden panel, but there are a number of distinctive nuances by which the material for the future bench is selected. First of all, they look at the quality of the board. Imported pallets win here. They are assembled from high-grade, smooth boards without knots or chips with high-quality sanding. A do-it-yourself bench made from Euro pallets practically does not require careful processing.
However, it is still important to take into account the degree of wear. Nobody will give away a new pallet cheaply. Usually they find old pallets written off from a warehouse or store. They will definitely have a defect. The problem is solved by replacing individual boards.
If there is a large number to choose from, preference is given to pallets with the maximum number of whole boards
Pallets aren't just for food. They are used as stands for auto parts, chemical and other products. Due to the specific nature of the application, such pallets are treated with special impregnations with a toxic odor. They cannot be used for benches.
A similar situation applies to discarded pallets from grocery stores. Wood has the ability to absorb odors. If, for example, rotten vegetables have been lying on a pallet for a long time, it is impossible to remove such an “aroma.” Even after painting, it will not be very pleasant to rest on the bench.
Advice! Most often, unpleasant odors are absorbed into the surface layers of wood. Deep sanding of the boards with a sander sometimes helps to get rid of them.
Interesting options
From wooden pallets you can make not only benches and tables, but also more complex furniture. So, large corner sofas made from pallets look good in large gazebos. By connecting several pallets together, they get a low bench. If you screw furniture wheels to it, it will be movable. Little ones will especially appreciate this.
Example: Dimensions on the floor are 2x1.6 m, height in the center is about 2 meters. About 90% of the material is board from pallets.
The finished pallet bench can be left without legs; instead, it can be hung on strong metal chains between two posts or on a strong tree to create a garden swing. A roof can be attached to the benches to protect the owners from the sun. Pallets are also often used to create a variety of racks and shelves that complement the interior of an open veranda.
Pallet preparation
Just type the query “buy pallets” in any search engine, and you will be presented with a lot of offers. You can purchase new or used containers for transporting goods. Another option is to go to a building materials store and ask the administrator if there are any unnecessary pallets.
It is advisable to take dry pallets that are not rotten or saturated with any persistent odor. This is the main material for work, from which the bench will be made.
The pallets are quite large (1.2 m long), so it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to carry them home in your hands. If you do not have personal transport, you will have to order delivery.
Note! If there are stains on wooden planks, they can be washed off or removed with sandpaper or a grinder with a grinder attachment.
It is worth paying attention to the environmental safety sign, which is usually affixed to the pallet supports.
A small bench can be made from just two standard size pallets (800 x 1200 mm). It is more convenient to sand them and paint or varnish them in advance. But you can leave it like that, completely unprocessed - the aesthetic requirements for a garden bench are not the highest.
How to make a coffee table
- For work you will need 2 euros of a pallet.
- They are cut to width and length and fastened together.
- Cut two corners and sand them.
- The finished table is varnished or painted.
- If you attach four furniture wheels, the table will be convenient to move.
- To prevent small objects from spilling into the cracks, glass with a special tape edge is placed on top.
Decorating homemade furniture
Upon completion of assembly, finished furniture made from wooden pallets can be further decorated. You can decorate a bench by artificially aging it; plant ornaments will look good in the garden; you can also decorate furniture using the technique of artistic burning or wood carving.
You can attach wide, comfortable armrests to the finished bench. Also, from boards from pallets, you can construct functional shelves on the sides of the bench; you can store magazines and various useful little things in them.
Finished furniture will be perfectly complemented by homemade pillows, soft seats and knitted blankets. They will not only make your relaxation area more comfortable, but will also warm you up on a cool evening.
Thus, from inexpensive transport pallets you can make simple, convenient, and most importantly, inexpensive garden furniture. In order to assemble a bench, table or even a sofa from pallets, you do not need to have any complex skills, and the tools that you will need for this can be found at every dacha and in every country house.
How to make a bench from pallets with your own hands
You should start making benches for your dacha with a simple design with a backrest. There is no need to disassemble the pallet into individual parts. All amateurs can make such furniture. Step-by-step instructions for making a bench with slats along the seat and a flat back.
Drawings and diagram of a bench made from pallets
- Using a hacksaw, cut the pallet along the edge of the middle board - cut 3 beams 120 mm thick.
- On the narrow part, cut off the bottom strips.
- Place the wide part – the seat – on a flat surface.
- Place the second narrow half perpendicularly, cut side down. She will stand on the ends of the bars. There will be a gap from the floor to the board.
- Using a drill, make conical undercuts for the heads of the screws so that they do not stick out.
- Screw the backrest strips to the seat bars with self-tapping screws.
- Strengthen the backrest on the sides with gussets - slanted planks from the lower cut boards. Nail the ends of the gusset to different beams.
Bench option made from pallets
The height of the pallet is 156 – 162 mm depending on the thickness of the board. Instead of legs, a second pallet is used, cut in the same way. Fastening is done with self-tapping screws along the edge. The result is a bench made from pallets with a flat base. The height is 8 - 10 cm lower than a standard chair.
If necessary, cut the remaining beams into cubes and place them around the perimeter, finishing off the legs and increasing the height of the garden bench.
The boards are secured to the beams with ring or spiral groove nails. It's impossible to get them out. Use a hacksaw to cut the fastener.
A wide bench with a high back is made in the same way, all actions are performed step by step. Take 2 pallets and cut them, shifting by 1 plank, making the blanks for the seat and back wider.
From the narrow remains, cut the boards and make legs from them, nailing them vertically on the sides.
