Didn't know we had them, but suddenly there were 4-5 pallets leaning on the side of the garage...now...what to do with them? I would love a "planting table (bench?) but not sure how to proceed??? Any ideas are welcome.

Lots of things you can do. I've seen these laid in opposite direction for an outdoor floor. You can also take them apart and build tables with them. Or use the top like it is for a table. We leave them alone and use them in our basement to air fall veggies. Do a search for more ideas and I'm sure more will follow here.

I'm not much of a carpenter, but I know people who's mouths start to water with the thought of pallets and scaffolding planks! My collegue made a complete set of garden furniture from pallet planks, sure if you Google a bit you can find enough examples.

I have a great Idea that I am going to do also. Take about 1/2 or so of the pallet. Take the back part off. However, make sure that you keep the noard that holds the pallet toghther on. Then you can paint the flag on it. It makes a great addition to your fourth of the July. This is one project I would like to have done before I go out for surgery. Oh also what kind of pallets are they? Contruction or regular. If its good quailty wood you could make a pinic table like I did. In a previous post you can see. Also you could make a seat for the garden or a stand for aplant. Somethimg that can hold a small amount of weight. Just some thoughts. Wow i feel the creative juices flowing....

Here's a pic of some things that could be made partly or completely from pallet wood. Thanks to whoever first posted these, I don't know where I saved them from.

My DH cuts the slats from the ends as it's faster and easier than taking them apart with a crowbar.

Have a look at the 2 T2T albums in the Shutterfly link in my siggie line for more inspirational pics. Pallet wood is just wood, you can make anything from it. You could also add old windows or shutters to a potting bench for a different look. Pallet wood slats would make good pickets also for a fence, shelf, bench, or in any decorative way.

Hope you will post pics when you're finished.

pallet_wood_projects.jpg (109 Kb, 122 downloads)

I have seen a picture in a magazine using a pallet as a plate holder. I'll look the name of the magazine up tonight, and send it to you tomorrow.

We are getting ready to make a corner fence for the yard out of pallets. You have to take the pallets apart and cut the slats into pickets. Using 4 x4's for the center and the two ends and 2 x 4's that the pickets are attached to. The center pickets are the tallest and then graduates down in size to the end 4 x 4's. (The center 4 x 4 is the tallest and the two end 4 x 4's are shorter.) Then we are going to paint it white.

wow- sme cool ideas!!
I am a lurker but I thought I'd add this I saw the other day....

Here is a cool site that uses 21 or so pallets to make a great shed!! pallet shed

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Those pallet sheds are sooo cool! I had a whole bunch of pallets, but my husband sold them! Guess I'll have to start another collection! Hmmm...maybe I'll add on to my arts and crafts shed! I already have a concrete slab in front of it, so no need for a floor! Thanks for the link!

I loved the link too when I found it and still look at it for some inspiration (as I havent made one yet myself!)

I wish I had some decent land in the back of our house to build some-- we live right outside of Phila so not much here....
We can ( or used to be able to) get free pallets at a store down the road. The possibilities of what one can make from them is amazing!! I also love the idea of taking something no one else wants ( and thinks you are crazy for wanting it) and making it into something that the same person would then say " wow where did you get that"??

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Very cool stuff, joyluck, I love your style!

I've made a lot of things out of pallet wood, too, mostly bookshelves, since books are my big thing.

I've had people tell me I'm working way too hard on projects with such soft cheap wood, but I love the recycling aspects, and I also love the look I get when I do many layers of sanding, staining, sanding, varnishing, etc.

The sanding is critically important, in my opinion, because it makes the wood nicer to touch and use. And though of course it's great painted, I love the look I get with repeated applications of a pale golden pecan stain. It's a beautiful warm-honey color, and with several layers of sanding and staining until I get the color I like, and then a few coats of polyurethane, it gives the wood a kind of depth that seems like you can look deeply down into it.

Really, you can make anything out of it.

Also, if you look carefully, sometimes I find oak and other interesting woods in the pallets. Mostly they're made of very soft white pine, but I've had pieces of red oak and white oak and other woods, too.

For me, I don't like to mix the woods in the same projects, because they weigh different, they work up differently, the feel is different, etc., so I separate the woods and use them in different projects.

I am a pallet junkie. I've made my nursery sign, potting tables, plant tables, and planter boxes out of them. The plant tables and potting bench were rather crude, as i needed them in a hurry, but they get the job done!

Here's a site I found by doing a search for 'pallet furniture'. I hope you get some ideas for your found pallets.

http://www.touchwoodonskye.org.uk/touchwood_for_recycling_pallets.html

Thanks for the site ICU2. Now i will be even MORE of a pallet junkie.

With all these discussions about pallets, I've been thinking about how I can make some cheap outside tables for plants. While reading another post, I remembered I at one time had a book about crate furniture. Sure enough, I found the book and I've had it at least 100 years, and never made anything...but now...maybe I will.
Anyway, I did a google and would you believe I found it on Amazon. Here's the link to the exact book I have. They say if you keep something long enough, you just might need it one day! LOL

http://www.amazon.com/Crate-Craft-Easy-Make-Inexpensive...id=1210284413&sr=1-1

If anyone here is serious about using pallets, for the price, I recommend this book. It's got lots of diagrams, tips, tools, and even lots of color photos. The last printing was in June of 1977. There's a couple of photos, and even a customer review.

Joyluck I love the pictures you posted! ICU2 that's a great link and pretty furniture those folks made, too. All the ideas everyone has shared has me dizzy with ideas now. Thanks a zillion everyone. Maybe my muse came home!

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Folks make decorative bird houses and other items out of pallets. If you Google 'pallet crafts' you will find lots of links.

I saw on carter Can one time that the designer took a pallet and made an outdoor coffee table out of it. It was great. She cut it down to 45" square and added post tops for the legs put colored tiles around the edge for use as coasters and then in the middle of it she put an iron wall piece on it and stuck a colored metal container on it to put a candle in. It was so pretty. I can't find a picture of it but I'm thinking about asking the production compnay if they can get me one.

Glad I found this. great ideas.
I found a idea one time to use them for compost bin.Worked pretty good. I Put those metal poles and slid the pallets over and down them. Left one side open to put swinging fencing to open.

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