Pallets are an inexhaustible source of ideas for arranging a suburban area. From them you can build comfortable furniture, functional systems for storing things and create original decorative elements. The main advantage of the pallet is that the material for their manufacture is raw wood, which serves as an excellent basis for creating exterior elements that can give comfort to your possessions. We will consider in more detail how to adapt these transport structures and how to make furniture from pallets with your own hands.
Features of the use of pallets
Pallets are wooden structures that play the role of packaging material, the use of which allows to simplify the transportation of various goods.
The weight of an empty pallet is on average 15-20 kg. The overall dimensions of the structure, depending on its purpose, may be:
- 120x100x12 cm (standard pallet);
- 120x80x12 cm (europallet).
The wood used for the manufacture of structures is selected strong and durable. This is done in such a way that they can withstand loads up to 1000 kg. Therefore, even already used pallets are able to find a second life, having served as functional elements in the arrangement of the site for more than one season.
Today, furniture from pallets among the design products in the ranking of popularity occupies a leading position. Some designers produce entire collections in eco-style, embodying the most incredible ideas in them using ordinary building pallets. Based on the ideas you like, you can implement them in your own way.
Where to get pallets?
Wooden pallets, although they are quite durable structures, are still considered by many manufacturers and transport companies as packaging material.
You can get spent packaging material using one of the proposed methods:
- Buy used pallets. Ads of this kind can easily be found on thematic portals. The price of products ranges from 30-150 rubles apiece.
- Directly contact manufacturers or transport companies. Most of them are ready to give the waste packaging for free, if only they do not throw it away.
If desired, the pallet can be assembled independently. It is enough to stock up with boards with a thickness of 15-20 mm and wooden bars with a cross section of 60-70 mm. Having determined for himself the dimensions of the future design, it is only necessary to cut the boards into blanks of the required dimensions, and then fasten the elements according to the standard scheme.
Material preparation
Wooden pallets are convenient in that they can be used in a variety of ways. It is convenient to break and fasten them, tighten with fabric and paint, combine with other materials and supplement with rollers.
To use pallets for the manufacture of blanks, it is necessary to prepare the material. To do this, their first step should be to remove dust and contaminants.
The work is most conveniently performed by treating the wooden surface with a grinder. For safety reasons, it is best to clean in a well-ventilated area by wearing a face shield.
It is possible to polish not the entire structure, but only that part of it that will directly “contact” with the body. Also, if it is necessary to create blanks of non-standard dimensions, pallets should be disassembled first. To simplify the work, peeled boards are best sorted by state and width.
And also, planning to place future furniture in the open air, it is worth making sure that she is not afraid of high humidity. To do this, it is desirable to cover the surface with a layer of primer intended for outdoor use, which has a water-repellent effect.
Pallet furniture manufacturing options
Pallets, like ready-made designer elements, are an excellent basis for the manufacture of functional interior items. There is nothing complicated in making furniture from pallets. It is enough to recall how in childhood you collected lockers and cribs from miniature matchboxes. These same skills need only be applied when working with designs of slightly larger sizes.
Garden chairs and benches
To create a convenient and practical bench, we need:
- 2-3 pallets of standard sizes;
- wooden bars with a section of 50-60 mm;
- metal corners;
- electric drill with a drill;
- bolted washers and screws;
- protective equipment (glasses and gloves).
To give a more presentable appearance to the finished product, also prepare a varnish or any paint intended for woodwork.
So, let's get to work. A standard pallet is assembled from seven boards. To make the seat and back of the bench, we take a pre-cleaned pallet and saw it into two parts.
To connect the back and seat, as well as the manufacture of the armrests of the bench, you can use the boards, disassembling another pallet, or use the bars available in the household.
You can increase the reliability and strength of the backrest with the seat by using the double fastening method.
The length of the sidewalls depends on how high they will be located. From the remaining boards are thicker or wooden bars, we cut 4 workpieces for arranging the legs.
The legs are attached to the bottom of the pallet on both sides, using metal corners to enhance fixation.
Having assembled the main structure, it remains to supplement it at the request with some elements, for example, cut decorative elements on the back and decorate the sides with armrests. The finished bench is covered with colorless varnish or paint of the selected shade - it all depends on your preferences and the overall exterior design.
Do-it-yourself furniture from pallets will be indispensable for a suburban area. Acting as a worthy replacement for old worn furniture, it easily fits into different interior styles.
Hanging beds and sofas
Spacious beds and hanging sofas are not much more difficult to make. They will become a successful complement to the interior of the terrace or porch.
The bed in a simple embodiment consists of two standard pallets, the sides of which are carefully bonded to each other.
If you plan to build a more comfortable place to relax, equipped with a comfortable mattress, you will have to tinker longer. To place the mattress, you will need to build a special box, which can be assembled from the boards of one of the remaining unused pallets.
The result should be a design whose size corresponds to the perimeter of the bottom of the bed. The height of the angular uprights depends on the thickness of the mattress. We install the finished box on two pallets pre-interconnected and fix it with self-tapping screws.
From the wider bars or the remaining boards, you can build a headboard. The gaps between the ribs of the pallet can be conveniently used as boxes for storing pastel accessories.
If you plan to move the berth, changing the "scenery" of the blooming garden, equip the structure with wheels. But keep in mind that for this purpose it is worth using only powerful wheels that can withstand the mass of not only the structure itself, but also the weight of the person lying on it.
When arranging a summer cinema in the fresh air, a multi-story bed that can accommodate a large family or a whole company will be very helpful.
The easiest way to protect the underside of mattresses from dust is by lining the surface of the pallets with breathable covering material such as agrofibre.
Watch a video on how to make a sofa out of pallets:
Dressers, tables and racks
A successful addition to the chairs and benches will be a garden wooden table made from those improvised materials.
Wood blends well with other materials. Therefore, furniture from wooden pallets can be safely supplemented with textile accessories, glass elements, stone decorations and plant compositions.
To make a small table, only 2-3 pallets are required.
To create a design decorated with a continuous canvas, we fill boards from the second workpiece into the voids between the rails of the first pallet. We carefully grind the finished canvas, cover it with a stain and leave the workpiece to dry completely. To get rid of roughness, gently wipe the surface with fine-grained emery paper or grind it again.
We proceed to the assembly of the structure. In the corners of the bottom of the table by means of a bolted connection we fix 4 legs. To equip the shelves under the working table we fasten the shield assembled from pallets disassembled onto the boards. In the assembled construction, all unpainted places are covered with two layers of stain. We fasten the rollers to the legs of the table.
The styling of outdoor garden tables depends on your imagination.
It’s easy to adapt old pallets even for arranging multifunctional shelves, thanks to which you can place small containers with flowers or necessary things for plant care in the open air. A folding shelf can also find its application in the arrangement of a suburban area.
Some craftsmen, developing the idea of creating functional furniture from old pallets, went even further.
If you wish, you can even assemble a real “house for gnomes” from pallets, which will become an elegant decoration of a terrace or a playground in the garden. The two-story house is assembled from vertically mounted pallets.
The opinion that furniture from pallets can be created only for yourself is a mistake. Some craftsmen put up their products for sale, turning their favorite hobby into a profitable project. A vivid example of this is the popular dog feeders.
The secret of the popularity of furniture made of wooden pallets made by yourself is easily explained by its original design. It is cheap, but no less practical. In addition, people who create or purchase ready-made furniture from pallets are driven by safety concerns. After all, pallets are made from wood not treated with any chemical agents. And therefore these products assembled from a pallet can rightfully be attributed to the number of the most environmentally friendly pieces of furniture in the world.
In conclusion, we offer some ideas for inspiration. Do not be afraid to experiment, making your life brighter. Enjoy your work!