In the right hands, ordinary pallets for transporting food and building materials turn into excellent furniture. It's fast, simple and convenient! You can easily make furniture from pallets with your own hands, and at the same time save a lot of money. After all, we all know perfectly well how much new tables and beds cost now.
Where to get pallets
First of all, you need to get pallets for furniture, because you are unlikely to have enough in the garage. To do this, the easiest way is to contact any company or a large store nearby. Almost everyone uses pallets for transportation and temporary storage of products.
Hardware stores and lumber businesses are good options. Usually there are optimal conditions for storing wood, in contrast to the same grocery supermarkets. Pallets do not have to be sorted out and tidied up for a long time before making furniture.
Which pallets are suitable for furniture
New pallets are best suited for furniture, because they do not need to be repaired and cleaned for a long time. They can be bought directly at the factory or from transport companies for a symbolic price. If you managed to get the pallets for free, make sure that there are no obvious damage and rot on them.
Wooden boxes painted with industrial paints are not suitable - it contains formaldehyde and is toxic to the house. Do not use pallets with IPPC marking, which indicates chemical treatment. Old pallets that have been used for food for a long time are also not suitable - they absorb odors and can rot.
Pallets are made of strong, durable wood to support the weight of the load during transportation. Average weight per pallet is between 15 and 20 kg. According to their grade, they are classified into Euro pallets, first, second and third grade. For making furniture with your own hands, you need the first two categories.
The advantage of Euro pallets is in a clear dimensional grid, including all chamfers and tolerances. They can be certified or not, and differ among themselves by the presence of a special phytosanitary treatment and a hallmark. This is less important, because you can treat the tree with an antiseptic and a primer yourself.
The first class includes pallets that have been used no more than three times. But small defects, chips, damage and stains are acceptable for them. These pallets are better suited for temporary garden furniture, stands and accessories for a couple of seasons.
Perfect furniture without the slightest inconsistencies will be obtained from Euro pallets for international transport. Their dimensions are 80x120x14.5 cm and they can withstand up to 200 kg. The structure is fastened with self-tapping screws, there is a lower flooring, and the thickness of the five upper boards is 2-2.5 cm each.
There are also finpallets with a size of 100x120x14.5 cm and with seven boards of the upper tier of 10 cm each. They can withstand up to 250 kg, are accompanied by certificates, brands and information about the manufacturer. Such details give the interior even more loft chic.
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How to fasten pallets together
Pallets need to be sanded and polished first because they don't need a perfect surface for industrial purposes. Take all the nervousness away with a regular sander. In addition, for work you will need a jigsaw, a grinder and a screwdriver.
If the pallets are not new, they must first be thoroughly washed with warm water and soap and dried in the fresh air. We recommend that you grind not only the outer surfaces, but all the details in order to avoid accidental splinters in the future. If there are few pallets, you can get by with ordinary coarse-grained sandpaper.
Pallets are easy to fasten with ordinary nails, but with a drill and screwdriver it will be more accurate. In the thickest places, it is recommended to hammer and screw in fasteners at an angle.A more complex, but more robust technology is remote connections with metal strips and corners. It is the best choice for load-bearing joints such as joining legs to a table top.
Be sure to check the location of each fastener with a level, because otherwise the furniture will be crooked. After finishing work, the pallets can be painted with a special paint for wood, covered with fabric, varnished or painted. You need a stain, oil, enamel or spray paint, and on top - a water-repellent varnish.
If in the future you want to renew the painting of your pallet furniture, the old layer must first be completely removed. For this, sandpaper is also suitable, which at the same time will degrease the surface. Before each new layer, let the previous one dry well for at least a day.
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Pallet furniture is attractive in its simplicity, so you don't need any building skills. Do not rush to start with complex multi-level structures. A small table, sofa, garden accessories, or even a bed base will work for you!
Pallet coffee table
The smallest and most compact coffee table comes with just two pallets - they just need to be stacked on top of each other. If you plan to move it periodically, screw the wheels. To decorate the tabletops of large coffee tables from several pallets, it can be sheathed with boards, the remnants of laminate or covered with glass.
Pallet sofa
Pallet sofas are great because they can be of any shape and size. A popular option is a corner design with the same coffee table from a pair of pallets. To make the sofa more comfortable, it needs to be sheathed with an upholstery fabric lined with foam rubber and supplemented with pillows.
Pallet bed
A comfortable and cheap bed frame is made from even, durable pallets. Basically, you just need to assemble a podium of the desired height and cover with a good orthopedic mattress. The standard height is two or three tiers of pallets, but it can be lower and higher. To make the bed more interesting, complement it with a headboard or decorative elements.
Garden furniture made of pallets for summer cottages
Garden sofas and pallet tables are the perfect complement to your gazebo or veranda. They will fit between flower beds and in the shade of trees, but take care of additional protection from moisture and rot. Accessories for a brazier or stove, portable bar counters for street parties, funny children's furniture, swings, benches and chairs, stands for seedlings and flowerpots are made from pallets.
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