With the arrival of summer, many people will take advantage of the nice weather and begin their seasonal projects. However, many will balk at starting a project due to the financial element. Materials are not cheap, chief among them wood. There are, however, many projects that you can do at home with minimal tools and supplies, and free wood.
One of the most effective ways of completing a DIY project that requires wood is through the use of old pallets. Shipping companies extensively use these pallets, and once they become old or begin to break, the company has no use for them. Often, these companies will set these pallets alongside the road, leaving people welcome to them.
Pallets offer free, strong wood for the DIY home project. They often require a little more grunt work to use, especially if not using the whole pallet. If you are only using part of the pallet, it needs to be stripped apart with a hammer and crowbar. Additionally, they require a significant sanding to make them smooth and presentable. It is important that you be safe when dealing with old pallets. They are often ridden with old nails, and some of the older or weaker pallets will splinter badly when breaking the pallet down.
Pallets offer you free lumber for your summer DIY project. If you don’t have an idea yet for a project with some free wood, check out some ideas below.
Shelves
Shelves are likely the easiest pallet project to complete. Depending on the pallet, you may just be able to make a single straight cut. Many pallets possess at least one side that is a solid wood beam. This can function as base of the shelf, and is often the perfect length and width for a hanging shelf. The vertical planks can be used to create a more rustic look, and they can also provide the backing for added pieces of wood to create a more intricate or detailed shelf. All the shelf needs is a thorough sanding and finishing to make it complete.
Desk/Coffee Table
Desks and coffee tables are both fairly simple projects that can be completed with a few pallets and a little work. What’s nice about using a pallet for coffee tables or desks is that often a single pallet will prove the perfect size for the table or small desk. You can use one pallet as the top of the desk or table, and the beams from one or two other pallets for legs. The height and style of the legs are up to you, but should not require more than a few cuts with a saw and a few nails to attach. The duality of the pallets make them very friendly for ease of use and few necessary tools.
Flooring
This is likely the most surprising pallet DIY project on this list. It may take some by surprise, but a pallet floor can be both visually and economically attractive. Putting in a normal wooden floor can be very expensive, often costing several thousand dollars. The pallets you pick up from a shipping company will likely cost you nothing.
The pallet’s planks are also typically the same size. Some run smaller or larger than the average pallet, but when getting your pallets from one location, it should be easy to find a high number of pallets with identical sized planks.
Once you have the planks separated from the pallets, the best ones selected, nails removed, and sanded completely down, all that you need to do is lay the pallets out on your floor. The pallets should have no problem adhering, and are easily cut when you reach a wall.
The finish up the floor, the pallets can be painted or stained to your liking. Due to the wide shades that the pallets may come in, it may be the best idea to paint the boards to achieve a more desirable effect. This is up to you, and possibilities are endless.
Pallets offer a free resource that can be converted to any number of summer DIY projects. All it takes is a little time and imagination, and those discarded pallets came become something striking.