Many people regard wooden pallets as a transport container designed to move heavy loads with a forklift. These devices greatly simplify the transportation of barrels of chemicals, boxes of finished products, bags of semi-finished products. But we forget an important detail: pallets are made of natural wood.
- Features of the use of pallets
- Where to get pallets
- Material preparation
- Pallet furniture manufacturing options
- Tables from pallets
- Bright chairs
- Sofas and armchairs from pallets
- Pallet cabinet
- Bed of pallets
- Shelving, dressers and shelves from pallets
- Washbasin cabinet
- Shop windows and bars
- For garden or terrace
- For gazebo or balcony
- Place for flowers
- Pet bench
- Decor Elements
- Wonderful accessories from parts of pallets
In skillful hands, an ordinary pallet turns into a priceless material suitable for the manufacture of various products. Furniture made of pallets has become extremely popular these days, because it:
- environmentally friendly;
- easy to clean;
- multifunctional;
- practical;
- creative.
to contents ↑Can you imagine what kind of furniture from pallets you can get? Pallets are suitable for the manufacture of a variety of products, from beds to shelves for shoes. The main thing is that you can do it yourself, while the necessary materials are available for everyone, since they are inexpensive.
Features of the use of pallets
For the manufacture of transport pallets, high-quality lumber is used, or rather, non-planed boards. They are wide, tall and withstand a heavy load. This makes pallets applicable for large furniture products:
- beds;
- sofas;
- dining tables.
The disadvantage of pallets is the surface of the boards. For industrial purposes, there is no need to grind them to perfect condition, so they need special treatment: grinding, polishing. This eliminates sharp burrs.
Wooden pallets are easy to handle. To work with them, you will need a minimum set of power tools:
- jigsaw;
- Bulgarian;
- Sander;
- drill with screwdriver function.
Where to get pallets
An urgent issue of interest to those who decided to make garden furniture or other products from pallets. First you need to contact any manufacturing enterprise. Cable factories use pallets to transport copper cathodes, aluminum ingots and other raw materials.
Pallets are found in paint and varnish factories, as they are suitable for temporary storage of chemicals (solvents, reagents) and finished products (buckets and cans of paint).
Pallets can be found at warehouse complexes. The surest way is to go to the sawmill involved in the preparation of lumber.
Remember that you need to use whole products, ideally new ones. Some companies may offer old pallets with obvious damage: kinks, rot. Such a container is of little use for the manufacture of furniture, since it requires particularly careful preparation. Often, the result does not pay back the time spent.
Alternatively, you can try your luck in the following places:
- transport companies;
- construction / hardware stores;
- large hypermarkets.
The average cost is 30-150 rubles. When buying new pallets, pay attention to the strength and build quality. The boards should be nailed tight to each other. Such a pallet is ideal for the manufacture of a bar counter, armchair, garden bench.
to contents ↑Material preparation
After purchasing a pallet, it is recommended to carry out the work:
- To clear a surface of pollution (spots of paint, smudges).
- Sand with a machine, removing burrs.
- Thoroughly and abundantly treat with an antiseptic.
- Dry under natural conditions, observing the permissible moisture level.
The tray should be completely dry. Otherwise, the finished product is deformed with time. If you appreciate the deep, rich color of wood fibers, then treat the boards with a stain. This will help:
- Strengthen the structure of the boards, making them stronger;
- increase moisture resistance;
- extend the life of the materials;
- make the pallet a few tones darker;
- highlight the fiber pattern.
to contents ↑Be sure to remove excess nails. Make sure that the pallet is perfectly smooth: there should be no burrs on its surface that could damage the skin. If necessary, cover the boards with yacht varnish.
Pallet furniture manufacturing options
Let's go directly to the products that you can do yourself. We have collected a large number of ideas for giving, apartment, house, office. In some cases, step-by-step instructions will be given that will simplify the manufacturing process of furniture. Follow the recommendations, and you can save a lot of time, effort, money.
Tables from pallets
A common solution, suitable for different applications:
- large dining groups;
- small coffee tables;
- compact garden utensils;
- design decisions (you can make a small bedside table).
If the distance between the boards is too large, carefully dismantle them with a crowbar, then interrupt closer. This will help make a solid countertop. You can leave the pan as is, but put a thick sheet of tempered glass on it.
By installing two pallets with a wooden jumper between them, we get an original coffee table with a niche in which you can store books, catalogs, decorative flower pots.
To make the legs, it is enough to disassemble one of the pallets and connect the boards in the form of the letters G and P. Having placed them vertically in four parts, we get a solid, stable design. For connection, standard metal corners and self-tapping screws are suitable.
Useful advice: pallets can be painted with white paint, painted with markers and stylized with all kinds of stencils.
to contents ↑Bright chairs
Pallets are great for wooden chairs. To make them soft, comfortable, a soft substrate of foam rubber and a protective cover is applied to the wooden surface. Ties are passed through the boards and fix the seat. Similarly, a pillow is made.
To make the seat comfortable, cut the boards at a negative angle and connect using metal staples. With enough imagination, you can make a folding chair out of the pallet. For this, ordinary loops are used. Schemes are often published on the Internet to help implement this kind of idea.
Chairs can be painted with bright colors. If you make products for the nursery, then leave colorful handprints on the surface of the pallet. It will look stylish and decorate the interior of the room.
to contents ↑Sofas and armchairs from pallets
In this case, it is recommended to combine several pallets. To ensure that the ligament is strong, but does not protrude, secure the boards from the inside.
Pallets are square in shape, which allows you to create modular designs. Place several pallets on top of each other, fastened with metal fittings.This will help you choose the right height of the sofa.
If the width of the pallet is too large, does not fit in dimensions, it can be corrected with an ordinary cut. Measure the desired width and saw the pallet. Leftovers are suitable for making armrests.
Having shown enough imagination, you can make a large corner sofa. It will go well with a coffee table.
In the case of sofas, you should use more pillows with covers for finishing the backs / armrests. This will make upholstered furniture comfortable and cozy. The internal cavity of the pallet is perfect as additional shelves in which you can store souvenirs and extra pillows.
Pallet cabinet
A cabinet made of pallets is not the most practical device, since the slots will allow sunlight and dust to pass through. To avoid this, you will have to disassemble the pallets, fastening the boards more tightly to each other.
Nevertheless, such a closet can become a real find for a small apartment, as it helps to hang clothes, to spread out linen, without cluttering up the room. Slots let air through, creating a feeling of open space.
Bed of pallets
Pallets allow you to make a strong, large and reliable support. They are easily bonded to each other. By stacking pallets on top of each other, you increase the bearing capacity of the entire structure.
Having collected the support, it is enough to lay a high mattress on it. This solution is suitable for single beds and large furniture. If desired, you can make a large bed for two people.
Shelving, dressers and shelves from pallets
Another bright idea for the use of wooden containers in the interior. Suitable for creating convenient racks designed for storage:
- books
- CDs
- magazines
- photo albums;
- souvenirs.
To make a shelving, it is enough to cut several pallets, fold them, fasten them together and screw them to the floor or wall. For fixing it is recommended to use the expansion bolt shield.
to contents ↑Before starting work, draw up a drawing of the rack, shelves or chest of drawers on paper. Decide on the size, structure, functionality. This will make excellent apartment, office, country furniture.
Washbasin cabinet
A great solution for washing. Such a product will help to save free space in the kitchen. Even from one pallet there will be a countertop, in which there will be a shelf for personal hygiene products.
To turn several boards into a pedestal, you need to stock 1-3 pallets (depending on the complexity of the project). Make a diagram, cut and fasten the pallet so that you get a countertop and side walls. You can do without supports, but in this case you will need to mount strong metal brackets into the wall.
You can cut a hole for the sink using a jigsaw. Outline the sink contour, having accurately determined the dimensions, remove the unnecessary part and process the edges. Make sure that the countertop from the pallet has retained strength, since a sink filled with water to the level of drain-overflow has considerable weight.
to contents ↑Shop windows and bars
Such products are suitable for cafeterias and shops. They can be installed in a studio apartment, open space office, coworking center. In this case, it is recommended to cut the pallets across, along the length of the wine bottle. This size is enough to create a bar. The front side is covered with wooden boards, and from the inside there will be free space for storing bottles of alcoholic drinks.
Such a partition looks very profitable. It goes well with modern interior styles, especially with the direction of the loft. A wooden showcase zones the space, visually dividing it into several separate sections, which helps to use the available space with maximum benefit.
to contents ↑For garden or terrace
A pallet is an excellent material for creating a variety of elements:
- workbench for storing power tools;
- a corner of the gardener where you can keep the necessary equipment;
- whatnot for potted flowers.
With enough imagination, you can use the pallet to create a railing on the terrace. Pallets are suitable for wooden flooring, on which a swing or garden furniture made of artificial wicker rattan is installed. This solution will protect your feet from dampness and coolness.
Using pallets to create country / garden furniture, take care of antiseptic processing. Soak the wood with a special solution so that it is not afraid of moisture. The advantage of the pallet is that it has slots. This ensures natural air circulation, which minimizes the processes of rotting wood.
to contents ↑For gazebo or balcony
Pallets are suitable for creating side partitions in gazebos, as well as for railings, platforms, steps. If we are talking about an apartment, you can install a small fit on the balcony and place on it a coffee table and seat cushions. Throw a few binbags at him and sit down with your friends over a cup of tea while having a fascinating conversation.
Place for flowers
Hang the pallet on the wall and install special brackets for flower pots on it. If desired, you can make an inclined shelf by placing it at an angle of 45 degrees. Having made slits in the boards and inserting small shelves into them, we get a stylish, comfortable, durable whatnot. Paint it with a tone in the tone of the interior, and you will create a beautiful and useful decor.
Pet bench
If you have long wanted to make a comfortable couch for a cat or dog, then the pallet is ideal for this purpose. With it, you can equip a real aviary. Saw the pallets, giving them the desired shape. Make small sides, and cover the bottom and sides with a backing made of foam rubber and a dense cover.
This solution is suitable for people involved in breeding thoroughbred animals. In the enclosure you can keep puppies and kittens until they grow up and begin to explore all the available space.
Decor Elements
There are many interior solutions made of wooden transport packaging. All of them serve to decorate rooms. An example is:
- a cache-pot for fresh and artificial flowers;
- laundry baskets;
- bookshelves;
- Photo frame;
- a small footrest.
Wonderful accessories from parts of pallets
If you still have a lot of sawn but not involved parts, do not rush to send them to the trash. Remember that this is a valuable tree and can be used to create wonderful and useful accessories:
- from several boards you get a small tray on which you can bring breakfast to bed;
- if you attach the swivel wheels to the pallet, a convenient transfer table comes out;
- if you use the top, there will be a shelf for a DVD or game console.
Do not be afraid to show imagination. We are sure that this useful material will help you find the perfect solution for using wooden pallets in the interior.
