Budget Decorating Ideas: Uses for Old Pallets

Flickr Photo Credit: Tim Parkinson

A design idea popped into my head one day. Two wooden pallets sanded and spray painted black, then attached end to end to form a long dining room table top. The base  could be either the X-shaped or basic legs design. Add a piece of beveled glass to the top with rubber stoppers to control slippage, and you’d have a great formal dining piece with loads of “loft style”. That’s when it hit me. There must be other project ideas out there for these things.

So I did a little research. Here’s what I found.

• Here’s a set of directions with diagrams on how to make a stool using wood from an old wooden pallet.
• This link is for a set of directions for making a neat two - way table from recycled wood. It can serve as an upright dining table, or the under supports can be flipped differently to create a lower level coffee table. Versatile, and I would think this would be great for a small studio space.
• Click here to see how to create a computer desk from recycled pallets.
• Here’s a discussion thread I found on building things with old pallets and other salvage materials. They have some interesting ideas.
• Here’s a photo essay from a man in Nova Scotia who made a really neat fence out of old pallets. He even shows how the design can be used on a hill. Really neat!
• If you liked the fence idea, the same gentleman from Nova Scotia is back with another photo essay. This time, he designed a garden shed from wooden pallets that when finished is really pretty neat. I would think in addition to having a place to store your garden tractor, this design would make a great artist’s retreat or road side produce stand.
• OK, this one isn’t exactly decorating related. And, it’s for extreme bush living situations. However, if you are really in a pinch financially, there are some ideas of note here.  The metal drum turned into a smoker did interest me, I have to admit.
• Another great list of DIY pallet ideas, painted and otherwise.
• A laptop desk made from pallet wood.
• In addition to having some great simple DIY chair ideas here, there’s a write up on a cool pallet shed that David things would make an awesome observatory.

• You have to scroll down a bit to see it, but there is a cool folding picnic set that turns into a table, holds wine and glasses and is made from old pallet material. Very cool.

• Another great pallet discussion thread with ideas such as using them to make a raised garden walkway. Cool.

Have any other cool pallet ideas? Feel free to post. When I finally get around to my dining room table idea, I’ll be sure to take pictures to document the process.