Creating something new out of a wooden pallet is a great way to give new life to something that usually gets thrown away at the end of the day. Pallets are ideal materials to reuse because they are made of solid wood, are usually very sturdy, and are often pre-treated for termites. But you don’t want to use just any pallet for your home projects. Here are some tips to help you upcycle pallets into attractive home décor.
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Where To Find the Right Pallets for Free
This may sound daunting, but if you put a little thought into it, you can round up a few decent pallets without buying them. Any place of business that receives or ships out product is going to have pallets. They may even have a surplus of pallets they aren’t using. Instead of throwing them away, why not give them to someone who can use them? It never hurts to just ask. Sometimes, you’ll even find that they will help you load them into the bed of your truck. Oh yes, you’ll need a truck, not a car, to haul away these bulky items. Some ideas of places you can start looking for pallets include:
- Auto repair shops
- Department stores
- Distribution centers
- Anywhere that receives large shipments
How To Choose the Best Pallets
Not every wooden pallet you come across will be the perfect pallet for your next home décor project. You’ll want to stay away from the ones that have been used to the bitter end! Avoid pallets that are broken and have braved the elements far too many times. Overly-used pallets tend to split more easily as the wood is so dry and brittle; they will be really hard to work with. Instead, look for those that have plenty of life left. Yes, you can always saw off cracked edges and use the best parts of a pallet, but ideally, try to find:
- Pallets that aren’t cracked or broken
- Pallets that aren’t old and weathered (greyish in color)
- Pallets with wood characteristics and natural grain you like
How To Disassemble and Prep the Pallets for Use
Taking a pallet apart will require a few tools, but they aren’t expensive and you may already have a few of them. As much as you may want to reuse the nails and staples that hold the pallets together, you most likely can’t because they will be rusted. Unless … you get a little crafty!
To reuse rusty nails, try to remove them without bending them too much. You can then soak them in one of these solutions to remove the rust: white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, salt and lime juice, or Coca Cola! Another solution is to make a paste of baking soda and water to coat the nails with and let them sit for a few hours.
You’ll need a wrecking bar and hammer to pry the pallets apart. Use the wrecking bar to wedge between pieces of pallets and pull them apart. The hammer will help you remove the pieces and pull out the nails and staples. Make sure to sand the pieces you plan to use. I like to use a power sander with 60-grit pads, but you can also do your sanding by hand. Just note that sanding by hand will take a lot longer. Sanding is important because it removes the splinters that often plague pallet wood.
How To Choose the Right Pallet Project
It’s easy to go on Pinterest or YouTube and fall in love with all the upcycled pallet projects, but don’t bite off more than you can chew. Always know what your DIY level is, but at the same time, don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. Put your skills to the test with projects that you are confident you can do. Make sure you have all the right tools and materials you need before you start the project.
One of the simplest projects to start with is a sign, like the one I made for my front door. All it took was one pallet piece, a black marker, and a little bit of writing skill. If you want to take it up a notch, a wine rack or a shelf might be the next project to try.
Tools You Might Need
Tools are the second most important thing for any DIY project, right after knowing your skill set. Having the right tools will make your projects easier, but having the wrong tools — or lack of tools — can break your project and turn it into a disaster. Also, make sure to wear a protective face mask and safety glasses. The mask is especially important when you are sanding because you do not want to breath in saw dust. Burning your wood at the end, or staining it with a color, is totally optional. Unfinished wood can be lovely for home décor.
The following is a list of items I always have on hand for any pallet project.
- Power sander because it’s faster than manually sanding
- Wrecking bar and hammer because these two tools will pry the pallet apart with little to do damage done to the wood.
- Power driver to make holes or to screw pieces together
- Bubble level to make sure your final piece is level
- Power saw to make fast and easy cuts
- Right angle or a basic ruler and a pencil to help you make cuts
- Wood burning kit and stain color of choice
- Face mask and safety glasses (especially when you are sanding!)
Make Your Own Unique Masterpiece
Making home décor out of discarded pallets takes a little time, but you can end up with a beautiful one-of-a-kind masterpiece. Pallets are used to transport heavy and bulky loads all over the world and then often discarded. However, with a little TLC and a great idea for a home décor project, you can create something awesome out of someone else’s trash.
About the Author
Alice Villasenor is a DIY blogger at DIYerfy, where she tackles all sorts of DIY things in life such as preschool, upcycle projects, home décor and renovations, gardening (even though she’s not that good at it), beauty, and family life.