Pallet Picnic Table

Peter Piper picked a peck of perfect pallets, a peck of perfect pallets Peter Piper (or Becky) picked...and from one perfect pallet she made a picnic table!

This picnic table started life as a 12 foot pallet.  But, after cutting it in half and removing the boards on the back of it, I knew it would make a fantastic table top.

I added legs cut from old decking and fence boards (cut at 30 degree angles)

and a few cross boards running the length of the table for stability (just a friendly Sheriff cruising by).  I made the table and bench legs angled because it makes it much more tsbale in the grass. 

I asked on my Facebook a while back which type of picnic table people preferred, one with benches connected or separate.   Separate won by an overwhelming majority. 

I ran into a few pesky pallet problems when making the benches. Mainly the pallet wood was not hefty enough to support the length of the benches (almost six feet).  Luckily I made the tops and realized they weren't going to work before attaching the legs. I remade the benches using some reclaimed 2"x 6" boards.  The legs on these were cut at 20 degree angles.

I painted the table and benches sparsely and sanded them heavily and then chose a light stain (Golden Pecan) and a clear coat to finish the picnic table set.

Perfect place for a summer meal!
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Pallet Farmhouse Table

Sometimes I am reminded why I love pallets and why I wrote a book about building with pallets (which you can buy HERE).  This farmhouse table is a perfect example of what you can create with simple pallet wood!

It is a simple build and you can use THIS tutorial for stools to build the table--just think of it as one big stool.

The legs and cross bars on them are some chunky 4x4 pallet pieces.  The apron is made from the 3 1/2" "typical" pallet boards.  The table measures 48" x 30".

Different width boards on the top add a little interest and gives the table more of a farmhouse feel, as if it was made from parts and pieces that someone had on hand.  I attached these with a small 2x2 pallet board that was screwed tot he apron.  That way I could drill through it into the BOTTOM of the table top boards.

I painted the bases white, distressed it and then used Minwax stain in Early American all on it.  I then gave the top four coats of Polyacrylic to protect it well.

The benches were also a simple build.  I started with the legs, making an H with a top piece (I guess it is a square A) and then added two wider pallet boards for the seat.

This table is perfect for a breakfast nook or smaller dining area.  My daughter loved it so much she wanted us to trade out our 7 foot table for this one.  I told her, um, no!  But I said I would build her one when she has her own place in 5 or so years!

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12 Days of Christmas Day 1 Pallet Barn Door

Hello and welcome to my 7th annual "12 Days of Christmas" posts.  Over the past seven years through the month of November (and sometimes into December) I have worked hard to bring my readers a dozen unique and DOABLE ideas to help personalize and celebrate the holidays.

These will not be 12 consecutive days of posts, but my goal is to always complete them in time for you to be able to recreate the ones that you like before the holiday rush.

And without further ado, 2016's first project is an easy "barn door" made from pallet wood.

*This post may contain affiliate links.*

Now, because this barn door would only fit baby animals, I am calling it a hayloft barn door.  I used five wider (5 1/2") pallet boards in the length they came (40 inches) and secured them with two skinnier (3 1/2") horizontal boards attached at the top and bottom.  Use the PALLET BUSTER to get those pallet boards off--so easy!

I then added a diagonal board.  I just place the board where I want it and pencil out the angle and then cut accordingly.  I drilled through the front and let the screws show because that is how authentic barn doors are made.

I painted it pretty sparsely with red latex paint.  After painting  the door, I distressed it using the claw of a hammer, nails, and a chain (great if you have any aggression you need to get out).  I then stained the whole thing, front and back with Early American Minwax stain.  I also added two old hinge halves I had.  You could age a new hinge with vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and salt.

If I had a fireplace mantle, I would so prop this barn door up on it with a wreath for the holidays.  But, it is equally as adorable on a porch or it would be cute propped against a wall with the stockings hanging off of it.  It adds a great pop of color and a rustic feel to your Christmas decor.

Linking up at The Cottage Market! 

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Pallet Wood Drawer Kitchen Island

There is just something about building kitchen islands that I seem to like.  

So, when I spied this odd drawer sitting in a corner of the workshop (it is from our media area and once held video tapes--the previous owners left them),

I knew it would work great for the bottom of an island/bar/shelf.

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I used pallet wood 2"x 4"s for the legs.  I cut them to 34" and attached them by drilling through the inside of the drawer, setting the drawer 6" up on the legs.  I love that with the PALLET BUSTER no nails are left in the 2" x 4"s.

Next, attach an apron (the edging that runs under the tabletop) to the top of the legs.  Again, I used pallet wood for this.

Attach a board across the inside of the top of the legs.  You want this to be something that you can drill and screw all the way through (like a 2"x 2") because you will be drilling through this to attach the top.

I then painted the base with Fusion Mineral paint in Putty.  I used thick pallet wood pieces for the top.  I sand the wood, lay the boards out and clamp both ends so the wood top doesn't have spaces in it.

Drill through the boards you attached to the inside of the legs into the underside of the island top.

I then stained the top with dark walnut. i added a hook and a bottle opener.

I used early American stain over the putty paint. 

I always seem to stage these islands as bars because they work well for that purpose.  

But, they make great islands for pots and pans, cookbooks and dishtowels or this piece would be a great craft work station, would hold a TV and DVD's, or would work wherever you need a little more surface space and storage.

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1 Pallet 2 Stools

I know for those of you who know me and my blog, that you know that I love a good pallet, ya know?

I haven't done as much with pallets since my book (BUY IT HERE!) came out.  Not that I fell out of love with pallets, I was just up to eyeballs in pallet parts and with moving and all that entails, I ignored pallets for awhile.  But, I had the pallet itch the other day so we picked up 6 nice pallets over the weekend and I have been happily building this week.

From one pallet I made two cute stools.

I made each one differently.

The bottom one was made using the pallet 2"x 4" for legs.  See a similar tutorial HERE!

I painted it tan, yellow, a little green, and red.  When the red was almost dry I used a small piece of pallet to scrape the red paint and reveal the other colors.

I made the top stool to look more like a vintage stool that was made in a barn somewhere.  I used the jigsaw to notch out the sides for the cross wood piece.

  I painted it bright green and teal and then sanded it heavily.

I used dark walnut stain on each stool.  

I am going to make one more stool and then take the trio to my booth to sell. Thank you FREE pallet wood, I have missed you!
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Weathered Wood Pallet Crate

The pallet fun continues, this time with a simple, divided, wood box or crate.

When looking for pallets, I always like to find some that have been outside for a time because the wood greys and weathers. 

I left these pallet boards as they were and made a quick crate.  This is an easy build (there is a step by step tutorial in my book Crafting with Wood Pallets), using the wider 5 1/2" pallet boards. 

I decide to make this crate longer, and little more narrow than a typical crate, and then add dividers.

I love the rustic look of the wood, the rusty nails from the pallet boards, and the simplicity of the box.

The possibilities are really endless when it comes to pallet crates.  What would use this crate for?

Have you entered to win FREE paint and stencils yet?  COMMENT on THIS POST for a chance to win.

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