If you’ve ever seen a pallet by a dumpster and wondered what to do with it, these 30 DIY pallet projects will give you some great inspiration. These unique pallet ideas cover a wide variety of decor in your home.
You should also scroll down to the bottom of the post to get a video – learn how to disassemble a pallet. These tips will come in handy for your future wood pallet projects!
Recently I went through the Starbucks drive through, which is located very close to a dumpster. And next to that dumpster were several pallets. And my first thought was “these babies need to hop into my trunk so that I can do some pallet wood projects.”
But then my second thought was “I live in a one bedroom apartment; I can’t take them unless I know what I’m going to with them.”
So I ended up getting my latte and heading out without the pallets. I wish I had seen all of these DIY pallet projects before that trip, because then I would have known exactly what to do with them. Can you believe there are so many things you can make from a pallet?
Using Pallets in DIY
I’m obsessed with these unique ideas and can’t wait to share them with you; first I want to address a few common things when tackling projects that use pallets.
Finding Pallet Wood
The biggest question I get from people wanting to attempt these projects is, “where do I get pallets?” Here are the most common places that I find them.
Be sure to ask before taking! I’ve never had anyone deny me yet. People seem to love giving away their pallets. Find them here:
Construction sites
Feed and pet supply stores
Grocery stores
Hardware and home improvement stores
Landscaping companies
Picking Your Pallets
After you’re granted permission to take a pallet, grab some gloves. You’re going to want to make sure to protect your hands while grabbing wood that likely has splinters. Be sure to keep a blanket or towel in your car that you can lay down to protect your seats.
Avoid any pallets with liquid marks or strange discolorations. Some pallets are used for transporting food/liquids or toxic chemicals, so it’s best to avoid anything that looks like it leaked.
Preparing for Pallet Projects
Once you get your pallet home, you’re going to a use a pry bar or cat’s paw to disassemble the pallet. You’re going to be prying nails, essentially. You kind of have to wing it a bit based on your pallet. It helps to prop it up on something so you can move the pry bar up and down.
Some people like to continue to use the pry bar and then a hammer to remove the nails. Others like to use a reciprocating saw on the nails once they are exposed. These are typically the easiest way to break up the pallets.
If you have a nail that really won’t budge, you can use a drill. It might take some time, but once you get started on your pallet wood projects, it will totally be worth it!
If you’re ready for the projects, scroll down. There are great options for home and garden with scrap wood. Enjoy!
1
DIY Coffee Table
This DIY coffee table was inspired by a West Elm find for $999 – except we made our version for less than $50 using pallet wood. It's easy to do and would look great in your living room!
This Restoration Hardware inspired clock was made for less than $4, and looks just as good as the original. The project is made a lot easier if you go with vinyl stickers for the roman numerals.
Share your love of travel with this unique “ready to roll” camper wood pallet art! It didn’t cost us much to make – we got the pallets for free. So fun!
Pallets make the most beautiful bookshelves – and you can get two shelves out of one pallet. These look fabulous in kitchens and with rustic/farmhouse décor.
Where is the pallet in this project? It forms the structured base (or box) that is covered in padding and fabric. Just add some legs to get a custom Ikat ottoman.
This simple DIY pallet piece makes a perfect background for your seasonal decorations. Just place it on your mantle and swap out decorations as you like!
The great thing about this project is that you don't need to pry apart the pallet boards. Just cut the pallet into the shape you want. The pretty design is accomplished by spray painting through lace fabric.
Let me know what you thought of the projects in the comments! We’ve also got quite a few more home decor posts on the blog – I hope you’ll visit some of the following tutorials:
Tim Leinonen
Friday 28th of May 2021
Great ideas. Thanks. I'll try some out. Tim
Cheryl A. Thomas
Monday 2nd of July 2018
GREAT IDEAS!
Alanna Rusnak
Saturday 4th of October 2014
Gasp!! That table!!!! This is a great collection - thanks for sharing it :)