Pallets are an integral part of the industrial sector. But do-it-yourselfers and furniture manufacturers have also discovered the robust material for themselves. A coffee table made of pallets has been nothing new for a few years. Beds can also be built in no time using Euro pallets. The trend is gaining more and more enthusiastic fans and there are already many ideas for unusual pallet furniture. There is hardly a piece of furniture that cannot be made from pallets. However, in order to make the right choice, you need basic information about the common types. You should also be careful with used pallets because the wood could be contaminated with chemicals. Only then can you let your imagination run wild and implement some of the examples presented here yourself.
How big is a Euro pallet?
Euro pallets are generally used to transport goods and are made from various types of soft coniferous and hardwood. Depending on their dimensions and structure, a distinction is made between Europool pallets and disposable pallets. The dimensions of thestandardized EPAL Euro palletsare 1200 x 800 mm, with a pallet height of 144 mm. A standard version has 5 ceiling boards, 3 cross boards, 9 blocks and 3 floor boards. These pallets have a high load capacity and stability.
The industrial paletteare similar to EPAL pallets, but have dimensions of 1200 x 1000 x 144 mm. The stable construction enables higher static loads of up to 4000 kg.
Disposable palletsdo not have a reinforced base construction, which saves weight without losing size. They are cheaper to purchase and easier to carry. Disposable pallets offer a significantly higher hygiene standard than reusable pallets and are ideal for furniture in the living area due to their lower pollutant load.
When choosing pallets for your DIY project, also pay attention to the number, width and thickness of the deck boards. Pallets with 5 or 7 deck boards have a higher load capacity and are used to build sofas, beds and chairs. Disposable pallets are characterized by less stability and poorer workmanship. That's why they are more suitable as a building material for shelves, fences, coffee tables or bed headboards. With this furniture, the load capacity on the top is not so important.
You can buy Euro pallets used or new at a hardware store or from an online retailer. The pieces of furniture require more love for craftsmanship than a financial investment. Every home-made furnishing item is unique and bears the imprint of your creativity. It is precisely the details that are crucial to the overall picture.
Once you've got the perfect pallets for your dream furniture, you'll need some craftsmanship and standard tools. It is relatively difficult to disassemble the pallets into their individual parts. As mentioned, pallets are very durable because they carry very heavy loads and have to withstand rough handling. It is much easier if you work with entire palettes and only carry out a few cosmetic treatments.
First, protruding nails must be removed or hammered back in. If necessary, you can clean the pallet with water and a root brush to remove dust and dirt from the wood. The Euro pallets are then thoroughly sanded all around with a grinder so that there are no splinters left. Sandpaper with 80 grit is suitable for the first rough sanding. The 120 grit is used for the subsequent fine sanding.
Now the wood must be sealed and beautified with a wood stain or varnish in the color of your choice. For an opaque coat of paint in white, for example, you can use any paint color. However, if you want to preserve the wood look, we recommend painting with a weatherproof wood stain or a colorless varnish. For one palette you need approx. 0.7 liter can of varnish. Use a paint roller to spread the paint easily over the flat surface. Use a paint brush on the corners and edges. Make sure there is sufficient ventilation! Allow the paint to air dry thoroughly for a day or two.
Do you also think furniture made from pallets is great and just need a brilliant idea? Then we have some inspiration for you – from a bed to a desk to an entire terrace with lounge sofas made from pallets.
Pallet furniture for kitchen: island or counter
You can build a practical kitchen island out of pallets. There are different approaches to this. It depends on whether the pallets should be placed sideways or stacked on top of each other. The dimensions of the kitchen island and the distances to other furniture are crucial here.
The most popular variant is a kitchen island made of pallets placed one on top of the other. Make sure that the working height should be between 70 and 100 cm. A Euro pallet is 14.4 cm high. This means you will need five to seven pallets. If you want to design your island as a mobile home bar, screw castors with locks under the four corners. This means the island stays in place, but can be quickly moved if necessary.
Ideas for the bathroom
You can also build a free-standing vanity unit for the bathroom using the same principle. There are now numerous countertop basins that could fit on top. However, it is important that the wood is protected from water and moisture. Painting, tiling, cementing – there are no limits to your imagination.
Rustic for the office
The easiest way to turn a pallet tower into a functional table is to put safety glass on top. The glass plate should be at least 8 mm thick and cut to the required size. To prevent the glass plate from slipping, stick silicone buffers on the edges between the wood and the glass.
TheClassic:Palettenbett
There are many different ways to build a bed out of pallets. Here is a simple plan for oneDouble bed made from palletsshown with dimensions 160 x 200 cm (width x length). The bed frame consists of 4 standard Euro pallets (80 x 120 cm). Two of the pallets are positioned so that 40 cm are left on each side. The resulting storage spaces are the perfect alternative to bedside tables!
Think about how big your mattress should be and whether you want a headboard. If you want to build a higher bed, you will need two layers of Euro pallets. The pallets are arranged one above the other and fixed with screws. You can store books and other things between the boards. To prevent your floor from being scratched, it is best to place a carpet or painter's fleece under your pallet bed. If you want to have beautiful lighting effects in the bedroom that create a calm and cozy atmosphere, you can attach LED strips to the boards. This will make your bed glow from below. Alternatively, you can use LED fairy lights with incandescent bulbs.
Wouldn't it be nice if you could enjoy the warm rays of sunshine on your skin while you take an afternoon nap? Maybe a cozy lounge bed with soft cushions and pillows in the garden is just the thing for you.
Garden furniture andTerrace floorfrom pallets
Pallet furniture is very robust and is suitableperfect for outdoors. A lounge sofa with matching upholstered cushions will give you wonderful hours of relaxation. The project becomes a little more complex if the terrace covering is also built from pallets. Please note, however, that the pallets must be placed on a stable substructure made of paving slabs, fleece or building protection mat.
Garden swingfrom a pallet
Instead of a hammock, you can consider hanging a pallet swing in the garden. All you need is a tree, powerful ropes and a pallet. Find out in advance whether the ropes have the necessary load capacity. For extra comfort, place a few soft pillows on the pallet.
Privacy fenceor room dividers
Wooden pallets are ideal as a balcony border, garden fence or room divider. They protect privacy from unwanted looks, but appear delicate and light. There onePallet fence in the gardenor the courtyard is not completely opaque, you don't have to do without daylight.
The pallets do not have to be vertical or stacked symmetrically on top of each other. Here you can see a great example of how decorative a room divider made of pallets could be. The resulting storage space between the boards can be used for decorative purposes.
Children's playhousefor the garden
If you want to build your children a creative and very individual playhouse without investing a lot of money, then disposable pallets are perfect as a building material. In combination with a sandpit, the wooden house promises a lot of fun for the little ones.
Verticalsflowerbed
Herb racks and are very popular among hobby gardenersRaised beds made from pallets. They don't take up much space and can also be attached to the wall. There are many variations of the vertical flower rack. It is particularly important that the potting soil does not come into direct contact with the wood. We can also imagine bright colors. Good luck imitating it!
