INGENIOUS WAYS TO UP-CYCLE WOODEN PALLETS

Shipping pallets are used for transporting goods around the world, especially heavy loads. You can find them everywhere and you may have seen them in DIY stores, supermarkets and shops in your local town but they are most commonly used in storage warehouses. These wooden slatted pallets don’t need to be disposed of when they have been finished with and can be used to create a whole host of useful and money saving projects.

So what types of things can a shipping pallet be used for? And can they really be up-cycled to create something new from them? Read on to discover just what can be done with a few shipping pallets and a little bit of creative thinking.

Fencing: wooden shipping pallets make for fantastic fences and require little modification to be used for this purpose. Of course, you want to stain the wood and add a wood preserver to it to help give it a polished look. Then all you need to do is dig a shallow trench that is the width of the pallets to around 5 inches deep, place them in, one by one and then drill the edges together. The final touch is inserting posts through the centre of the shipping crates and drive the stakes with a hammer. These will last for many years and save a lot of time and effort when it comes to building your own fencing.

Decking: Decking costs a small fortune and can be labour intensive and time-consuming. Wooden shipping crates can make for ideal decking as the structure is already in place and raised off of the floor. For decking, you will need twice the amount of crates for the space as you will need to remove some of the planks from the excess pallets to fill the spaces on the pallets that will be laid as decking. Once laid, sand them down with an electronic sanding machine, weather proof and varnish and you are good to go.

Tables: Another great use for wooden shipping crates is for making tables for using in the garden or on the patio. Tables are easily created with the addition of 4 timber legs that attach to each corner of the pallet. You may require 2 pallets for making the table top so that you can fill in the spaces that are there for a smooth and clean finish. It is a good idea to paint the table in a waterproof paint that helps seal the wood and create a smooth finish. Not only can this help you save hundreds of pounds on a readymade table, but the rustic charm it offers brings character to wherever it is placed.

Bed Bases: For those who like something a little bit unique, wooden shipping pallets make perfect Japanese inspired bed bases. There is minimal work required when putting a bed base together and the only tools you require are paint, an electronic drill and some hinges to hold the shipping pallets together. This style of bed allows for an 8 – 10 inch border around the mattress that you can keep things on. The space under the palettes also make for perfect storage or can have lighting inserted to create ambiance in the room.

These are just four ways that you can up-cycle wooden pallets, but the uses are only limited by your imagination.