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Easy DIY Wood Pallet Projects for Beginners

From décor to everyday function these easy diy pallet projects for beginners are a great way to get started upcycling! Find some inspiration and new ideas with this list of pallet projects and begin your DIY journey today.

outside of wooden shed painted red and white
inside of a shed with a riding mower and tools

Have you ever seen old pallets on the curb and thought what a waste it is just sitting there? It is! And you can do something about it. You can repurpose pallets into amazing indoor and outdoor projects that can save you a lot of money. 

You can use the whole pallet for things like a pallet compost bin or pallet fence or remove the slats of the pallet and use the pallet boards for things like a welcome sign or garden beds. 

If you’re new to DIY, know that all the projects below are geared towards beginners. In the list, you’ll find ways to upcycle pallets into furniture, home decor and outdoor pallet projects. All of these pallet wood projects all have with easy-to-follow instructions.

Where to find free pallets

You can find pallets in the simplest of places: grocery stores, pet supply stores, garden centers and hardware stores, and often times you’ll have a variety to choose from. Just ask someone working there, if they have any free wood pallets they need to get rid of.

Also, don’t overlook using old wood pallets, since they’re already weathered, they can give an immediate “vintage” look to these projects.

Try to choose a pallet without any stains or water marks on it (as you don’t know what has been spilled). Likewise, keep a blanket and gloves in your car to protect you from sharp edges. Afterward, the possibilities are endless as to what you can do with it.

Pallet Safety 101

If you’re brand new to the world of upcycling, especially when it comes to pallet wood, there are a few learning curves to get started.

For starters, not all pallets aren’t created equal, and selecting the right ones is essential for successful projects. Look for pallets marked with “HT,” indicating they have been heat-treated rather than treated with methyl bromide. Heat-treated pallets are safer to work with as they do not contain toxic chemicals. Additionally, inspect the condition of the pallets—avoid those with stains, excessive damage, or signs of infestation. It is possible to safely use pallet wood indoors. Here are some tips on determining if the pallet wood is safe, how to transport it, and tricks on working with pallet wood.

Some projects will use the entire pallet and you won’t need to take it apart. But for other projects, you’ll need to deconstruct the pallets so you can use just the pallet slats. Learn how to disassemble pallet wood safely and without the use of power tools. Not only is this a great read and step-by-step guide but there’s also a video so you know exactly what you’re doing.

After that, it’s time to get started on some fun pallet projects!

Easy Pallet Projects

The pallet projects below are unique ideas to get you started with woodworking. All of them are beginner-friendly, use basic tools, and result in gorgeous DIY creations for your living space.

Thanks for sharing with your friends!

Abbi

Tuesday 16th of July 2013

Here is the link to our chicken coop: http://proverbs31living.blogspot.com/2013/07/making-chicken-coop-with-what-we-have.htmlWe just made another trip to pick up pallets today as we hope to use them for a chicken run too but that is not done just yet.

Black Fox Homestead

Thursday 4th of July 2013

We have not done anything like this yet, but I have heard so much about it that I'd really like to if we could find the pallets. Thanks for sharing at the HomeAcre Hop! We'd love to have you back again tomorrow: http://wp.me/p2urYY-127 Hope ya'll have a Happy Fourth!

Bonnie K

Sunday 30th of June 2013

We had this amazing pallet come with a purchase that we actually now use as our back deck! That is how well made it was. Saved us a lot of time and money.

Angi Schneider

Monday 1st of July 2013

How cool is that! Do you have a picture of it, I'd love to see it.

Sarah

Thursday 27th of June 2013

We made a couple buildings for our goats and alpacas using pallets. http://allboyhomeschool.blogspot.com/2012/02/goats-pallet-barn.html and http://allboyhomeschool.blogspot.com/2012/03/procrastinators-goat-shed.html I love using them!

Angi Schneider

Friday 28th of June 2013

Sarah, those look great. And, I'm pretty positive it was your barn post that inspired us to build one with pallets, although ours looks a little different. I'm going to add that to my post.

Backyard Chicken Lady

Tuesday 25th of June 2013

The shed looks great, and I love the Esther Hauler too! I've been looking into different things you can make with pallets, have made anything yet, goota keep collecting till I have enough :-)

Hopping by for the first time, going to take a look around.

Holly

Angi Schneider

Wednesday 26th of June 2013

Thanks! I think we'll rename it the Esther Hauler. Hope your enjoyed your visit.