DIY Projects

20 Cool Uses For That Old Pallet You Found By The Dumpster

Many years ago – around the time when I brought my first very small human home to live with me – I swore to myself that I would break the habit of dragging other people’s trash into my home and using it to decorate…but…I mean, does dragging other people’s trash into my yard count?

I think not.

I therefore have permitted myself to begin developing an obsession with old pallets that rivals The Great Mason Jar Obsession Of 2010-13.

So when I saw a decently-intact pallet leaning on a dumpster outside of TJ Maxx the other day, what did I do? Asked them if I could have it, of course. (“Asking” might be an overstatement: what I actually did was sort of skulk around the dumpster for awhile, trying to figure out if it was actually trash, then drive away, and then return the next day, skulk some more, ultimately decide that the thing would be much more useful in my backyard than leaning against a dumpster outside of TJ Maxx, and drag it into my trunk.) (I have also just discovered – thanks to my research into pallets for this post – that some stores reuse their pallets for returns, and so you shouldn’t just take them, even if you do see them leaning up against dumpsters. Basically, I *may* have stolen a pallet from TJ Maxx, and I may also now be confessing to my crime on the Internet, where the confession will live in perpetuity. I advise you to do neither of those things yourself.) (Also I’m sorry, TJ Maxx. I spent a lot of money at your stores, if that helps…?)

Easy way to conceal ugly pool equipment

Anyway, here’s what I did with my ill-gotten pallet: Used it to conceal some very ugly pool equipment in our backyard (the plan is to eventually transform it into a sort of vertical garden effect like this).

If you scroll down, you’ll find 20 extremely cool ways to use pallets that mean you’ll probably find me doing a lot more dumpster-skulking in the future, but perhaps not of the potentially-illegal sort. (The “Shop Now” button next to each image will take you to where you’ll find the DIY, because that’s how my site is set up and I don’t know how to adjust that because I’m not a coder, and so there you go.)

P.S. How to know if pallet wood is safe? There are no guarantees when you’re working with upcycled material, but while some pallets are used to carry, say, more wood, other pallets are used to carry, say, jugs of pesticide. Don’t snag your pallets from a yard supply shop, K? Also avoid any pallet wood that smells, looks oily or stained, or has too many twisty, scary-looking nails embedded in the wood. In short: if it doesn’t look great to you for any reason, skip it. There are plenty of pallets out there in the world.

1/20

Hanging Chair

This is weirdly spectacular, and I feel like it would cost two thousand dollars at Anthropologie. Just remember to sand the wood smooth to prevent splinters from finding their way into unfortunate places.

2/20

Vertical Blinds

Not my personal style, but I feel like in a really spare, bright, industrial space these would add some cool natural texture.

3/20

Sliding Barn Door

Sliding barn doors like the one I have in my bedroom cost wayyyyy too much money – especially given the fact that you can make one yourself (relatively) easily. And if the boards you’re working with aren’t especially reclaimed-looking and lovely? Paint them.

4/20

Coat Rack

The tutorial for this project is called “fast and easy” by the people who wrote it. The fact that the man constructing it in the pictures has arms the size of two of my legs makes me question that, but either way, it looks great.

5/20

Vertical Garden

This one seems like a no-brainer if you have limited ground space in your yard. And so pretty!

6/20

Bike Rack

If you click through the link you’ll find a slightly more involved design, but I like this one better. Pallet + brackets to secure it to the ground or wall + cheery coat of paint = done.

7/20

Bed Frame

I’ve been hunting around for a super-low bed frame that’s actually affordable (something about minimalist decor seems to add a couple of zeros to the price of virtually everything). It appears that I just need to…make one.

8/20

Headboard

Gorgeous. (And just because it bears repeating: any wood that you plan to use in a bed-related project should be sourced with extra caution – and sealed well, regardless of where you got it from.)

9/20

Accent Wall

I did a very similar project to this one for a show I worked on awhile back, and it really is easy and fun (and the end result looks great).

10/20

...Or Accent Ceiling

Just thinking about making this makes my neck hurt – but what a cool way to add a little rustic-cabin flair to a plain room.

11/20

Porch Swing

Another project I’m dying to do myself (and think I actually could – this looks pretty straightforward).

12/20

...Or Hanging Bed

See, now I need to move into a house with a bigger yard, and a lovely, whimsical tree from which to hang my lovely, whimsical bed.

13/20

...Or Day Bed

I can’t even stand how adorable everything in this photo is.

14/20

Tool Storage

This is way too cool of a design to be wasted on our garage, but if you’ve got one of those garages that actually function as spaces you can hang out in, please do this.

15/20

Display Cabinet

16/20

Awesome Chairs

OBSESSED with the addition of burlap pillows to this easy design.

17/20

Kitchen Cabinets

A lot of the tutorials out there show how to make entire kitchen cabinets out of pallet wood, but I like the subtler approach of starting from a clean, modern look and then replacing just a couple of cabinet doors and adding cool hardware accents.

18/20

Coffee Table On Wheels

The white paint is an especially neat touch here – I love how it makes the table feel almost beachy.

19/20

...Maybe With A Glass Top

Such a gorgeous way to showcase the natural grain of the wood while adding stability to the surface.

20/20

Movie Theater

…Or you could just make a movie theater. Although I have to say: if you just so happen to have a movie theater in your home, you’re probably not in need of upcycled pallet chairs. …But maybe?

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