Salvage Style: Reinvent Shipping Pallets
Beds, rolling tables, shoe racks and more — ingenuity and elbow grease give discarded wood new life
Do you always notice a stack of discarded shipping pallets outside the loading areas of your favorite stores and think, "what a waste?" Luckily, finding inventive ways to reuse unwanted shipping pallets in the home is becoming a hot DIY trend. The range of ideas is limitless, but here is a good start to some simple projects you can do yourself with very little cost.
The simplest use for a wood shipping pallet is to place it vertically against a wall and use it as an industrial-chic headboard. You really don't have to do anything but sand it down to make sure no rough splinters protrude. A consideration whenever using shipping pallets is to salvage the non-pressure treated kind to be certain you aren't exposing yourself to potentially harmful chemicals. If you aren't sure, ask the business you are requesting them from.
Here is another design for a bed frame to consider. More refined in style which means more labor intensive, yet still rustic and achievable. See more of this photos of this project by Houzz user kylemc1985.
Reclaimed Pallet Table Set
Another popular use for pallets is a DIY coffee table. Have glass or plexi cut to fit the top and screw lockable casters to the bottom. Voila, you have made a remarkable statement piece. This look is so popular, there are actually many finished furniture products out there for sale.
The pallet coffee table need not immediately be associated with an industrial-chic aesthetic. It can look quite high-end with a darker finish and architecturally salvaged cast iron hardware.
What about a quick shoe rack? These college roommates turned a pallet into a neat solution for shoe storage and mirror stand.
So, you like the idea of upcycling shipping pallets, but it just won't go with your home's look and you have no interest in sanding for hours? You can use shipping pallets outside too for adorable flower beds. Painting them a bright color is an extra step of attention and whimsy if you so choose.
Denise Sabia of The Painted Home found a unique way to incorporate the pallets into her home: take them apart and use the wood planks as wainscotting. I would have never thought to do that.
Another Houzz member used oak pallets found near the Port of Seattle to create a custom hatch door to hide a sunken bathtub. Talk about a unique design element. See more of this 68-square-foot house.
Magnetic Pallet Chair
A clever little outdoor folding lounge chair is one example of a commercial item that is capitalizing on the pallet upcycling trend.
More: Storage With Crate Character
More ideas for designing with salvaged finds
More: Storage With Crate Character
More ideas for designing with salvaged finds