lhb2444 Posted October 29, 2012 So I've been procrastinating about doing uni work and hence been trying my hand at making some recycled furniture from pallets. So far I've made a seat, a bench/low table thing, a work bench and dog bed. Anyone else here into doing anything similar? Would love to hear about peoples little creative endeavors or see some pictures! 14 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Khala Posted October 29, 2012 Looks cool man. I think it'd be even better with a lick of varnish/stain over it, nothing crazy of course but it'd add character. Cool stuff! You should try making a pallet cube, filling it with dirt and growing plants out the sides. It'd be a rad post-human arrangement. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lhb2444 Posted October 29, 2012 Yeah I'm stain the dog bed with black tea and then give it a coat of vinegar thats had steel wool in it. Supposedly makes the wood look well aged and greyish, probably put some little casters on it to so I can roll it out of laundry into the shade during the heat of summer. I'm thinking of hanging some pallets on the wall in my side path and planting them out with herbs and succulents like vertical planter boxes. I'm also looking into doing some more serious woodwork with some nice pieces of timber, not sure what I'd make, probably a coffee table to start with. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anodyne Posted October 29, 2012 Damn, you're putting my milk-crate-stools to shame here. Very cool - I've got half a litre of Wattyl "Golden Oak" stain/varnish (this brand) to donate if you want it. I'm currently using it as a doorstop, so I reckon you might put it to better use. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lhb2444 Posted October 29, 2012 I've got a few milk crate stools anodyne and they are certainly a lot better/sturdy than most of the chairs i've previously bought for the yard! If you live in sydney though were having a go at. Plenty of good ideas in the links below to get the inspiration flowing! And yeah anodyne I'd love to take that stain/varnish of your hands if you don't mind? I'll even make you a nice stained wooden door stop to replace the can if you like! Shoot me a PM if your keen. http://www.decoist.com/2012-02-01/ultimate-pallet-furniture-collection-58-unique-ideas/ http://www.homedit.com/top-11-ways-of-turning-pallets-into-furniture-for-outdoor/ http://www.homedit.com/make-furniture-using-pallets/ http://www.homedit.com/25-more-ways-of-turning-pallets-into-unique-pieces-of-furniture/ http://pinterest.com/justorganizeyou/pallet-furniture/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lhb2444 Posted October 30, 2012 Thought I'd update the progress of staining the wood. I painted it with a strong mix of black tea this morning which looks pretty nice and I've now gotta finish it with some vinegar (thats had rusty steel sitting in it for a few days) to age the wood so it looks greyish and weathered. Found these little ikea legs at a shop down the road selling recycled stuff for 50 cents too which is a nice addition I think but I was hoping to find some rusty old letters spelling the dogs name. Anyone on here got old rusty letters laying around they would be willing to sell? I need to spell Luca and they must be old and rusty! Any help greatly appreciated. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anodyne Posted October 30, 2012 PM'd. Replacement doorstop not necessary, but thanks for the offer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
santiago Posted October 30, 2012 (edited) lhb2444.....you are currently under investigation from the national pallet authority, all property and intellectual property always remains the sole property of chep pty ltd. (edit) currently being monitored by the Authority Of National Pallet retailers being the whole and owning proprieter of the National pallet authority Australia in conjunction with the Forrestry wood service, all proceeds to be forwarded as a service to ANG associated care of Tasmania and CHEP Canada. Edited October 30, 2012 by santiago 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bogfrog Posted October 30, 2012 You have one very lucky dog. Nice to see your uni procrastination has been highly productive.. Mine hasnt haha. My dad and his misses make shadehouses and greenhouses from pallets. They actually work really well and cost almost nothing if you can find equally sized pallets. So you need three walls and a floor: one with no gaps for the floor, one for the back wall and then two walls with matching sized and spaced gaps, which you feed other pieces of board through to create shelves. So all you really pay for is the nails and the plastic/shadecloth. I'd like to try and make a couple decent compost bins from pallets. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lhb2444 Posted October 31, 2012 Disclaimer: No CHEP pallets were harmed during the making of this dog bed. Can never be bothered pinching the CHEP pallets, they weigh a tonne and are always chipped up to the shithouse! Been thinking about doing a little greenhouse type thing bogfrog, it seems like a really cheap and simple way to get a sturdy little greenhouse, much better than those little bunnings/$2 shop style greenhouses anyway 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ajna Posted October 31, 2012 really nice work mate! lovely stuff equally impressed by your natural finishing technique am i correct in assuming that pallets are not treated timber? it's one thing i'm a bit cautious of when scavenging wood... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lhb2444 Posted October 31, 2012 Thanks anja, and to be honest I'm not really sure if they are or not. I'd assume the better made pallets are but this all salvaged from the cheaper one time use pallets so who knows. If they are treated I hope a few coats of sealer once its finished should keep the chems in the wood and not allow them to leach out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ajna Posted October 31, 2012 cheers. yeah sealer should keep a safe barrier i think, or at least as good as the timber most houses are made from. if they are single-use pallets, cant imagine they'd spend money on treating them hey. the reason i asked was because i had thought of making planter boxes out of pallets/scavenged wood, but was a bit concerned about chems leaching into the soil and ending up in vegies. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lhb2444 Posted October 31, 2012 Here's hoping! Yeah that'd be a fairly bad problem I'd imagine, you could always line them with plastic or just build pallet boxes that fit those styrofoam boxes in them. That way you could just plant your veggies in them and still have nice looking planter boxes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wameron36 Posted October 31, 2012 Nice ideas! There's a bunch of plans on the internet for making sheds and small buildings out of pallets too, be a cool way to reuse some old ones. There's a heap sitting out the back of my work that I've been thinking of pinching for veg/herb garden projects, but the question of whether they're treated or not is off putting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoOnThen Posted November 1, 2012 From my understanding you would be correct about the on use type pallets ( pine ) being untreated. The best places to find them along with big packing boxes are heavy industrial areas. Most heavy parts that are shipped these days are on or in disposable pallets or crates even to the point of machinery that is shipped on big pieces of sold pine. As long as you seal it well and watch out for white ants the timber should last a fair amount of time. Our back step and and a small walkway is mad out of 3 pallets that I have laid old jarrah floorboards on looks like a small deck. i also built my daughters cubby house out of a pine packing box that a cummins engine was shipped in. Cheers Got 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lhb2444 Posted November 1, 2012 Good to know GOT, I get my crates around the marrickville area at all the warehouses around and have a friend who works for a transport/logistics company that just deals in heavy industrial machinery so he delivers big shipping crates to my house, pretty sweet deal! Love the cubby house to! I was thinking about building a mini version of that for the dog but decided on his bed and he never sleeps outside anyway, put him out and night and as soon as the door comes ajar in the slightest he just barges his way through, digs himself into the couch and then gives you the eyes. I'm not man enough to put him back out after he's given me the look. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lhb2444 Posted November 3, 2012 So here it is post aging process, I think the colour looks pretty good, it actually looks a little better this morning to as the colour seems to have lighten up a little bit and evened itself out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazonian Posted November 4, 2012 ^ Your going to have to take up sewing now to make a mattress.... your dog looks reluctant to get onto that bed,lol. It came up great Ibh244. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Khala Posted November 4, 2012 Amazonian, that's 2444. Not 244. Get it straight - you must be 2445. Representing. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazonian Posted November 4, 2012 ^ oh, the other 4 must have fallen off the page. Here it is. 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lhb2444 Posted November 4, 2012 I know how to sew Amazonian but don't think I can be bothered, plus my mum's a dress maker so I figure she should be able to sew me up a nice little mattress in no time! Khala - Bloody 2445ers! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lhb2444 Posted February 12, 2013 Thought I'd update this old thread with a few new pieces I've made. Been pretty lazy in all, carrying those pallets around is hard work plus I'm running out of things to build for myself but nevertheless finding little projects here and there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lhb2444 Posted February 25, 2013 today I finally finished some picture frames I promised to a member here! I think this second one is a significant improvement on the first. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazonian Posted February 25, 2013 I think this second one is a significant improvement on the first. They are two different styles, and both good. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
