How to Break Down Wood Pallets Video Tutorial

by


How to Break Down Wood Pallets Video DIY@savedbyloves

It is no secret that I love to create all kinds of things with wood pallets. Why wouldn’t I?  They are readily available and usually one their way to landfills or bon fires by the time I get my hands on them.  Lumber can be expensive, so why not use pallet wood for your projects to save some cash and help the planet in the process?  I have gotten several questions on how I break down my pallets, so I made a quick video of the process to share with you.

YOU WILL NEED:

Crowbar

Hammer

Reciprocating Saw

Safety Goggles

Wood Pallet

Now that you have your pallet broken down, you are ready to build.  Here are some ideas:


Woodworking Project Gallery Page

Powered by CGView

DIY Reclaimed Wood Headboard

by

[pinit]
How to Make a Reclaimed Wood DIY Headboard @savedbyloves

[pinit]

 If you have shipping pallets or other reclaimed wood you would like to make great furniture with, this DIY headboard project is a great place to start.  The plan is from Ana White’s Reclaimed Wood Queen Size Headboard, with a little tweaking to fit the wood I had on hand.  My version is made using fence board, old deck board from my mom’s deck demolition, and pallet wood.  The finish is what I am most excited about, and you will see why.  It is a new (to me at least) product from Minwax that makes staining and finishing as simple as the wipe of a cloth.  You are going to want to use this stuff.

Pallet Wood Furniture Plans @savedbyloves

HOW I DID IT:

Make Legs for Headboard using table saw

 

Instead of attaching a 1×2 and 1×3 for the legs like Ana shows in her plan (linked above), I used my table saw to notch out a segment from 2×3 pieces of wood I ripped from 2×8 reclaimed lumber.  I did this by adjusting the height of the saw blade and making perpendicular cuts down the length of each leg to remove that segment.

How to build your own headboard

I nailed a supporting piece to the back of the planks to stabilize them in the center.

Ryobi Air Strike Brad Nailer

Here is my favorite tool these days; Ryobi Air Strike Brad Nailer.  I have talked about it before, but I will say it again.  This thing is super handy.  It is lightweight, requires no air compressor, is cordless and works like a charm.  The price can’t be beat.  Worth every penny.

DIY Pallet wood furniture plans

This picture shows pallet wood clamped to the base of the headboard for trim.  I put 2 pieces of pallet wood at the bottom to make it all the way across the width of the headboard.  I hid the seam with wood putty before staining, and you can’t see it.  Make do with what you have.  It is cheaper, more sustainable and presents a fun challenge!

Pallet wood Headboard Tutorial

Here is the sneak peek I showed you before staining.  I sanded with my orbital sander; 60 grit, 120 grit, 180 grit, then stained with the awesome new product I eluded to earlier…

Minwax Wood Finish Cloths

I was at Lowes and saw these Minwax Wood Finishing Cloths.  I was highly skeptical when I read “Wipe on Stain and Finish in One Easy Step… Dries in One Hour”.  I used Walnut for this project, and was completely amazed by how easy it was to apply.  The stain looks great!  I finished the piece in 15 minutes.  Stained and sealed.  I may never use anything else.  Seriously awesome.

How to Make a Headboard

Shipping Pallet to Coffee Table and Finishing Tips

by

[pinit]Repurposed Wood Pallet Furniture; DIY Coffee Table @savedbyloves[pinit]

Today’s project is a fun, quick DIY coffee table from wood pallets.  My building partner in crime and I whipped it up in an afternoon.  The plan we used is this Factory Cart Coffee Table from Ana White.  See how we adjusted the plan to fit the pallet scraps on hand, and how we finished the table to a lovely, united weathered gray look.

Repurposed Wood Pallet Furniture; DIY Coffee Table @savedbyloves

TUTORIAL:

Constructing the table

We followed Ana’s plan linked above with the following adjustments:  Instead of 1×6 boards we used thinner pallet slats across the top and the wider pallet slats for the sides.  We just laid out the top slats until the table was the width we wanted, and measured that width.  It was 42 3/4 instead of Ana’s 44 inches, so we adjusted the rest of the cuts accordingly.  The long side boards we cut to 44 1/4 (42 3/4 + 1.5 inches for the thickness of the short side boards ).  The short side boards  and bottom boards were cut to 23 1/2, per Ana’s plan – the same length as the pallet slats making the top of the table.

We used 5 inch diameter casters that we picked up just for this project at Menards.  Casters are more expensive than I had hoped, but considering the wood for the project was free, we still created this awesome table for less than $50!Repurposed Wood Pallet Furniture; DIY Coffee Table @savedbyloves

Finishing the table

I applied Minwax wood conditioner per instructions on the can.  It went on super easy.  I let it sit for 15 minutes, wiped away the excess then stained with Minwax Classic Grey Wood Finish.  This was my first time using wood conditioner, and it made the stain take beautifully.  I will probably use it every time I stain from now on.  It is quick to apply and makes a huge difference, for me anyway.  I usually have blotchy, uneven outcomes when I stain.

To seal I used Minwax Finishing Wax.

Repurposed Wood Pallet Furniture; DIY Coffee Table @savedbyloves

Not bad for a pallet on it’s way to a landfill!

Check out our Wood Pallet 50+ Roundup for more inspiration:

Privacy Policy