GETTING STARTED WITH WOOD PALLETS
Wood pallets are easily accessible items that can be found almost anywhere. Businesses such as grocery stores, hardware stores, and lumber-yards often have them lying around and are happy to give them away for free. I’ve also found them through construction companies and businesses that have items shipped in crates. Make sure you ask first just to be sure; sometimes pallets are sent back to the companies they came from.
It really is true that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. When I was telling some friends about the projects I was building for this book, a lot of them offered me a few pallets that they’d gotten either from work, someone they knew, or their own yard. You can also check the local classified ads and Craigslist. Use your imagination! It doesn’t hurt to ask around, because you never know where you’ll find them.
Taking apart wood pallets is not a difficult task, although it does require a bit of muscle and some patience. Start by laying the pallet on the ground, making sure there’s ample room to work around it. If the boards on the edges are cracked or you just need smaller pieces for a project, use a circular saw to cut along the center braces and remove the usable parts. For longer pieces and whole boards, use a crowbar and hammer. Remove any nails that are already sticking out and hammer the crowbar under the edges, carefully pulling up a bit at a time around the nails to make sure you don’t crack the board.
You can also use the hammer to hit the board from behind where it connects to the thicker brace to loosen it up, but do only a little bit at a time, because it’s easier to crack the boards that way. A reciprocating saw will cut through the nails, so cutting between the brace and the board is an option, but it may be more difficult to get the nails out of the wood if you take the boards apart that way. Whichever method you choose, be sure to use proper safety equipment.
Even if you’re a novice to woodworking, finding the tools needed for the projects in this book is fairly simple. You’re more than welcome to buy a brand-new set of tools, but there are alternative routes for those who aren’t quite ready to make that investment. Odds are, a family member or friend will have a tool or two you could borrow. You can also rent tools from the hardware store, buy them from pawn shops, estate sales, and thrift shops, or purchase them on websites such as Amazon or Craigslist.
One of my all-time favorite places to get tools is at flea markets. No matter where you’re located, there are always people selling tools, and in my experience, they’ll offer a pretty good discount so they don’t have to haul them back home. My first “tool set” included a miter saw my dad gave me, a canvas bag of random items such as old jars of nails and screwdrivers I’d collected from the thrift store, and a drill from a flea market. I still have all of those tools today, although I’ve upgraded some over the years and expanded my collection. Needless to say, there are many different ways to start a great collection of tools to fit any budget.
Some of the basic items recommended for this book include a hammer, a drill, drill bits, variously sized nails, a miter saw, a table saw, a tape measure, a jigsaw, sandpaper, and wood glue. Items such as a nail gun and palm sander are not required, but they are tools that can be picked up relatively cheaply and will make the building process a lot easier. A drill press or band saw may be used in place of a drill or jigsaw, but they’re not necessary. Both will work just fine and the projects have been adapted to be used with either. A larger item such as a table saw is a great thing to have, and a small portable one can be picked up for around $100. If you absolutely can’t get one, a jigsaw may be used in its place. Simply clamp a skinny board on top of the one you’re going to cut and use that “fence” to cut a straight line.
For every project, it’s recommended that you use both wood glue and nails when assembling the pieces together to ensure a sturdy hold. It’s also important to use various grits of sandpaper on each, especially if the item will be painted or stained. Although I chose to leave some of my final pieces natural, I still sanded them well to get rid of the rough edges and holes where the nails once were. When you purchase sandpaper, a variety pack will work just fine. If you’re using sanding discs, I would recommend picking up a few packs of each size. You’ll be surprised by how quickly pallet wood uses up sandpaper, regardless of the grit or type you choose. Always start the sanding process with a lower-grit paper because it’s rougher and will be good for removing the hard edges from the pallets. Work your way up to a higher grit to get the pallet nice and smooth, keeping in mind that the higher the grit, such as 220, the finer the paper will be.
All of the projects in this book use wood pallets as the main material. Some of them use other unique materials, which are discussed in the next section, and some of them incorporate basic lumber from the hardware store. Each project will list which tools and materials are needed for that piece, but be sure to read through the instructions before trying to understand the sizes and placement of the boards. For example, the Nightstand asks for 12 of the same-size boards for the top and shelves, but maybe you’ve saved four boards with an amazing weathered texture for the top. It would be important to read the instructions before beginning to know which four boards should be saved for the assembly of the top.
It’s also important to keep in mind that pallets come in all different sizes. Most of the boards I used for this book were around 28 inches long, 4½ inches wide, and ½ inch thick, and I used a table saw to rip them down according to the project. Some use 3½-inch-wide boards or 1½-inch strips. If you have pallet boards that width, feel free to use them up instead of ripping down wider boards.
Since all the boards I used were ½ inch thick, all of the measurements are based on that. It’s a pretty standard thickness for pallets, but I have seen some that are different. Using thicker boards is totally fine, but be sure to read through the project first and see if that will work. For example, for the Knickknack Cubby Shelf, the trim on the front is ½ inch thick, so the boards used for the shelves are ½ inch shorter to make the trim flush with the front. If you used a ¾-inch-thick board for the trim, it would stick out ¼ inch and you’d need to cut those shelf boards down an extra ¼ inch for your project.
Additional Tools and Materials
As you look through the projects in this book you’ll find that several of them use additional materials such as spindles, pieces of pipe, old windows, table legs, and branches. Using other reclaimed objects really brings character into a piece and makes it one of a kind. Although those things may not be as easy to come by as pallets, they are still there—you just have to know where to look. Visit your local antique shop, reclaimed building supply store, or even hardware store for ideas. If you have to buy something new, such as pipe, spray-paint it or apply a patina to make it look old to match your project. Be sure to also check out thrift stores, estate and yard sales, flea markets, and Craigslist; even if you don’t find what you set out to, you might come home with something even better.
A few years back I picked up a cheap table from a flea market for only five dollars. I hadn’t planned on using the table, but it had really beautiful Midcentury Modern–style legs, so I discarded the top and used the legs to build my own table. If you’re using branches or logs, make sure they’re well dried out. It’s best to find them naturally; I don’t recommend cutting them fresh because not only will this harm the tree but the branches will take a long time to dry before you can to use them.
Don’t feel pressured to stick to the materials suggested in this book. If you find something else or want to reuse an object you have lying around the house, do it! Old pieces of barnwood, unique knobs or hooks, vintage wallpaper, or scraps of fabric can be incorporated to make a really beautiful piece.
When using tools, always be sure to follow proper safety measures, especially when working with old materials. Safety goggles are very important and should be worn often, whether you’re using a table saw or tearing pallets apart. A piece of wood or a stray nailhead could come flying out of nowhere and cause injury. Heavy work gloves are also a good item to keep around. When you’re collecting pallets, gloves will protect your hands from splinters, nails, and any sharp edges where boards are cracked or rough.
If some of the tools in this book are new, be sure to practice with them until they feel comfortable. Don’t be afraid to ask someone for a demonstration, whether it be a family member, a friend, or the person working at the tool-rental area of a hardware store. When using power tools, remember to always keep your fingers clear of the blade and use a push stick on the table saw for narrow boards.
Paint, Finish, and Sealing Materials
There are so many different ways to finish these projects that, no matter what look you’re going for, you’ll find it. For the most part, I love to keep wood as natural as possible, so I rarely paint it and use a lot of wax and wood stain instead. These both come in a variety of colors, and I find it convenient to keep a few small cans of each in my shop. Before applying them to a project, brush a small square of each on a scrap pallet board to see how the wood takes the color. My go-to color for everything is a dark brown stain, but I was surprised to see just how dark it looked on pallet wood. For some projects, I applied a lighter wax but went back and highlighted some of the unique markings with a darker wax to really make them pop. Make sure you read the drying time and instructions on each product, wear rubber gloves when applying them, and use them in a ventilated area.
For projects such as the Chevron Coffee Table and the Bar Cart, I used a triple-thick polyurethane to really seal them well and make them water-resistant. That can be applied with a paintbrush and it works wonders to create a beautiful shine on a piece. Clear wax also works well for projects that you want to seal but not make super-glossy.
When I did use paint, I used a variety of different types, depending on the project. For some of the accents, such as the red cross on the Medicine Cabinet, I used standard acrylic paint from the craft store. The chalk paint used on projects such as the Knickknack Cubby Shelf and the outside of the Medicine Cabinet really looked great when distressed and sanded, and it added a nice texture as well. On the Modern Bookshelf, I picked out a color swatch at the hardware store and had them mix up a sample can. Those small cans are inexpensive and they last a long time; I put two coats on the bookshelf and the majority of the can is still left for other projects. The Bar Cart used spray paint for the legs to get a nice gold shine, and chalk paint covered with lacquer for the rest.
Those are just a few ideas to get you started, but use whatever you think will work best for your project. On the pieces that use wallpaper or scrapbook paper for accents, a spray mount with a strong bond will work best. Using a vintage wallpaper on the back of the Modern Bookshelf or painting the lid boards of the Storage Chest in an ombre color would be a great way to finish either piece.
Although a workshop is not needed for these projects, I would recommend having a designated area for building. Sawdust is very fine and will cover everything—trust me! A folding table set up in the garage or out in the yard on a sunny day will work just fine. I like to stay organized when I’m working on projects to make sure I don’t mix up pieces or get glue all over the place, so I use a lot of storage containers to hold tools, extra nails, and wood scraps. It’s also important to keep the paint area separate from the cutting area to ensure dust doesn’t stick to a wet project and ruin it.