Scavenger Chic

Pallet Wood Rustic Bench /Coffee Table DIY

• By Joan
• November 3, 2014
• 15 Comments

Add to Flipboard Magazine.

 This is my 11th pallet wood project I’m going to share with you.  To me, it’s just rough, aged wood.  Similar to barn wood, but way more obtainable and the price is right. Free.  I have yet to find someone who is willing to let me tear down their barn so that I can build a bench…but if you know someone….

From the lumberyard..

or  your stash of scrap lumber, you’ll need two 2 x 4 x 8 ft treated lumber. 

One 6 ft 4 x 4 post 

Two  42″ deck balusters .  When I wrote this, they were 97 cents each at Home Depot.

2 1/2 inch decking screws

finishing nails

The  first 2 x 4 was cut into 3 pieces…  one 3 1/2 ft length,  and two,  17 inch lengths

With the second 2 x 4  cut another piece 3 1/2 ft in length.  The remaining length of board will be used for the bottom support.

I then mitered the ends of all 4 boards with a miter saw.  You could use them as straight cuts, but I just happen to  like the picture frame look.

 Corners were then screwed together with decking screws.

Go to your supply of pallets and pick out a good one.  What?! you don’t have a supply of  pallets or pallet wood?  Well, if you don’t happen have  a supply of this free rustic wood, you could use  1×4’s or 1×6 treated wood…but of course, then you’d have to pay for it.  This wonderful supply was just  sitting  and waiting for me next to a dumpster.

Because the  longest piece of pallet wood that I would need for this project was only 13 3/4″, I could get away with not dismantling this pallet completely…that is, I didn’t have to deal with any of those horrible twisty nails that pallets are so often put together with. It’s almost as if they don’t want  the pallets to come apart..go figure.

Anyway, with a circular saw, I  just ran the blade alongside each of the supports and that gave me plenty of wood to work with.  The benefit of using only one pallet is that the wood is all the same thickness.  If you do happen to use multiple pallets, try to make sure all your thicknesses are the same.

Once I had all the wood I needed to fit inside my 2×4 frame, the wood was marked and cut to fit.  They are not attached yet.

Notice that I’m working on the bench upside down.  By using a flat surface and laying my wood out this way, when I turn the piece over, everything should be flat and level.

Cut my 4 x 4  post  into 4  equal pieces 17 1/2″ in length each.

Next step was to cut my 2 x 2 x 42″ deck balusters ( or spindles) to fit in between my legs.  Two were about 32″ in length and two were about 6 1/2 inches.

It’s time to start attaching.  With the deck screws attach the legs to the frame using at least 4 screws per  leg. I used two on each side.

,

From the inside of the bench, attach the  2 x 2 balusters to the sides of the bench.  This will serve as the ledge where the pallet wood will sit.

With everything attached except the pallet wood, I can finally turn the bench over.

Insert the pallet wood that was cut to fit earlier and nail into place along the baluster ledge.  Could use screws or finishing nails to attach, I used  the finishing nails from my nail gun, it’s super fast and I don’t run the risk of pounding my thumb.

Used a scrap piece of pallet wood on each end for added stability.  These 2 pieces were about 12 1/2 ” in length, screw into place.  Their only requirement was that they needed to be wider than the 2 x 4 cross support.  I placed mine about 5 inches down from the top.

Cut the remaining 2 x4 piece to fit as a cross support. This one was 39 1/2″.  Use decking screws again to screw into place.

Use a sander to soften the edges and get rid of any rough spots and corners.

Painted the entire bench white  with an exterior semi gloss  paint that I had left over from painting the outside trim on my house.  Sanded again with the palm sander; this tends to really bring out the grain and the palletyness of the pallet wood.

Could also be used as a coffee table…hmmmmm.  Would probably make it a couple inches wider and an inch shorter and not use the treated wood….

…or as a bench for a dining table.  Here, I would probably make it a foot longer to fit my table and then it would seat tons of kids at Thanksgiving.  Again, I would not use the treated wood for interior use.

Because I had a lot of supplies on hand, including the 4 x 4 post, tools,  paint and pallet,,,this project ended up costing less than $20.00 and most of that ($9.37) was in deck screws.  The 2 x 4 x 8 ft treated wood lengths were $2.97 each and the balusters were 97 cents each. Not too bad for a brand new bench.

Shared at Metamorphosis Monday  Show and Share, Wow us Wednesdays,

Handmade Hangout,  Vintage Inspiration Party , Catch as Catch Can

Furniture Feature Friday , Link Party Palooza ,Funky Junk Party Junk

DIY Sunday Showcase ,Show me Saturday , Inspiration Board,  Monday Funday

That DIY Party, Make it Monday , Inspiration Monday , Merry Monday Linky Party

Bewitchin Projects, Think and Make thursday  Thrifty Decor Chick

DIY Like a Boss

and I was featured at

Related posts:

Upcycled Hand Cart Coffee Table Upcycled Hand Cart Coffee Table Version II Pallet Coffee Table DIY Chicken Coop Coffee Table diy