DIY Shipping Pallet Patio Furniture...and How to Not Die From It
Looking for some snazzy, comfy, and eco-friendly patio furniture?
If so, then you've probably been SHOCKED by the price tag while you've been out shopping.
I sure have been!
If you do, indeed, find yourself in that boat with me, check out this incredible how-to on building your own patio furniture from shipping pallets.
...and a few need-to-know tips to help you not die from it (because I hear that's pretty important).
Apartment Therapy's green site, Re-nest, has a GREAT example of how to make your own eco-friendly patio furniture from reused shipping pallets!
Sheer awesomeness right there.
What Else Can You Make With Pallets?
You wouldn't believe it if I told you...but I will anyway.
Building things out of re-purposed pallets seems to be a new and growing trend. Some examples of various projects are:
What other fun projects ideas can you think of for reusing pallets?
Why Reuse Pallets?
One user in this pallet project metafilter says,
"Pallet furniture is actually a big deal right now, as used pallets are an endemic disposal problem throughout the industrialized world. But what's being talked about is recycling the wood and using that wood to build furniture, basically a heavy-duty woodworking project rather than an ad-hoc money-saver."
How to NOT DIE When Reusing Pallets
As one commenter on the original Re-nest pallet patio furniture post says,
"Please, remember what pallets are designed for - they have to withstand water, wind and weather and are therefore soaked in all kinds of nasty chemicals."
This is only partly true. Just like any lumber, some wood is "pressure treated" (to withstand water, et all) and some is not.
Guess what one of the carcinogenic chemicals used to pressure treat lumber is?
Arsenic...yeah, as in the poison.
Now supposedly there was an EPA ruling in 2001 that abolished the use of aresnic as a wood treatment, but I have reason to believe it is still used today.
Back in 2007 I worked part-time in the lumber department of Home Depot for a short while. During an electrodermal screening in mid 2008 my certified family herbalist found several toxin levels to be startlingly and unusually high.
Guess what one of them was...yup, arsenic.
Anyway, just be sure to salvage non-pressure treated pallets for any project you choose. If you don't know how to tell if the wood is pressure treated by looking at it, just ask the business or person you're getting it from. They should know.
Since I've been [unsuccessfully] looking for some great eco-friendly furniture for my front porch, I think I'll try my hand at this great DIY.
What about you? What are you now thinking about building out of recycled shipping pallets?
"What an ingenious and imaginative way to recycle wooden palettes. And better yet, I'll bet even the household handyman who professes to be all thumbs could pull together a bench seat or simple table.
I can see this style of furniture working perfectly in pergolas or patios with a couple of colorful cushions scattered around and a few terracotta pots for a vivid splash of greenery.
Not only is there something to be said for displaying your DIY outdoor furniture, when it's also using recycled timbers it's like a double-whammy!
"
This is a great way to save money and build your own patio furniture. You can do it when you have that extra time and want to do something useful with it.
A great website to visit for those who would like to buy their patio furniture is:
http://www.familyleisure.com/casual-patio-furniture
They have amazing and affordable items.
Where might someone find pallets? And, how do the companies usually destroy them? How to find out if the company/business is in need of these services? I would like to help them get rid of them by recycling them, but I don't want to feel like a schlub either. Knowing would put me in an advantagous spot.
I build some pretty neat furniture from pallets.....seems EVERYONE is really diggin' it! For photos please go to goodearthfurniture.com Thanks!
I usually get my patio stuff online at a site called ultimatebackstore.com--they have a nice selection of wooden chairs and modern ones too that look great outside.
Dude, that is an awesome idea. I need patio furniture too. I will have to think of some ideas. I've used pallets in the past for boarded up windows during Halloween. Let me know if you test your DIY skills.
Cheers!