How to use Pallets for Outdoor Furniture, Fencing or Other Projects

The high cost of outdoor furniture can deter you from making your yard and garden the paradise you dream of and deserve. But if you have a little do it yourself in you, you can build lots of great outdoor furniture, fencing, and other objects at very little cost.

How you may ask?

Consider the wonderful and often free pallet! Wooden pallets are a great idea for many projects as they’re so versatile. The possibilities are endless. Chairs, tables, decks, fences, and planters can all be created by using pallets. Of course, there are steps to take. First, finding good, clean pallets, then sanding and prepping the wood for painting, or better yet, staining.

At Aqua Coat, we can offer assistance with our eco-friendly, water-based products.

Where to find the Perfect Pallets:

Your goal is to find free wooden pallets that are safe from pesticides, chemicals, and other toxic ingredients. Try some of these types of locations where you might get enough pallets for your projects.

Feed Stores: One of the best places to get used pallets is from a feed or pet supply store. Their pallets are typically made from softwoods and carry nontoxic animal food supplies.

Residential Construction Sites: Pallets from construction sites typically hold nontoxic materials like bags of cement. Ask the contractor before you take pallets from his or her residential construction site. Do not take pallets from commercial construction sites as those pallets are more likely to have held toxic materials.

Landscaping Companies: The pallets they use are of a high-quality hardwood used for plants, shrubs, and sod. Avoid colored pallets as they may have carried toxic fertilizers.

Hardware and Lumber Stores: They always have a few pallets around but be careful. Sometimes they’ve been chemically treated to prevent corrosion, or accidentally sprayed with chemicals when loading or transporting.

Newspaper Delivery and Distribution Centers:  They will have some but get permission from the manager before assuming you can take them.

Things you can make with pallets:

Decks and Porches
You only need three or four pallets to create a small porch or deck though you can add to that number as needed. You will start by breaking them down to prepare them to be rebuilt to your size specifications. You will need a hammer and nails to reconfigure the wood then onto the next steps for prepping the wood.

Patio Furniture
Tables and chairs can easily be made with pallets. There are lots of YouTube videos on how to assemble pallets by stacking them, nailing and gluing them into the configurations you want.

Fences
You can add some privacy and visual interest to your yard or garden with a fence made from pallets and they are cheap and easy to create. Recycling pallets is also more environmentally friendly and then using Aqua Coat’s environmentally friendly coatings, stains, and varnishes will bring out wood's natural beauty.

Flower and Herb Boxes
Pallets make great flower boxes or contained herb gardens. Just break the pallets down, reconfigure them as desired, and then you can add plants, herbs, and soil and you’re in business.

Preparing your pallet projects:

First, make sure that you use weather-resistant wooden pallets that they will last for years without rotting. Then take the steps to preserve your work and make it beautiful.

1. Clean the Wood

Remove any dirt, stains or insects.

2. Sand the Wood

Sand the wood down to make the surface smooth and even. This will make it much easier for you to apply the coating. This means that the coating is less likely to crack or become damaged.

3. Choose the right coating

Consider Aqua Tone Clear Stain Base. It’s a clear penetrating binder base, used to enhance any wood. Just spray, brush or wipe Aqua Tone Clear Stain Base to the raw wood of the pallet once you have sanded it and cleaned it thoroughly. The second coat of Aqua Tone Clear Stain Base may be applied within 30 minutes. Allow 1 hour before staining with Aqua Tone Wood Stain.

4. Choose the Right Finish

Now you can use a wood finish to coat the wood. You can choose to use paint, but a stain can bring out the best in the look of the natural wood. Our stains are water-based for easy clean-up and deep color saturation. That also makes them far more environmentally, eco-friendly.

5. Seal Completely and Recoat Regularly

Finally, you will need to seal the coating completely to make your pallet project safe and more durable. Recoat them on a regular to help to protect them from the elements. We offer a full line of water-based sealers and top-coats.

Pallets can be repurposed into so many things from Adirondack chairs to wrap-around porches and seating. Creating a recycled piece of furniture or even art from a pallet is an excellent way to reuse wood that would otherwise be thrown away.

When you’re ready to get started, contact us at Aqua Coat to find out about our exceptional water-based, eco-friendly, and environmentally safe products. It’s our world, recycling projects deserve the best eco-safe products.