Women Upcycle Old Wood Pallets Into An Outdoor Storage System With A Clever DIY
If you've seen one pallet, you've seen them all, right? Not so fast — the DIYers in the crowd know just how versatile the old discarded wooden structures are. With so many exciting wood pallet projects you can DIY at home, where do you start? Our suggestion is a garden station inspired by the Rebeka's Garden TikTok channel. Building the station with another woman, her design features the main gardening bench structure featuring an upper and lower shelf with a tall top piece for hanging storage and more shelves. But this idea is customizable to fit your available space and include the type of shelving and storage you need for your gardening activities.
To start, you'll need a few pallets to collect the wood from. Not sure where to find free pallets for DIY projects? Many retailers and warehouses that receive shipments on pallets offer them for free — but don't take pallets that are stacked outside of a business unless you have permission first. Some individuals offer up pallets on Facebook Marketplace, too. Watch out for chemically treated pallets, which are marked by a two-letter code. The MB marking (for methyl bromide) is particularly dangerous, so skip those pallets if you find them.
This project also calls for some basic tools. You'll need a saw to cut the pallets into smaller sections — a circular saw makes the work go faster than a hand saw. A drill helps you make pilot holes and install the screws to hold your garden station together securely. You can also add a plastic or metal tub in the tabletop to contain soil, catch trimmed stems, and otherwise keep the table neat.
Build a pallet garden bench in your backyard
There are many smart ways to use wood pallets for extra storage, but this one focuses on the garden, so think about the gardening activities you do when designing your layout. The original features two side supports with the pallet planks running vertically and support wood squares on the inside. Two pallet sections sit horizontally between those side supports and get screwed into the square inner supports.
@rebekasgarden Don't throw pallets away... build THIS instead 🌿♻️Upcycled & functional #PalletProject #Upcycling #GardeningStation #GardenDIY
From here, it's all about customizing the storage. You already have a spot to stack pots and larger items on the lower shelf. The top portion serves as a work surface. If you want a dedicated potting area, cut out a section of the top boards to fit a tub or bowl into it. You can also build sides along the top to keep pots from slipping off. To replicate the original, attach a partial pallet section to the back so it sticks above the work surface, similar to a hutch on a cabinet.
To make shelves for the upper portion, extra boards from pallets work well. Slot them through the gaps in the upright pallet and screw them in place. You can also attach a larger shelf section off to the side like the original. For extra storage, attach hooks along the edges. Larger hooks sticking off the side are perfect for hanging flower pots to dress up the work area. If you like to garden later in the day, add solar lights to the top of the bench to illuminate the work surface. When you finish, look into other creative wood pallet projects that will enhance your garden.