DIY Table out of Pallets

Next up in my 5 pallet, 3 projects, 1 day challenge, a patio side table!

This backyard needs a whole lot of furniture. Like, a lot, a lot. Which takes more money than I have, even with the best Craigslist mojo in the west. Which means that some serious creativity is in order. I’ve had this outdoor couch for a couple of years, but every time I go to use it I end up reaching around aimlessly for somewhere to put my drink. And with Atti and Boo Boo, nothing is safe on the ground. So for maximum outdoor enjoyment, as well as maximum outdoor prettiness, a table was necessary.

If your pallet is double sided you’ll want to take the planks off of one side. Then, using whatever saw you like best (I used my skill saw) cut through as close to the side braces as you can to free the middle. From this piece you’ll cut it to whatever dimensions you want for your space.

You’ll need four legs cut to the exact same size. I used the side pieces of a couple of different pallets once I had pulled out all the screws and nails.

Then you’ll need four more pieces to make the apron of the table. Thinner pieces work best for this, so I used some of the planks that I had pulled off the back side of the pallet. You’ll need two pieces cut to the length of your table, and two pieces cut to the width of your table plus the width of the side boards. My planks were about 1/2 an inch thick, so I added an inch to the length of those boards so that the corners would butt up against each other neatly.

Line up the top of the side boards with the top of the table and use screws across the top to secure them together.

Install the pieces for the other side in the same way. You can see here how the boards for the width of the table overlap the boards next to them to make nice neat corners.

You’ve now built a box, so take the pieces you’ve cut for your legs and tuck them into each corner. Screw one screw down through the top of the table and another screw across through the side to secure the legs. Be sure and stagger the placement of the screws so they don’t meet.

If your pallet is in good condition or the rustic weathered look works for you, you can leave it naked. I didn’t want to miss a chance to bring in some more bright color, so I gave mine a thin coat of spray paint. I love how it looks, and I love how functional it is. Now I can actually kick back with a book and a drink and not have it wind up all over my patio thanks to two little troublemakers that live with me. I might even get a chance to rela…wait. I better not jinx it.