You can get full instructions for building this table here - How to build a pallet timber table
Hi Rob, do you have instructions for this table.?
Hi @Pat1,
Thanks for joining in the discussion on the Bunnings Workshop community.
Rob has now shared full instructions for replicating this project - How to build a pallet timber table
Let me also extend a very warm welcome to the community. It's great to have you join as one of our latest Workshop members. I trust you will receive lots of great assistance with your D.I.Y. and gardening projects from our community members, and hopefully have some fun along the way.
Please let me know if you ever need a hand getting the most from the site, or have any feedback about how we can make Workshop more useful for you.
All the best,
Jason
@Pat1 I tend to make things up as I go along - quite literally! For the table I had four pallets - two of them I took apart completely. I inserted the strips of wood from the pallet taken apart into the gaps on the other pallets to make the table tops solid. Some planing was needed. The fact that all of the wood was slightly different shades added to the overall effect. I sanded for smoothness, but left on paint marks where possible. The rest of the table was just about strengthening underneath and joining the two pallets. I then added 6 legs which was wood from Bunnings and secured with brackets.
I hope this isn't considered a dumb question...but is it difficult to take the pallets apart?
I'd love to be able to make something like this, I suppose trestles can be used for the legs as well??
When is Bunnings going to start teaching some basic wood working skills for both men and women?
Soon??????
Hi @robyn2202,
Thanks for joining in the discussion. There are no "dumb questions" on Workshop! Everyone was once a beginner and there are plenty of members here who are only too happy to share their experience and advice.
The good news is that taking pallets apart isn't very difficult. Some of our resident pallet building experts like @Yorky88, @LePallet and @Peggers might like to give you some tips, plus there's some great advice in this popular discussion - Pallet DIY Projects
There's also helpful advice in this Bunnings project - D.I.Y. pallet herb planter. I will embed the video below.
Bunnings runs hands-on D.I.Y. workshops in-store on a wide range of topics, including woodworking projects. What is your local store? I would be happy to help put you in touch with the activities organiser so you could join in.
@robyn2202,
Just saw this photo on Instagram from Tara Dennis and thought of you - https://www.instagram.com/p/Be-YE4gByaD/
It's an example of one of the D.I.Y. classes that are run.
Great job on the table @Peggers it came up awesome. Well done.
Hi @robyn2202 Jason is right it’s not a dumb question at all. It’s a very good question actually and the answer is no it’s not hard to dismantle a pallet if you have the right tools. However some pallets are a lot harder than others depending on what type you pick up. Because I work with pallets all the time I am very picky and particular when it comes to what I pick up. When I first started I used to pick up anything and everything now I only take pallets that I know I can use every bit of to maximise time and efficiency and minimise wastage.
The tools you you will require to make pulling apart pallets the easiest way possible and also to minimise breakage you will need a pallet lever. This is a 2 prong fork that sits over the barers and allows you to lever off each plank evenly and easily. You will also need hammer to knock the nails through and a decent length pri-bar/ jimmy bar to make pulling out tough nails a sinch.
Some other tools that make life easier but are not a necessity are a nail punch, bolt cutters and vice grips.
I hope that helps.
@robyn2202 Not a stupid question at all - and I find pallets incredibly hard to take apart!! I'll be checking out the video tips as they normally take me ages to do and I'm dripping with sweat!!!
@Yorky88 Thank you! And great advice - I'm going to be more picky about the pallets I use.
Thanks @Peggers it really does pay to be picky when picking up pallets. You probably already know this no doubt but just in case there are people reading this that are new to working with pallets here. Key things to look out for when picking pallets are. Does the pallet sit flat? If not good chance every slat is twisted including the barers when you pull it apart. Are there cracks all through the timber? A big thing to check for are bowed slats. Quite often I’ll go to pick up a long pallet and see that the majority of the slats are bowed so I leave it as it’s a waste of time unless you have a particular job that can benefit from bowed timber. I tend to stay from Euro pallets or any other pallets that don’t have solid barers just because they are so much harder to pull apart and a higher likelihood of breakage when dismantling therefore a lot of wastage.
If if anyone else has any helpful tips when itv comes to pallets I’d love to hear them. 😊
Hi @robyn2202 if you live anywhere near Perth then you would be more than welcome to come round one weekend and jump on the tools and I’d be happy to teach you some of the basics. I have done a few 1:1 tutorials with women before and I taught woodwork in a school for the last five years as well. No pressure just an option.
Awesome advice, many thanks @Yorky88.
It would be great if you could cut and paste your tips onto this discussion as well - https://www.workshop.com.au/t5/Outdoor-Living/Pallet-DIY-Projects/m-p/2069
It's had over 16,000 views to date so has become the go-to for a lot of pallet discussion here on Workshop.
Thanks again,
love thismy hubby made one painted the bottom blue and i love this but will be doing some sanding on the top to rough, love yours
Thanks for joining in the discussion @shirley and a very warm welcome to Workshop. It's great to have you join the community. I trust you will receive lots of helpful information, advice and inspiration for your projects from our community members.
Please let me know if you ever need a hand to get the most from the site, and I look forward to seeing your table and other projects on Workshop soon.
Lovely job with repurposed wood, very inspiring, Dave880
Thanks for joining in the discussion @Daves880. Good to see you back on the site. I'm sure @Peggers appreciates the complement.
Hope all is well.
Brilliant can you please mention what colour stain you use?
@robyn2202, if you can find something called a pallet buster, ( https://www.uopaint.com/products/pallet-buster )pallets are easy to take apart, a friend of mine made me one, since I live in NZ to his own design, but it’s very similar to that one, and wow did it ever take the pallets apart quickly. Failing that a reciprocating saw is also a great tool for taking them apart. Hope that helps
This is so nice, you would never say it was pallets.
Hello @Peggers
it may be a silly question but...
do you know if a table could be done like yours, but with two pallets?
we have to do a project at school and are limited to 2...
thanks
I hope you don’t mind me jumping in here @Peggers but @WCE2019 It’s not a silly question at all it really comes down to what pallets you have available to choose from.you could definitely build a table similar to this one out of 2 pallets if you had two really long pallets e.g. 2.2m long or longer . If you can find them then you could use 1 as a donor pallet to get enough timber for what you need.
Here is a couple of tables I built using only 2 pallets. Different style I know but you could always cut the planks and flip them sideways if you want the same look as @Peggers table.
if you can only get your hands on standard short pallets 1165 x 1160 well in WA that is then it could still be done it just wouldn’t be as long or possibly as wide.
I hope that helps a little bit
Good question @WCE2019. Thanks for joining in the discussion. And great to see you get such a prompt and comprehensive reply from one of our pallet experts here in the Workshop community.
A very warm welcome to Workshop. It's great to have you join us and we look forward to following this project with interest, and many more to come in the future. Feel free to post whenever you need a hand or have something to share.
thanks for your help @Yorky88
could anyone who sees this post please help me with getting ideas for my project and put them on my conversation "Pallet Coffee Table Ideas"
Thanks
@Yorky88 Your table is AMAZING! Love it!!
Cheers @Peggers it honestly was one of the simplest builds I have ever done but still just as effective. I appreciate the feedback though 👍🏻🙌🏻
Hi all,
Just wanted to alert followers of this very popular project, especially @Pat1 and @robyn2202, that the wonderful @Peggers has shared a full step-by-step guide How to build a pallet timber table, complete with a list of tools and materials.
Please let us know if you need any help to build your own!
Hi Rob.
"However some pallets are a lot harder than others depending on what type you pick up."
I'm not sure if it's geographical but the pallets I pick up seem to be built to last forever. Some I've found are put together with 100mm nails that have a corrugated body which makes a clean withdrawal impossible. Sometimes the wood will tear away from the nail head leaving a gaping hole or the wood simply shatters.
Then there some pallets that fall apart just by looking at them. I don't find many of those.
I tried a Mumme "Pallet Breaker" (Bunnings $89) and despite being made of spring steel, I bent a fork on the very first attempt on a hardwood pallet.
I rang the company and was told "there are some very tough pallets out there" - and suggested I return it for a refund. I did.
I watched some YouTube and these are the breaking/prying devices I came with (that don't bend).
Closest works the best - the furthest is for when it's time give up and destroy the pallet - firebucket food.
Pallet Breakers
Hi Jason.
I love how they slip in the nailer....
$1,000 with the nails?
