Trend on parquet and balcony: Euro pallets

What was once the Jaffa box at furniture maker's (is something historical, kids!), Today is the euro pallet. Cheap, vintage from the beginning and so reduced that you can do anything with it. Free travel for creativity, creative festivities and DIY orgy. But if you do not have any experience with the bulky parts, you might want to start with:

The pallet. Euro. Dusseldorf. Industry. Reusable or disposable.

Pallets are transport documents for general cargo, which is transported between industrial and commercial enterprises. They have to be stable, carry large loads and be able to be moved by forklift trucks.

Only those who have 11 boards, 9 blocks and 78 special nails, 800 x 1200 x 144 mm in size and carries up to 2000 kg, may call itself Europalette. An industrial pallet is 20 centimeters wider, so measures 120 x 100 cm. The Düsseldorfer pallets are also called half pallet, probably because of their size of 80x60 cm. These pallets are reusable pallets? therefore, they are also intensively treated for more durability, not always ideal for the living room. Meanwhile, there are also disposable pallets, especially for deliveries to private households. However, these often have very individual dimensions, but can rather meet hygienic standards.


If you want to build furniture that consists of more than one pallet, it would be a good idea to either concentrate on Euro pallets or measure your existing pallets accurately.

Where do you get pallets?

Keep your eyes open on a ramble through the commercial area, look out for buildings with a loading ramp. Anyone who receives goods usually has pallets and sometimes they are happy if they can deliver the pallets at the deposit price (around 10 euros). If you value little or no use, clean Euro pallets, you can also buy them on the internet. The current price is between 15 and 20 euros. If you have a timber or building materials retailer nearby, you can ask.

The preparation

Used pallets are pooh. So: Who has a steam pressure cleaner is fine, who does not have, with water hose and brush ran. Sometimes strong brushing without wet is sufficient. Allow to dry before proceeding. Palettes are made of softwood and therefore you have to "de-chisel" the surface: sand off all surfaces and slightly round off the edges. Before you should, however, make sure that no nails stick out, otherwise threatened injuries? for fingers or grinder. Then it is advisable to bring the palette to the desired end surface status, as it may not come to every corner after the actual construction. If you have an extremely smooth surface and want to see the wood, you can only use the palette with linseed oil. If you want it's colorful, either wall paint or colored glaze recommend. You can also paint, but the surface should be as smooth as a baby's bottom.


Which tool do you need?

  • Cordless screwdriver or drill for driving in and out of screws
  • Grinder: a simple orbital sander for the large surfaces, the corners are handmade
  • Jigsaw: At the latest, if you want to build more than two pallets stack on top of each other
  • Hammer, pliers, folding rule, combination pliers, sandpaper, art supplies

Building Ideas: Limitless!

There are a thousand and one ideas about what you can do with pallets. Starting with the simple stacked sideboard to the garden pool. Euro pallets were placed upright in a circle, stabilized with tension straps and laid with pond liner. For this information, there is no guarantee !!!!

Entry-level idea: coffee table / lounge table

The easiest way is to stack up two prepared pallets. The second option is to attach four heavy-duty castors to a prepared pallet, place a glass plate on top and finish.

Entry-level idea: sofas and lounge furniture made of pallets

Here, too, there is the simple version: prepared pallets in two levels in the desired shape (straight, L or U) directly on the wall and put on each other. Connect the pallets with a flat connector, simply screw the floors together. Foam mattresses, which can be cut to the desired size, are suitable as upholstery. You can do it yourself with fabric, if you have a knack for the sewing machine, if not: there are tailors! Cushion on it. Finished.

The next step in palletizing is the construction of a backrest. For this one removes from the pallets the "feet", ie blocks and lower battens, until one has only the upper battens as area, this is nailed vertically to the back of the sofas. Again, it is advisable to stick a thin foam and to obtain with fabric.

Clever: the green wall

On balconies or small gardens first choice: vertical gardening. To do this, put the palette upright and across, the underside to the front. You now have the three cross braces vertically in front of you. Now boards are attached, nailed or screwed below the crossbars to the back wall as a planter bottom.Line the resulting niches with pond liner. So that the irrigation water can drain off, one drills holes in foil and boards. Fix the pallet to the wall. Attention: The pallet alone weighs more than 20 kg, take stable dowels and screws. Now you can fill and plant substrate or soil. Most beautiful are plants that grow hanging, then the wall is really green.

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