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Monday 23 May 2011

Wooden pallet potting bench



Hi all, hope you are all well...

Yesterday i decided to alter something, ok it's not really a crafty project but it kept me out of mischief for a couple of hours. I've often read about projects made from old wooden pallets, there are many ideas out there on the web if you search for them.


So after my local hardware shop advertised free pallets, i picked up a couple and set about making a new addition to my garden....a potting bench. The project took just one pallet...




I then cut it lengthways, i made the top a little wider than the base...there were a couple of spare slats from another pallet so i used these as the supports either side and a couple more to slot into the gaps on the bench surface...




So thats the basic shape....i may put a middle shelf in there at some point but this is ok for now. I felt my garden was lacking in colour though, so i found an old pot of pale lilac paint in the shed...only did one coat as if it gets worn quickly it will add to a nice rustic effect...





I was eager to test it out, so after adding a couple of hooks underneath to hold garden tools, here is the finished bench...




Not bad for a quick little storage project for the garden. I'm just getting into gardening and it will be a great place for me to plant seeds and deal with plants. Yes i'm aware that it probably won't stay that colour long, but it's for potting plants, not for the catwalk...a little dirt here and there will be a nice addition i think.


Talking of storage, whilst i was chopping this pallet up, i looked at the holes between the main wooden supports and thought to myself, "They would make a good magazine rack". So if you look at the bottom shelf above, imagine that on it's own, turned on it's side so it's standing up, if you cut the pallet about 2 slats wide and put a base on it, it could hold magazines easily.

Maddy took one look at it, and said, "I wonder if it could take 12 x 12 papers?". Lets find out....




Would you look at that! The spaces are just over 13 inches wide, so your papers fit in there lovely. Again, picture this turned on it's side and a base put on it, you could store tons of papers here. I'll do a better tutorial for a 12 x 12 paper storage from a used pallet another day.

Thanks for looking, hope you enjoyed it. I'm now off to casualty to get my ankle x-rayed....whilst making this yesterday i twisted my ankle badly and it's black and blue and like a balloon!

Take care all...

Calv.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Great job! It looks really well and I agree that a bit of dirt & weather will just add to it!
Looking forward to the paper rack too.

Hope the ankle will be ok, maybe if you get crutches you can alter them! lol

Sheena
xxx

Julie said...

This looks really fab Calvin ! Your soooo clever ....... well sort of - how can you twist your ankle making a potting bench !
Magazine rack sounds fab too. Lets see some photos if you do make one and if u make some 12 x 12 paper racks I'm up for an order !
Hugs
Julie

Hilary said...

This is brilliant.......omg, I LOVE IT. So glad I found your blog!!!!

Karen Mortensen said...

oH wow Calvoin, that is fab! Love it. You have some smashing ideas (hope all fingers and toes were intact at the end of the project!!).
xxx

Yana said...

Wow I love this idea! It looks amazing. I just found some wooden pallets that would work perfectly for this project. I'm going to get my boyfriend to help me out with the sawing and nailing. Is there an email I can send my completed project? I would love for you to see it if you're interested. many thanks for the inspiration.

Yana

Brad Taylor said...

What are the dimensions? Specifically the depth of the top shelf to the depth of the bottom shelf? I've just begun making wood pallet shelves and boxes. Thanks. I really like it and will try my own tonight!

Unknown said...

How much smaller than the upper bench must the lower one be? Is there a reason why they should not be equally sized? I want to try this out, and just want to get everything right :)

Calv said...

Thanks to all who took an interest in the bench, and i'm sorry for not being around....

To be honest i just played it by ear as far as making it was concerned. I just sawed off part of the pallet so that the top was slightly wider than the bottom, i thought that way i could get my feet under it as i stood at it.

Then i got some spare wood lengths from the shed to brace the side as legs. I made the height to come up to roughly my belly, i have a bad back so didn't want to stoop over too low.

I should brace it at the back sometime, but it's stable enough for now. :)

Good luck.

Calv.

~Willow~ said...

what a brilliant idea Calv!
will browse the rest of your blog with interest :-))
blessings, Willow