15 Shipping Pallet Projects for the DIY Home

Shipping pallets are the DIYer’s standby building material for many good reasons. They aren’t hard to come by, and even damaged pallets can be salvaged for smaller projects. Kept whole, shipping pallets make great building blocks for large projects; deconstructed, they can be used to build just about anything. This versatility means that just a couple of cast-off pallets can fit the bill for a huge assortment of home improvement projects. In fact, what can’t you make from shipping pallets? With so many options, narrowing down our favorites was quite the task… but here they are: 15 projects for your home— all made from shipping pallets.

By Sara Carpenter

Updated on Aug 18, 2015 5:27 PM EDT

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Platform Bed

If pulling out the hammer and nails isn’t really your thing, use a bevy of pallets in good condition to create a platform for your bed. Remove splinters and apply a healthy dose of paint for a quick and easy makeover for your bed.

Swing Chair

When securely fastened to a tree or the ceiling of a porch, a pallet and some cushioning make the ideal place to lounge. Vary the size and add on whatever options you like—the pallet swing is endlessly customizable.

Wine Rack

A great project for a slightly damaged shipping pallet, this wine rack doesn’t require a lot of wood. Keep it bare-bones for an easy undertaking or kick it up a notch and create a place to store wineglasses below.

Sandbox

Customize a sandbox for your kids! You can assemble shipping pallets to create an area for playing, benches to sit on, and even a lid to keep out rain. Use a strong liner to keep sand contained to the box.

Headboard

While a platform bed made from pallets requires little work, a matching headboard needs a bit more elbow grease. Deconstructed and reassembled, these pieces of wood only hint at their former life.

Shoe Rack

Repurposed pallets offer great storage solutions for everything from pots and pans to sneakers and boots. Just see how naturally this pallet takes to a new life as a shoe rack. Cut the pallet down to the appropriate size and, if you like, customize with a coat of paint for your entryway.

Pet Bed

Don’t forget about your family pet! Cats and dogs both like a place of their own, and your kids will love to help create a bed just for their companion.

Related: 10 Over-the-Top Ways to Pamper Your Pet

Garden Help

Whether or not you have a green thumb, you can still use pallets to create raised beds in your garden or to help you keep your vegetables organized into easily identified (or labeled) rows.

Simple Bench

A pallet bench ranks low on the difficulty scale, making it a great introductory project for beginning furniture builders. And when you’re done, you can easily bump up the scale to make a matching table.

Pot Rack

If storage is at a premium in your kitchen, a shipping pallet can do double duty. Fastened to the wall, it can provide both a rustic shelf and hanging space for your pots and pans.

Privacy Screen

A coat of paint and a healthy number of succulents can transform just four pallets into a room divider for both indoor and outdoor use. This configuration is great for privacy and just perfect for an outdoor shower.

Flooring

Reclaimed wood floors are a popular look—and this popularity makes them pricey. Salvaged pallets can be deconstructed and treated to imitate the appearance of reclaimed wood in less trafficked and rawer spaces (think workshop, cabin, and similar spots).

Backyard Patio

Constructing a backyard patio requires a thorough plan and consultation with an experienced builder. You might supplement this project with additional materials, but pallets can form the foundation of your backyard oasis.

Jewelry Organizer

The shelves and tiers of a pallet make them ideal for curating collections. Securely fasten a pallet to the wall, or even lean one against the wall on top of a dresser, and voilà—an instant home for jewelry and trinkets.

Shed

For the more ambitious DIYer, an architecture-backed plan and plenty of shipping pallets can form the basis for a shed in your backyard. With a few upgrades, the structure can even be a potential guesthouse. The architects of I-Beam Design developed the one seen here as a model of a sustainable emergency shelter.