DIY Pallet Chair Tutorial

Pinterest is exploding with DIY pallet furniture projects and it’s easy to see why – pallets are really easy to get hold of, and it’s so much better to go DIY than see all that wood end up in a landfill.

Bridgman make luxury outdoor products for money, but for fun they like to create awesome things with the pallets from their warehouses then share their how-tos online. So here’s a lovely DIY tutorial on how to make your own pallet chair!

Tools you’ll need to make a pallet chair:

• 1 x Pallet per chair. See bottom of article for where to get pallets for free.
• 1 Crowbar
• 1 Wood Saw
• 68 x WoodScrews – 5 x 60mm (per chair)
• Drill
• Claw hammer
• Sanding Paper / Belt Sander
• Wood Paint

How to make your DIY pallet chair:

Prise the pallet apart with the crowbar and use your claw hammer to remove all the nails.

You’ll then need to cut the slats to the following dimensions:

• 10 x 450mm: (2) Front legs, (5) seating slats, (1) back slat, (1) top front slat, (1) top back slat
• 2 x 900mm: Back legs (Special cut shown in picture below)
• 2 x 350mm: Side Slat
• 1 x 400mm: Front under Slat
• 4 x 200mm: Joining blocks
• 4 blocks

Now Make Your Chair!

Step 1 – Using the joining blocks as shown in the picture, attach the back and front legs. Remember they need to be on opposite sides.

Step 2 – Screw the blocks onto the joining blocks as pictured.

Step 3 – Screw the under slat and back slat to the brace front legs and back legs.

Step 4 – Spread the five slats evenly onto the chair and screw them down. You’ll need four screws for each slat.

Step 5 – Screw on the top front rail and the top back rail to finish it off. And now you’ve got a chair! You just need to make it pretty.

Step 6 – Sand your pallet chair down, then apply an undercoat. Allow it to dry and then re-sand the chair one final time. Once it’s smooth and to your liking, you can decorate it however you like. This one has been finished off using a turquoise matt paint.

Matching DIY pallet chairs and table!

Where can you get pallets for free?

Wooden pallets are often available or collection (but not delivery) on community hubs like Gumtree. Keep an eye out when you’re walking past dumps or neighbours’ skips (if it belongs to your neighbour, don’t forget to ask first). Try a bit of dumpster diving. Try small industrial units and builders merchants, as the larger business usually have them collected by contract. And garden centres are a great source for pallets, too.

This awesome tutorial was generously provided by Bridgman Outdoor Furniture, and if you click here for the original tutorial you’ll learn how to make the matching DIY pallet table as well!