DIY: Make Your Own Pallet Coffee Table

I LOVE free things. When I was walking by World Market on my way home a few months ago, I saw a bunch of pallets sitting by the recycling/garbage area.

I decided to check them out and really liked one of the pallets. I took it but knew I would not be able to carry it home. So I waited 20 minutes for the cab. It cost me $5.

The pallet sat on my floor for over a month. I used it to hold a few books, remote controls, a random candle and some dishes from my table.

But then I decided I should actually do something with it.

If you look at Pinterest, you'll see a zillion projects that people have made with such pallets.

I decided to make a coffee table from mine.

And yes, it'd be ideal if this table would be higher, but I've been unable to find a matching pallet to stack one on top of another. So this is what I have.






The pallet before:

What I did:

1. First, I sanded and stained it. This cost me nothing as I already had some sand paper, stain and brushes.

2. Then I found these wheels on Pinterest and ordered them. That cost me $46.99. But they are RED and adorable.

I broke several drill bits trying to attach the wheels to the pallet. Turns out the bits I was using were too skinny. I guess now I know ;) The screws for the wheels would have cost me about $6, but I had a $5 coupon at Ace Hardware!

3. Then I decided to get a piece of plywood to nail to the bottom of the pallet so that I can actually put books inside. I also purchased a clear sealer to protect the surface of the table. That cost me about $12. Big thank you to Stacey and Luis for drivng me to Home Depot!

And that's the project!

Close up of the shelf aspect of my pallet coffee table and the awesome wheels:

I'm sort of really in ♥ with it.

I have another pallet sitting in my condo. I'll let you know if I make something from it :)