rustic elegance, up-cycled pallet and curbside chair

I love doing projects that have a fantastic result with little expense. This project cost about $12.00 and that was only because I needed some material for the top a 1"x10"x8' piece of white wood. The rest was a curbside score and a few miscellaneous pallet pieces from a table I was making for my son (similar to this one on the attached link):  http://thetadbiteclectic.blogspot.com/2013/01/restaoration-hardware-style-table-done.html

So, the story goes... No sooner was I finished with that table top when my neighbor tossed out a couple of chairs.  The wheels started turning and I had an idea for the scraps... one of them was perfect for our project at hand "the rustic but elegant side table" from up-cycled products.

final product

Stage 1, acquiring your supplies for the project.
Since my son is the GM for our local ACE hardware getting a pallet is pretty convenient. But really a pallet can be found in lots of places although the heavy duty ones are worth money and a little harder to find.

*This project will use material from 2 pallets.

stage 1, the pallet

stage 1, the chair (our curbside score)

Stage 2, breaking the pallet apart.
The best way to disassemble your pallet is with a saw-zaw (demo saw). If you don't have one don't sweat it use the tried and true method with a hammer and pri-bars. It takes more finesse this way but works. What ever method you use DON"T BEAT THEM OFF WITH A HAMMER the slats break.

stage 2, the slating from my pallet

Stage 3, re-assembling the slating for the front face of project.
We're going to use the basic pallet construction for our project. In this case the (3) 2x4 boards become our framing. Start re-slating your boards from the bottom and work your way up to a desired height (we tightly re-slated until we reached 22"). Don't be bothered by the board irregularities that adds to the over all look of the project.

stage 3, re-slating

Stage 4, cut off end pieces.
After you have re-slated to your desired height the end pieces will need to be cut off. Scribe a line on each end piece flush with the last slat then cut off with your saw of chose. A demo saw again will make quick work of it but a circular saw or jig saw works.

stage 4, cutting of end pieces

Stage 5, building the sides of your project.
Both sides of the project are built the same way. Since the over all height of our project is 22" the sides will be that same dimension. Cut (2) pcs. of scrap pallet 2"x4" to that size. As for the slating you'll need several pieces (10-12) all cut to the same length (the length of these slats determine the depth of your piece) ours are 16". On a flat surface start slating the sides from the bottom up. A pneumatic nailer works best, but screws and nails will work.

stage 5, building the sides

stage 5, the front right corner

Stage 6, adding structure support to the back.

Once the sides have been constructed you need to add support to the back. Square off each side corner and pull a measurement from inside corner to inside corner. This dimension will be for the top and bottom support pieces.

stage 6, squaring off sides and adding support pieces

stage 6, viewing the back of project and the added supports

Stage 7,  adding the legs.
It's time to disassemble our curbside score and determine how much of it we want to use for the project. We're going to use the legs and the back rest detail. If you need to cut your pieces off make sure they're cut at a place where they maintain structural integrity and can be re-mounted to your project. Once you determine where legs will be mounted you need to determine the length of that leg after mounted. All your legs will need to be mounted using that same dimension or the table will be unstable. Mounting hardware can vary depending on the leg being used. What ever hardware you use make sure it's long enough to get a good bite into the supports and be sure to pre-drill (I used 3" deck screws). If you prefer a worn aged look you'll want to distress your legs at this time.

*Use a flat level surface for this stage

stage 7, adding the legs

stage 7, the legs for the project distressed

stage 7, rear legs placement

Stage 8, adding the top and back.
The possibilities for the top are only limited to our imagination. A slab of granite and a vessel sink would look fantastic on top of this. But we like to achieve big results at little cost. So, I'll settle for plank looking white wood 1"x10"x8' and once stained in dark walnut it will definitely achieve our desired result. What ever direction you go make sure to leave a 1" overhang around the sides and front. Before adding backer add your detail piece if you have one. To add the back you just need to measure up and down then across. Be sure to cut your in expensive backing (1/4" ply or 1/4" Masonite) so it can't be seen once in location about 1/4" smaller than what you measured and secure it with finish nails or pneumatic stapler.

stage 8, the project up to this point

stage 8, adding the top planking

stage 8, be sure to add detail before you secure the backer

stage 8, adding the inexpensive ply backer

After that, set this bad boy in its location, adorn it the way you want and enjoy.
BAM!! There you have it another fabulous looking piece done on the cheap...

final product ready to sell