Make a Pallet Desk

Today, we’re going to focus on one of the most functional and personal pieces of furniture around – the office desk. To give your study an ecologically industrial ambiance, we’re going to make a pallet desk.

Before, using pallets to make furniture was a simple, economical solution for small budgets. But today, these recycled materials are an option that’s hugely popular, and not just for their economic benefit.

In decor, recycling materials has become part of our lifestyle and a way to live responsibly.

You don’t need to be a top ecologist to do your part in creating a more sustainable world. These days, so many homes have at least two pieces of pallet furniture.

Pallets used to be trash and now, there’s a whole market for them.

Aside from respecting our environment, this trend is teaching us to reuse materials and make beautifully original furniture pieces well within our reach.

Preparing the wood

Although there are many furniture designs that conserve rustic, untreated wood, you’ll have better results if you correctly treat your pallet before working with it.

Industrial rules require pallets to be disinfected before transporting them internationally. However, we still recommend that you clean them first. Remember that before you found them, they’ve been all over the world. You don’t know the conditions that your pallet has been through or what it transported.

Maybe it was in China and after, in Madagascar. Use a treatment to eliminate any fungus or bacteria. There are many options to choose from in specialized stores.

Make sure that your pallet doesn’t have any nails jutting out and that it’s structurally sound. Take your time to ensure that all of the nails are okay.

Remove any visible splinters. Now, you’re ready to prime it. If you just want to use varnish, you won’t need a primer. Before applying the varnish, or after the primer has dried, sand down the surface. Use two coats of paint.

Ideas for making a pallet desk

If you don’t have a lot of space, you still have several simple options that will give great results. After treating and painting your pallet, and keeping it intact, just add on a good sized horizontal shelf that fits your needs and drill the pallet onto your wall.

If you want to use pallets for the shelf on your desk as well, just pull apart another pallet and drill on two slats to make a mount.

If you’re more interested in an independently standing desk, you’ll need three pallets. Two of them will serve as the side legs and the third will be the desktop.

Or, if you want to make a personal work area, you could use several pallets, standing vertically, to create a divider. Inside, fit in a desk. With a little ingenuity, you could also use the gaps to make storage areas, fitting in shelves or baskets.

If you’re one of our craftier readers and want everything to look perfect, don’t forget that you can always pull pallets apart. This will give you plenty of material to use for legs and reinforcement for other furniture. It calls for more work, but the results are wonderful as well.

Throw in some imagination

Don’t limit yourself to simple pallet desks. You might not be a professional craftsman, but you can always create an incredible piece if you go bold in colors and materials.

If you use the pallet’s natural wood color, or just paint it white, to make furniture, it’ll always hint at its past life. But if you go with intense colors like black or dark reds and greens, your pallet will be unrecognizable.

Lay on a quality glass or methacrylate desktop. It’ll be much more comfortable and practical for work while giving it an elegant face-lift. Now that your pallet desk is finished, it’s time to adorn it!

Don’t forget that it’s a personal workspace. Add your favorite items, a good lamp, a plant, and cute office accessories. You’ll use your desk for years on end and won’t want to change it for anything else.