Pallet ideas for gardens: 8 quick and easy DIY projects

One person's trash is another person's treasure, and that's certainly true of pallet ideas for gardens. Leftover at the end of building projects, piled up in construction yards, or stacked in garden centers, they’re a great source of sturdy, useful planks of wood, which can be used to make myriad practical and decorative things for your garden, whatever its size.

With a little bit of ingenuity, anything from outdoor furniture to vegetable planters and storage solutions can be crafted from humble pallets, with the bare materials costing you next to nothing. As far as cheap garden ideas go, they're one of the best options. You can add color and personality with a lick of paint, and as well as making something totally unique, you will have had fun in the process.

Not only this, but the beauty of making things with wooden pallets is that they don't have to be perfect – in fact, they look better left a little ‘rustic’. You also don't have to be a DIY expert. All you need are a few basic tools – such as a saw and screwdriver – plus some sandpaper, screws, wood glue and garden paint.

Pallet projects are enjoyable and easy-to-make and will instantly spruce up your outdoor space.

Whether you're searching for pallet furniture ideas as a way to save money on new outdoor seating or you simply want to add a few decorative touches to your backyard, you'll find plenty to inspire in these creative pallet ideas for gardens. What's more, only basic tools are needed to produce them too.

BY JENNY WOOD

You don't need acres of space to enjoy drinks in the garden – this clever outdoor bar idea hangs on the wall and folds up when not in use.

To make it, glue and screw four pieces of pallet wood together to form a box shape, then add a shelf along the middle, and a plank along the bottom edge, to keep your bottles and glasses secure. For the door, lay four pieces of wood the same length as the box side by side, then fix them with two smaller pieces laid horizontally, to hold everything together. Add two hinges to the base of the box and the door, making sure they line up nicely.

Paint the whole thing in your chosen color and fix it to the wall. Finally, to make sure the bar door stays open at a level 90-degree angle when in use, screw hooks and eyes onto the exterior of the bar and add lengths of chain - from DIY stores - between them.

Now it's the fun part – filling it with glasses, cocktail shakers and bottles of your favourite tipples. Cheers!

Learning how to build a pallet bench needn't be as difficult as you might think. As this quick project shows, sometimes the best pallet ideas for gardens are often the simplest. In just a couple of hours, you can transform three unassuming pallets into a bench for two – no sawing required!

Start by sanding down any rough areas, then use a mini roller to paint your pallets on both sides with outdoor paint.

When they’re dry, create the base of your bench by stacking one or more pallets to the right height, securing them with screws and an electric drill. Add another pallet propped in a vertical position to create the back of the bench, again securing with a drill and screws.

Finish by adding comfortable seat cushions to your new outdoor seating – DIY stores sell cushions specifically made for using with pallets – then add color with scatter cushions, pot plants and fairy lights.

One of the easiest things to make with a single pallet, this low coffee table would work equally well indoors as well as out. Simply smooth your pallet with sandpaper, brushing off any dust, before painting it in your chosen colour.

Then flip the pallet upside down and screw in four wheeled casters, available from Amazon or DIY stores, to each of the corners. Turn it the right way up, dress it with a vase of flowers and some coasters, and you’re all set for entertaining alfresco.

This is one of the easiest pallet ideas for gardens, making it a great option for DIY beginners.

Simply flip a pallet round and add planks from another pallet to the undersides of the legs, creating little pockets which you can line with polythene or bin bags. Fill these with compost, and add a selection of small plants.

It's ideal for introducing some herb gardens to a small space, as you can either lean your finished design against a fence or fill it with trailing plants and mount it on a wall.

Once you’ve got the hang of this basic design, you can then experiment with some bigger pallet garden walls by taking a pallet apart and using the planks to create more complicated, wider containers for larger plants or even vegetables.

Upgrade the best solar lights by giving spike lights a stylish wooden surround. Start by building the lamp frame. Create a box with two shorter planks and two longer planks (those used here are 16 and 20in), gluing and screwing them together so that the boards all line up at the bottom.

Remove the spike from a solar spike light so that you’re left with just the bulb holder with its solar panel on top. Use this as a template to drill a hole in a square piece of plank, into which you can stick your bulb holder using glue or outdoor silicone sealant. Finally, attach this top section to the frame with screws or more glue, and finish with a coat of outdoor or yacht varnish.

Once you’ve made a few lamps, dot them along a garden path, around a seating area, or use them to illuminate special features such as flowerbeds or trees.

To recreate this alfresco dining spot à terre, all you have to do is take two pallets, sand them down and degrease the wood. When the pallets are clean and dry, paint on woodstain in the direction of the natural grain for a smooth finish.

Let the paint dry and simply stack the pallets, scatter some outdoor cushions and your new outdoor dining is good to go. Japanese tea ceremony meets grown-up picnic! And without a screw or hammer in sight, it's the perfect pallet idea for even the most novice of DIYers.

This idea from Mano Mano may look like a real challenge, but it's surprisingly easy to create! Depending on the size chair you want, line up two or three pallets in a row, and insert lengths of timber on each side of the pallets and through the middle. Fix the timber to the pallets with screws and saw off the overhang.

Now your pallets are attached to each other, drill a hole in all four corners of the chair and thread sturdy rope through the hole and beneath the chair too. Attach your garden swing seat to a tree or solid structure, position a mattress and cushion on top, and prepare to relax. Protect the mattress with vinyl covers when not in use, and bring inside where possible.

This makes a fantastic garden tool storage. As always, begin by sanding down your pallet. Stand on its end and attach an extra plank to each of the top of the legs, to create shelves for extra hidden storage. Then add extra planks to fill in all the gaps in the surface.

Screw all the extra planks onto the pallet and saw off the overhang. Paint your pallet and then drill in a variety of hooks to suit the tools you wish you hang. This design, created by Mano Manouses U-shaped hooks, S-shaped hooks and coat hooks. Attach to your wall, hang your tools and enjoy gardening in a neat and orderly fashion.

Our clever pallet ideas for gardens are a budget-friendly way to create everything from handy planters and birdhouses to outdoor tables and even sofas