DIY Pallet Into a Chair

Wooden shipping pallets are an inexpensive and "green" way of obtaining wood for furniture projects.

Creative and frugal woodworkers often find the wood from wooden shipping pallets ideal for various projects around the shop. In addition to being a "green" option by recycling lumber ordinarily destined for a landfill, these are also often more convenient to work with than raw lumber, because these board are already cut into manageable lengths that require minimal milling for other projects. One popular project seemingly tailor-made for wood from these pallets is using them to create a chair, which can be suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

Things You'll Need

• Pry bar
• Hammer
• Ruler or tape measure
• Table or circular saw
• Wood filler
• Hand plane or power planer
• Wood chisel
• Router (optional)
• Pencil
• Wood glue
• Rubber mallet
• Bar clamps
• 1 1/4 inch finish nails
• Sandpaper (assorted grits)
• Paint, stain or clear finish

Instructions

1. Select the appropriate pallet for the project. Choose a pallet that is at least standard U.S. size, 48 by 40 inches, and made of hardwood, such as oak or hickory, rather than a soft wood like pine. Make sure that the pallet you select is free from large or loose knots in all planks, and that the stingers, the planks that run perpendicular to the wider and thinner deck boards, are at least 1 1/2 inches tall along their entire length.

2. Disassemble the pallet using a pry bar and hammer. Separate the boards as carefully as possible to avoid damaging them. It may be impossible to avoid having the head of the nail pull completely through one of the deck boards; this is fine as long as it does not crack the board, and that you fill the hole with wood filler before beginning the project.

3. Cut the boards to size. Cut two of the stringers down to 1 1/4 by 1 1/4 inches wide by 40 inches long. These will form the back legs and back rest of the chair. Cut the other stringer into two boards 1 1/4 by 1 1/4 inches wide by 16 inches long. These will form the front legs. Cut three of the deck boards down to 6 pieces, each 3/4 by 4 inches by 19 1/2 inches long. These will form the sides, front and back of the seats and the backrest. Cut the remaining deck boards down to 3/4 by 2 inch by 18 inch long strips to form the slats for the seat.

4. Plane all the boards smooth with a hand plane or power planer.

5. Cut 1/2 by 3 by 3/4 inch long tenons on the ends of all of the 3/4 by 4 by 19 inch boards.

6. Cut 1/2 by 3 by 3/4 inch deep mortises in adjacent sides of the front leg pieces to accept the front and sides of the seat. The mortises should begin 1/2 inch from the top edge of each leg and go down 3 inches. The best way to ensure a good fit is to place the end of the tenon against the leg and trace the outline of the tenon with a sharp pencil. Cut the mortise with a router and/or sharp chisel just inside the line. You may need to trim the mortise slightly to ensure a tight fit but it is better to have the initial cut too small rather than too large.

7. Cut 1/2 by 3 by 3/4 inch deep mortises in adjacent sides of the back leg pieces, to accept the back and sides of the seat, starting 15 1/2 inches from the bottom and going down 3 inches.

8. Cut two additional mortises on opposing sides of each of the back legs to accept the back support pieces. The first mortise on each leg should start 4 inches from the top of the back and go down 3 inches. The second mortise on each leg should start at 12 1/2 inches from the top and go down 3 inches.

9. Assemble the frame of the chair by applying a liberal coating of wood glue to each of the tenons and inserting the tenons into the corresponding mortises. Use a rubber mallet, if necessary, to ensure that all pieces fit tightly. Affix clamps to draw all pieces tightly together.

10. Nail the slats for the seat in place with 1 1/4 inch finish nails once the glue for the frame has had time to dry. The slats can be placed either cross-wise or length-wise depending upon your design preference, as the seat should be square.

11. Sand the entire chair starting with 120 grit and working down to 440 grit.

12. Finish as desired with paint, stain or clear finish.

Tips & Warnings

• Always wear the recommended safety equipment when operating power tools, including use of eye and hearing protection.

References

• Pallet Sizes
• The Complete Manual of Woodworking, Albert Jackson, et al., 1989

Resources

• Mortise and Tenon Joinery Basics