A unique and functional design does not need to be expensive if you use cheap materials and do it yourself. Today we will have a closer look at some pallet sun lounger DIY ideas, which are the perfect solution for your garden, apartment or other outdoor space.
A unique and functional design does not need to be expensive if you use cheap materials and do it yourself. Today we will have a closer look at some pallet sun lounger DIY ideas, which are the perfect solution for your garden, apartment or other outdoor space.
- Why are pallets great for making your own furniture?
- Choosing the right pallets to make your own sun lounger
- How to prepare the pallets for use?
- How to make a sun lounger from pallets
- Designing the resting area in your garden
- Necessary tools for making pallet sun loungers
- How to make a pallet sun lounger – summary
Why are pallets great for making your own furniture?
A current trend in home and garden furniture is using wooden pallets. This is not only an ecological solution, letting you re-use existing materials, but is will also let you create a minimalist, Scandinavian feel. The low price of such material (if any!) also plays a significant role. Used pallets can be purchased for as little as €5.00. Damaged pallets, which will often still be suitable for hand-made wooden furniture, are sometimes even available for free. You could start off by asking around, for example in hardware shops, or you could also search online.
Choosing the right pallets to make your own sun lounger
Across Europe, including the UK, the most widely used pallets are Euro pallets. The Euro pallet size is usually 1200mm x 800mm with a height of 144mm, although other some slightly different sizes are available Their permissible load is max. 1500 kg. Other commonly used types of pallets are, for example: EUR 6 – 800 × 600 × 144 mm and EUR 2 – 1200 × 100 × 144 mm. Therefore, to make your life easier, try to use commonly available types. This is easy to check, because the symbol of a given type is stamped on the side of the pallet with a special seal.
Thanks to such standardisation, it will be easy for you to match individual pallets, creating stable and solid structures. Furniture is not the only thing they can be used for. If you are wondering how to make wooden steps onto your patio, appropriately cut and stacked pallets are perfect for this purpose.
When looking for pallets with DIY in mind, slightly damaged pieces will usually be fine. They are usually easy to fix, and any loss of load-bearing capacity will be of little importance in the case of home use. You should, however, avoid pallets that show traces of oil or other unknown substances. These could be, for example, residues of harmful plant protection products or chemical reactions.
How to prepare the pallets for use?
After getting your hands on the pallets you need, you should prepare them for further processing. Start off by thoroughly vacuuming them and cleaning them, for example, of paint residues. The surfaces of the boards should then be smoothed. How to properly sand wood? Ideally you should do this with a grinder, polisher or sandpaper. This is important as it will help to get rid of splinters. Larger defects should be filled with putty, and broken pallets should be nailed down, using similar pieces of wood you have lying around or from other pallets. You should try to do this “from the inside” so that the seating surface is as smooth and flat as possible. You should then:
- impregnate them with a colourless wood impregnation, which will protect the pallets against rotting and pests,
- apply a primer coat so that the paint sticks better,
- paint them in a chosen colour – you should repeat this activity 2-3 times, using a good quality roller or paintbrush.
How to make a sun lounger from pallets
You can then proceed to join the pallets together. To ensure that the structure is stable and holds together well, it is best to use angle brackets or flat bars. Attach them to the side or bottom of the pallets. They will then be less visible and minimise the risk of injury, e.g. catching your hand on the edge of one of the bars. You can also screw the pallets together. Using only nails is not recommended, as they tend to bend or even slide out under the influence of the weight of the structure.
The final shape of your piece of furniture really depends on you. You could, for example, use 2 pallets placed on top of each other and 2 placed vertically as a backrest. If you feel this is too high, we could cut the pallets by approx. 40% (by the middle reinforcing beam). Finally, you could enhance the comfort of use by equipping your sun loungers with additional features, such as drawers or swivel wheels with brakes.
Designing the resting area in your garden
How to design your garden so that you can use your home-made furniture for many years? If you want to fully protect your Euro pallet sun loungers, avoid using them in places with excessive moisture. The perfect place would be a roofed patio or under a garden umbrella. A good idea would also be to place them on a slightly-sloped concrete surface (an angle of 1-2% makes it easier for water to drain off), a paved surface or a bed of stones. Standard bricks will also work well. With the latter solution you can even place your pallets on damp soil or on a lawn.
And nothing is to stop you from being even more creative, for example putting sand on the surface you have chosen. If you then additionally paint the pallets white you will achieve a summer, beach feel. Pallet sun loungers can also be placed under trees or in other shaded areas.
Whether you are looking for the optimal position in the sun or want to read a book under an umbrella: With this rattan beige sunbed with an adjustable backrest or this beige sunbed with steel frame you can enjoy sunny days just the way you like it! This elegant and functional adjustable backrest steel or aluminium frame sunbed easily adapts to any environment and lets you relax in the sun.
You can also use pallets to create all kinds of tables, swings, green walls, raised pallet beds and armchairs. An advantage of this type of structure is that they can easily be combined with other elements and rearranged depending on your needs. Your creativity is the limit!
Necessary tools for making pallet sun loungers
Before starting work, make sure you have the necessary tools. Your list should include such tools as:
- grinders, polishers or sandpaper for smoothing the boards,
- hammers if you use nails,
- pliers,
- screwdrivers or electric screwdrivers
- flat bars, angle brackets,
- screws, nails,
- impregnates, paint and various types of varnish.
Multifunction saws for cutting the boards will also come in handy. After constructing the sun lounger, add a mattress or pillows for additional comfort. There are currently many types of seat cushions available, especially intended for Euro-pallets (tailor-made). Try to find cushions equipped with strings, making it easier to attach them to the pallets.
How to make a pallet sun lounger – summary
Pallets are a great starting point for many creative DIY ideas. You do not need to have any particular skills in order to create interesting and functional furniture using pallets. Wooden pallets are cheap, ecological (a natural and recycled material) and provide you with endless options for use.
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