DIY Wooden Pallet Inspired Coffee Table
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Being a student makes it difficult to afford nice, expensive furniture, so I have learned to be frugal and creative throughout my university career. Ever bought one of those Ikea coffee tables that everyone has? They’re cheap and simple to put together. I bought one for around $20, but soon got sick of the straight black lines and wanted something different so I built this DIY Wooden Pallet Inspired Coffee Table.
While visiting my sister, I came across an old, wooden blue pallet skid and thought it would be neat to bring it home, rip it apart, paint it and voila: a brand new table top! In my head, I could see how awesome it would look, that “shabby chic” kind of feel I love so much.Unfortunately, these skids weigh about 70 pounds, and with no car, it made it difficult to bring home… but I did it. This project involved a lot of physical labour, as I took the skid apart pallet by pallet and had to ensure I did not break any pieces.
For this, I needed a hammer and a crow bar. The skid was really old, and the nails were long and rusty, which made it difficult to remove them. To get the pallets off, it was a trial and error kind of job, because I didn’t need to use all of them. What worked best was to wedge the crow bar under the pieces of wood near where the nails were and pull it upwards. This loosened the nails, and the hammer took care of the rest. Once the pieces were off, the rest was easy. I put some wood glue down on the table’s surface and laid out the wooden pieces. I put some heavy textbooks on top of the wood to ensure that there was enough pressure.
After the glue dried, I painted the wooden pallet pieces antique white, let them dry, then screwed them down with deck screws to ensure that the table top would be indestructible! I loved the way the tabletop looked, but something seemed to be missing. I decided to paint the shelf of the table teal, and then I later glued down some transparent Ikea place-mats as a runner to protect the shelf.
I’ve got to say, this project was quite trans-formative and nobody would ever guess that it was once an Ikea coffee table. If you have a base structure to work with, it is so easy to come up with awesome ideas to make it unique. I couldn’t be happier with my wooden pallet table!
Sarah is currently studying Anthropology at McMaster University. She enjoys up-cycling, creating customized furniture, decorative furniture painting and any do-it-yourself projects, big or small. She is passionate about creative sustainability, by breathing new life into items destined for the land-fill.
Elizabeth Lampman is a coffee-fuelled Mom of 2 girls and lives in Hamilton, Ontario. She enjoys travelling, developing easy recipes, crafting, taking on diy projects, travelling and saving money!
What cute coffee table. Thank you for posting this neat project!
This is so gorgeous! I love the idea of recycling something and making it into something beautiful! I am entirely inspired, thank you for all of the wonderful frugal tips you have given me – I get such a great feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction when I complete DIY’s or any little way to save money in this world where it seems everything costs a fortune! One of life’s many little joys 🙂 cheers & thanks again!
What a great idea and it turned out so beautiful that I bet you could make them and sell them.I love the rustic look and the fact that you made it out of wood pallets.The bottom shelf is pretty cool too.
it is amazing what can be made out of pallets, book nooks, headboards etc.
reduce, reuse, recycle, that’s my motto
What an awesome job !
great idea, it would be perfect for the cottage or outside deck
I love this and it came out great I have pinned a bunch of pallet recycles but I would not of guess that you used a pallet to make this. It turned out great!
What a beautiful table! Way to go!
I like this so rustic & a pallet at that
pallets are easy to come by here,with have to try this
Love this! Thanx for the idea 🙂
This is the first up-cycled palette coffee table I’ve seen! Awesome! Now I just need to get a hold of a palette.
This table is so rustic and beautiful looking.You did a fantastic job.It’s nice to see those pallets being used for such nice ideas like this one.
this involved an awful lot of hard work but has transformed an Ikea table into a work of art. What a fantastic idea 🙂
I keep coming back to this table,i just love it
I just need to get a hold of a palette.
Great Job!!!!! The coffee table looks beautiful and just a little rustic too.I love it and to think the materials are free.There are lots of places to get the pallets and they are only to glad for you to take them.
Just what I need to complete my outdoor sitting area.Matches perfectly with my thrift store Adronack chairs!
What a great transformation. I like the rustic look.