Building a porch with pallets is an economical way to recycle wood and help conserve natural resources. With a little imagination, you can build a porch out of pallets and save money on the lumber. Many pallets are available for free at local stores and warehouses.
Building a porch with pallets is an economical way to recycle wood and help conserve natural resources. With a little imagination, you can build a porch out of pallets and save money on the lumber. Many pallets are available for free at local stores and warehouses.
- Level the ground in the area where you are building the porch. Use a rake to move the dirt from the high spots to the low spots. Add more dirt with the shovel, if necessary, to fill in the low spots in the ground.
- Put the pallets in the desired location on the ground. Slide the pallets together until they are flush. You can make your porch in the shape of a square or a rectangle, depending on your preference. Use as many pallets as necessary to form the base of the porch.
- Lay plywood on top of the pallets to make a floor on top of the pallets. The plywood should be flush with the sides of the pallets. Add additional sheets of plywood until all of the pallets are covered. Use a circular saw to cut the plywood to fit the deck.
- Place a screw bit into an electric drill. Follow the drill manufacturer’s instructions concerning installation of the screw bit. Use the drill to drive wood screws through the plywood to secure the sheets to the pallets. Place screws about every 6 inches along the edge of the plywood sheets. The plywood will hold the pallets together and keep the porch from moving.
THINGS YOU WILL NEED
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- Rake
- Shovel
- Pallets
- Plywood
- Circular saw
- Elect
How to Make a Porch Out of Pallets
Repurposing used wooden pallets is fun, and the possibilities are endless. I have seen so many crafty creations and great ideas. But my favorite has to be the patio I built for Gusto the Airstream.
It was easy, and all the pallets were acquired for free at a local mechanic shop. You can find businesses that will love for you to take their old pallets off their hands. Be aware, however, that some people recycle their pallets.
Now, let me show you how I did it.
Instructional Overview
- Level the area that will be your patio.
- Select the best pallets for your foundation.
- Gather your flooring material.
- Lay out your flooring design to get the perfect look.
- Attach your floorboards.
- Make your finishing touches.
Step 1: Level the Area
- Start with an area that is as level as possible. Building on a slope may be possible, but it would make the process much more difficult. For this project, the site was fairly flat but did require some fill dirt for the low spots.
- Using a shovel, garden rake, or whatever tool you have to do the job, try and even out any high and low spots. You may need to add some soil or sand to fill in places and use the shovel to lower others. Once the area for your patio is level, compact the loose soil and get ready for step 2.
Step 2: Select Pallets for a Good Foundation
- Now that we have a level site, it is important to select the best pallets for a good foundation. Decide the shape and size of your patio. Select pallets by size that best accomplish the shape you want. As you can see, I added a cut-out area for my fire pit. The possibilities are wide open. Be creative.
- When selecting pallets for your base, it is important to choose the strongest and best pallets and be sure to select pallets that are the same height. (There are standards in pallet construction, but there are lots of variations as well. So measure carefully.)
- Arrange the pallets into the size and shape you chose. I used long screws to attach the pallets together for extra stability. Use your drill and driver bit to screw through each pallet to the one next to it. Once the base is complete, it’s demolition time.
Step 3: Break Apart the Pallets
- Now it’s time to break apart the other pallets and select the boards we will use for the actual flooring. I think part of the beauty is in all the variations of color and texture of the boards. Once again, selecting boards of the same thickness will give you the best and smoothest patio surface.
- Breaking apart the pallets is an art in itself. I tried a few ways to do it. Some worked well, some did not. Some pallets seem to just fall apart with a few knocks with a hammer and a pry bar, while others seemed to be permanently attached. Whenever I ran into the latter, I simply opted for my power saw and cut the outer runners off. Then I forced the boards from the remaining center runner with a hammer and pry bar.
Step 4: Lay Out the Pattern and Attach the Boards
- Now that we have a large selection of boards of different lengths and colors to choose from, it’s time to start laying out the pattern. I recommend using the 45°-pattern because it gives the best strength by crossing over the other boards. You will benefit from a chop saw or mitre saw to give each board a nice square end and to remove any split parts. Lay the boards out and allow them to overhang the edge of the pallet base. We will cut that nice and straight later with the power saw.
- Using wood deck screws or a nail gun, attach each board to the pallet base. Snug each board up against the other before nailing. Continue this process until the entire surface is covered.
- Now, using a straight edge and power saw, cut the excess off the edges to give you a perfect look.
