For our six month (of dating) anniversary, my boyfriend got me a power drill and saw. I'm not sure what it says about me that this was, to me, THE BEST PRESENT EVER. I was equal parts excited and (super) scared to use the saw. I had big plans to create a small kitchen table from a recycled pallet, but first I had to turn on the saw. Good news: I did it. And it's really not all that scary; just read the directions, know how the safety features work and pay attention while you work. There's probably quite a few of you reading who are totally hip to power tools, including saws. And my hat's off to you, but I also just want you to know: I've joined the club! GIVE ME A MEMBERSHIP CARD.But back to the table. I wanted to create a table that featured many different textures and colors of wood. I love the look of wood in my home, and having a pretty kitchen table is a big priority to me because I take a lot of pictures of food on my kitchen table (can I get a hey-o from the food bloggers!). So I used a partially broken pallet that we had at the shop to create this little table. I was able to customize it to fit perfectly in my tiny little dining room. My dad helped me add the slats and legs (thanks, Dad!). Here's what we did:1. Supplies:
-plywood the size of your desired table
-an old pallet (or two, depending on how big your table will be)
-legs (I used hair pin legs I bought from here)
-drill
-saw
-12 screws
-liquid nails
-sanding block
2. Remove the wood slats from the pallet. This is a good time to use a saw! 3. You need enough pieces to cover your entire table top. 4. Place wood slats on the table top in the design you want. This will be like a big puzzle. Once you have filled the entire table top, mark the edges of the slats and saw off any excess that hangs over the plywood. 5. Apply liquid nails to the slats and wiggle them into place. Allow this to dry overnight. 6. Flip the board over and mark where the legs should go. I put mine about 1 1/2 inches in from the edge. Screw the legs in place. You could also adhere with glue first (before the screws) for added support. Lightly sand the edges and top.This table is quite rustic. I like the look, but I must admit it does have a few small crevices and uneven places, making it not the most functional kitchen table. But I still love it! I am considering adding a sealer, as I'm thinking that may help with wiping down and keeping liquids from soaking in if spilled. I also like that if I get tired of my table in a few years, I can easily remove the legs and use them on a new project. Thanks for letting me share my very first saw adventure with you. Sorry I geeked out just a little…or a lot. xo. Emma
UPDATE: Sealed it! I went to my local hardware store to explain my project and find the best solution to safely seal the used pallet wood without changing the color or look of the finished table as much as possible. They recommended a heavy duty matte polyurethane. Check with your local hardware store to see what's available if you plan to create a similar project.
109 Comments
I think this would look great and function better with a glass top. Thanks for the link to the hairpin legs! I’ve been looking all over for something similar.
Love how it turned out. I would love such a present as well! I am always using my dad’s tools or borrowing them from friends. Using big tools always makes me feel kind of tough (in a good way) haha. I was using pallets as well for a prototype I was doing in university for an interactive fountain. Can’t wait to see more of your projects!
I think it would be a more hygienic table with a glass on top, but it may not be the safest thing to do if the surface is not 100% flat!
I have a question: where should I look for free pallets? Grocery stores? I’ve no idea where to find them and I want to do fun projects with them…
Thanks for the help!
-Kasey
Love it! Awesome job Emma!
BTW, welcome to the club!!!
Oh Wow this table is amazing! Love it!!
-Dorothy-
I love this! I am bookmarking this for when I finally have a long-term apartment. Keep us updated if you you figure out a way to deal with the uneven surface problem!
My mom like this, so I’d say this is an a-plus DIy. I think it’s creative!
Emma, SO CUTE! Great job! xo
Jess
Love this table Emma! The legs are great. Maybe a clear sealant would do the trick? The different colours make this table so rustic and beautiful. Great job!
xx
http://www.thrifted.ca
it looks awesome. i use ikeas sealer for my butcher block countertops. i think its tung oill and soybean oil and it works amazing and really brings out the color and depth in the wood.
Emma, be super careful with this! A lot of pallets are treated with gross chemicals! Please seal this ASAP!
This is really pretty. There is a little cafe near me that used resin to even out the table tops they made from reclaimed lumber-this way it kept the tables natural wood and allowed it to have an even surface. Which is great from a photograpy stance because glass
Is so reflective and resin is not. Good luck either way in sure it will be great!
We have a door table, & we covered it with a glass top to make the surface smooth & even– just run a few boards around the edges of the table top to frame it. Make sure they are slightly taller than the side of the table, then the glass sets right in! {Easy to get glass/plastic cut to size at any warehouse home improvement store OR find a small business willing to do it on the cheap!}
Its also easy to pop up the glass to clean the table or use it for another project!
http://aclosetintellectual.blogspot.com/
Would you get splinters from the table if you didn’t apply a sealer? But such a neat table! Good job !!! ๐
I’ve been meaning to buy some legs for a coffee table from that hairpinlegs site. This is a fun project. You might think about getting a piece of glass cut to fit over the top.
A great idea but not really functional. It would make a better garden or conservatory table for flower pots. I do like the look of it though.
Sam
http://liveandlove.typepad.com
You can use a power sander to even out the table top ๐ Great job!
That is awesome! and power tool for a present is what i dream of.. so jealous haha
http://houseofkikies.wordpress.com/
Wow, good idea! Nice table.
wow ,such an amazing idea and again, so easy to make! Definitely going to keep this idea in mind, for in the future.
http://bravebrunette.blogspot.com
so creative!
I LOVE that table!! it is so nice & different!!
{ps i also love those straws on the table! so cute!}
http://kendra-genevieve-rose.blogspot.com
super nice!
xx
http://www.ireneccloset.com
I may use this idea to build a coffee table that I am desperately in need of. Great idea to make something that’s neutral, but unique in texture and look.
– tianna ๐
http://suffocatedbliss.blogspot.com
jennifer rizzo-thanks for the tip! I like all the ideas for a glass counter top too. Or maybe I could make it an outdoor table…. hmm….
Love all the ideas. ๐
this table is magical, wish i could make one for myself
AWESOME!!
What if you were able to put a glass top (or plexi-glass?) on it? That might help with easier wipe downs and help with the uneven surface.
~Sacha
I love that table! I like the other ideas people left, about sanding it down flat, then putting a glass top on it! But it’s beautiful as is also. x
Rose Eva
Silhouetted โฅ Blog
I really love this, and can’t wait ’til I have my own place and can make something similar! There’s something so inviting about bare wooden boards ๐
Wow I am super impressed! I’m afraid of a saw as well! This looks great and actually pretty doable.
I LOVE this table! A sealer would probably be a good idea to prevent microorganisms from growing in the wood grain. It just looks so cool, I’m in love.
xoxo Sarah
theantiquepearl.blogspot.com
Awesome…this will be my first DIY when I move into my new house…but I agree, a sealant would be good to keep clean and avoid stains from spilling…
Oh I love it! IT’s perfect!
Emma, the table looks great! I built our dining room table out of reclaimed barn siding, and sanded it down a bit at the top, but I rather like the uneven surface and slightly rustic feel. I wouldn’t get rid of that entirely. ๐ I will warn you, though, that palette wood has been treated with lots of chemicals to withstand the elements, so it is not safe to eat off of the table. I would seal it with a coat of matte polyurethane to protect diners’ health, and also to protect the table from water stains, berry stains, etc.
I think the resin is a good idea that someone mentioned. I wouldn’t recommend eating off a table of exposed treated wood like pallets. It looks neat though!
wonderful idea for a porch!
http://greenwhaleblog.blogspot.com/
This is awesome! You did such a great job! I wish I had power tools. Where’s my membership card?!
I love the rustic look of the tabletop combined with the vintage-style legs, so pretty!
faye x
It looks great! And that club sounds awesome…not sure how soon (if ever) I will be joining though. I’m not that handy with a power tool. I love the different tones of wood in your table. It gives it a lot of character.
That’s an awesome idea. I love it!
love this. could you do a diy for hallway storage or a bookcase or bookshelf?
This is awesome! You could use the table for any purpose, it’s so pretty.
Love it!
One could also have a glass plate on top for more finished look :o)
Nice job, Emma! I, myself, am petrified of power saws, so I commend you for your bravery!
http://clochedeletoile.blogspot.com
What a brilliant idea! I love the rustic look of the table! ๐ And it’s just so easy to make!! Thanks for sharing this lovely DIY. ๐
xoxo
Ida
http://asplashofida.blogspot.com
This is maybe the best DIY ever. I love the table. I want one. But I think I’d need a new apartment…
Hi, I’m a newer follower but I love your blog!
If you’re going to seal it I would recommend a tung oil or bees wax finish since it’s food safe and easy to fix scratches. For the initial application just rub on the oil in thin layers with a lint free cloth like cheese cloth. To repair a scratch, warm the oil in the scratch area a bit with a lit match and rub on a fresh coat!
Lovely work! I think it would look darling with cushy chairs or a small banquette sofa!
what a great idea!i seen tables like this around but they have been so expensive to make,i never thought i could make this myself.i need to show this to hubbie – this needs to be our next project! thank you ๐
really nice nice emma!!! love the table!!! i’ve been kind of obsessed with furniture made of pallet, it looks good and they are not that expensive! love it!!! awesome! thanx for sharing!
liveonbeauty.org
xx
Paula
I love it Emma! xo
GORGEOUS! You girls have really outdone yourselves with this project. I love refinishing wood furniture, and I do recommend using something to seal it – both so you can wipe it and so that the rough beauty of the wood is preserved and safe from coffee mug and other types of stains.
i love this! question though…i see a lot of cute tutorials on pallet projects, and a lot of people warning about the treatment on the pallets – did you research that before? is there somewhere to get them where you know they don’t do that? is it something that simply sealing it can fix? i would love to do something like this, but concerned – thanks!
I too got a drill and power saw as a gift, mine was for my Birthday!!! I love them both!
Love it!
That’s a fantastic idea! You could try to do two smaller tables next time and use them to hold big pots of plants or other things that don’t get spilled in between the slits. ๐
Just discovered your blog through stumbleupon and I’ve become SO addicted to it. Your ideas are an inspiration.
Cool idea! I’m thinking it would make a great coffee table to…
http://harnite.blogg.se
OOOOooooooobsessed with this DIY, ladies. Obsessed. This is like my dream table. Emma, I feel like we progressively have more and more similar taste in everything. I am in love with this!
xo Moorea
I am SO in love with the wood pallet DYIs I’ve been seeing floating around. Have you seen a DIY wood pallet couch??? SO cool!
And a powersaw is about the BEST present eva.
Thanks!
Trish
http://www.jellybonesblog.blogspot.com
Great idea! Check out my blog: http://thechicstreetblog.blogspot.com/
Brilliant!!
http://www.creativityandchocolate.blogspot.com
awesome table legs!!!
http://mamajulesbrussels.blogspot.com
Oo I love this. I always dream about creating furniture out of pallets, but I generally just stop by my dad’s house and see what he can throw together for me instead. The tools still freak me out a little bit. Congratulations on your first big project!
This would look so cool in a back garden! Love it. ๐
http://vivikstyle.blogspot.com
really neat, perfect for my backyard!
xo
alysamadisunshine.blogspot.com
Really neat!
How adorable and rustic! Love it ๐
xo Emilie @ http://www.hungrydelights.com/
wow!! It looks amazing!!
LOVE it
This table looks absolutely incredible! I love the legs–they’re so unexpected and perfect!
Oh, I love this! So perfect!! ๐
Love this! Congrats to you for your first saw-project! Epic moment
http://www.thevagabondstudio.com
seriously rad idea!
xo the egg out west.
Great idea! I agree with a previous comment about getting it treated before eating on it. Love this DIY!
LOVE this! Looks like a lot of work, but totally worth it. So cute!
jennybodell.blogspot.com
Emma! You are so cool. ๐
I LOVE the idea of using pallets for any and everything. We made an entryway table with a bunch of them earlier this year, you can look at it here: http://wildflowerkd.blogspot.com/2012/04/entryway-table.html
Your table is so cool. I want a reclaimed wood table so bad, but we already have 1,000 million to-do’s and the table we have works so it will just have to wait!
What a great looking table! I am definitely NOT in the power tool club yet, kuddos to you!
I’ve been following your blog for a little while and have never commented but Emma this table is B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L! I have been contemplating making myself a nice wooden table for my new house when I move at the end of the year, you are definitely inspiring me to do so! I want a pretty table for the same reasons as you, my current table has burn marks on it, thank you husband (boys should not be left alone with candles). And those presents are amazing! Can’t wait till I have a space to use things like that.
I’ve been reading your blog for a while, and I love that this new one has so many cool DIY projects in addition to the delicious recipes! You’re so talented! What don’t you do?!
ah, I really like the rustic look to it.
http://www.eatblogpray.blogspot.com
xo
WOW! Iยดm speechless. The table looks amazing!! You have a special boy in your life who really knows what to give for DIY girlfriend. ๐
Very pretty.
That is so cool! I love the rusticness (is that a word) of it. good job with the saw. -Heidi http://fabricandfrosting.blogspot.no/
It looks amazing I love the look of wood in the home. So rustic!
LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS!
This is such a cute and effective way of lifting an old dowdy kitchen table, I might just give this one a go.
http://the-makingofthings.blogspot.com.au/
Great Job! Shouldn’t every girl know her way around power tools!
This project is beautiful, however it concerns me when you make projects out of pallets. Pallets are known to have harmful chemicals on them do to treatments on the wood, so that they are safe to export and import into different countries. Please make your readers aware of this, a simple internet search will give you all the info you need to be wary about creating new items out of used pallets! I don’t want to be a debbie downer, just want you beautiful ladies to not get sick! xo
love how you executed this idea–to truly make it a piece of functional art…I’ve been wanted to use pallets to build a fence—thanks for inspiring me and reminding me to get started on my pallet upcycling project…-random nicole
i’m definitely doing this, looks great.
http://coconutflavor.blogspot.com/
Most of the comments have mentioned adding a glass top, which I completely agree with!
My husband made me a wood pallet coffee table and the glass piece brings the rustic-ness and functionality together so nicely.
Love this idea!
Where did you get your chair?
You make it look so easy! Totally inspiring. I definitely think I would need a piece of glass overlay to make is not splintery though…thanks for sharing! Love it!!
http://radmagiclove.com/
Um, obsessed! I love using pallets for DIY projects. Such a great rustic, conversation piece!
Well, now I have a weekend project! Thanks for this.
http://styleminx.com
I want a power drill! Lol. Great job!
http://www.LesliMarie.com
I love the table!
Ah, I love that!
This comment has nothing to do with this post really, Although I do love this table so so much. I am in high school and I love your blog. I figured you could help me. Recently I have noticed that the notebooks that we use for school are really plain and boring. I was trying to think of ways to make them look awesome without spending a lot of money. I am also a really bad drawer so I was wondering if you guys could come up with a great D.I.Y. to make the notebooks just look unique. Thank you so so much. <3
This is an awesome DIY! I really want to do it now ๐
http://www.shreddedlace.blogpsot.com
I agree, it needs to smooth the surface. It might wound hands because of its sharp and rough skin. Great job! This is a very unique gift.
I love this! So rustic.
http://www.stainedpalette.com/
I keep telling my husband we need to do a pallet project! There is a stack of pallets at an old car garge here in town too ๐
I have been wanting to get my hands on some pallets to do some crafting with but have no idea where to look for them. Any tips on how/where to find pallets?
Looks great! My mum has a coffee table that she bought years ago that is made from scrap bits of wood. She’s promised it to me when she decides to emigrate to Spain. I love wooden details in my home too!
Where did you get the legs?
looks great ๐
Val
http://valentinaduracinsky.blogspot.com/
Love this! I want to make something like this too. I also geek out about power tools – I got my drill last christmas and felt the same way! Great job!