Recycling Pallets Into a Potting Bench Tutorial

This is a Pallet. You can make all things with it.

Sunny days are becoming more and more frequent, which is a BIG DEAL here in the drizzly Pacific Northwest. As soon as that sun starts shining, the sudden hit of Vitamin D causes some crazy chemical reaction of endorphins to explode in my brain and I MUST PLAY IN THE YARD.  I need the sunshine on my face and dirt under my fingernails. 
A few days ago, I took advantage of this sudden boost of energy and decided to actually utilize some wood pallets I had been hoarding all winter into a project:  a potting bench. I have always wanted one but never had the room in my previous small apartment dwellings. Plus, this was my opportunity to prove to my husband that I'm not just a crazy bag-lady who swerves off the side of the road collecting abandoned pallets every time she sees one. I WILL USE THOSE PALLETS and turn them into AMAZING THINGS, DAMMIT.  They will not just rot in a pile of Pinterest-fuled good intentions. 

So.... here is what I did.  And all of you pallet hoarders can also do something similar to prove you aren't a hoarder:  You are a collector of magic.

Potting bench, huzzah!

THINGS YOU WILL NEED:
-2 Pallets
-A Crow Bar or cat's paw
-Hammer (a regular or sledge)
-Electric saw
-Electric Screwdriver
-Screws
-Work Gloves
-Safety Goggles
-Paint and/or Wood Stain

1.) Tear apart your pallets. This is accomplished by wedging the most curved end of your crowbar under the nails and pounding it in as far as it will go with your hammer. You are trying to get the best leverage possible. Then push down on the crowbar to lift the boards.It does take some muscle and a good deal of effort, but I find it cathartic especially after dealing with a full day of toddler melt-downs....

Another way you can accomplish this is using an electric saw to cut through the existing nails like this:

Depending on how comfortable you are with a saw, it could be easier than the crowbar/hammer method.  Since my Sawzall is kaput right now, I did the crowbar method. And also because sweating to death is sexy.

2.) You will end up with a pile of the thinner top/bottom slats and 6 of the thicker support pieces (each pallet has 3 support beams). Cut the support pieces into the following lengths:
3 ft. X 2  (front legs)
4 ft. X 2  (back legs)
21" X 4    (cross supports to hold legs together and support     table top and bottoms shelf)

Since I was too involved with the building, I forgot to take pics of the frame work.  So here is a crappy pictoral diagram to explain how your pieces will be assembled:

3.) Take a 21" piece and position it just far enough down on one side of a 3ft piece to account for the depth of your table-top boards (which will be made from the thin pallet slats)to allow it to be flush. In my case, my table-top pallet pieces were about 1/2" thick, so I screwed the 21" piece 1/2" down from one end of the 3 ft. piece.

4.) Measure the appropriate distance down the inside of a 4 ft. leg so that your 21" connecting piece will be level. Screw in place.  The finished thing should look like this (with the exception of being a crappy picture): 

5.) Repeat Step #4 for the other side of your table. Remember to make it a MIRROR IMAGE of the one that you just completed so that all 21" pieces will be positioned towards the center of your table.

6.) Now you're going to make the table top and lower shelf using the thin pallet slats. Depending on how wide you want your table, you may need to cut the slats down from their existing 40"  length. I needed my table to be 30" wide, so I ended up cutting them.
 Take the thin pallet slats and position them along one top 21" connecting piece. Screw down the ends into the 21" piece. Take the other leg-frame and screw the opposite sides of the thin top-pieces down the length of the second top 21" connecting piece.  (you may need a helper to hold the leg pieces in place while you do this).  Now, the leg frames should be connected by the slats.

Top of potting bench

Under-view of the potting bench top to show how 21" support boards are connected to legs, and how slats rest on top.

7.) Repeat step 6 for the bottom shelf.

8.) Make the top shelf by laying a remaining slat flat across the tops of the 4 ft. leg-pieces. Screw each end in place. You can use another to run along the back of that shelf to create a "lip" if you would like, but it is not necessary. I just think it looks more aesthetically pleasing and helps items from falling off the back.

Front of upper shelf

Back of Upper Shelf

9.) Paint and/or stain as desired.  You are done!

SOME NOTES:
My potting bench has a height of 3 ft. because that is what is comfortable for me while standing and potting. You may, of course, adjust the height to your needs.  The same goes for the depth of 21" and width of 30"... it's what fit comfortably on the space on my porch.  Your table could easily be made deeper and wider as needed. Keep in mind that wider benches may need a central support beam to keep them from sagging under heavier items. Happy building!