21 Creative Ways To Upcycle Wood Pallets For Your Garden
What are the best items to use when DIYing a project? Inexpensive ones. Or, better yet, ones that you can get for free. This is why wood pallets have become so popular among DIYers — they're easy to find for free outside of businesses (though it's best to ask for permission before taking any) and can be transformed into so many useful items. If you'd rather not go scrounging for your pallets, you can also purchase used ones from TotalPack for under $15.
Those planning to use pallets in the garden will need to make sure they're treated with heat and not with chemicals, as the chemicals could affect what you plant in them. To do this, look for the HT (heat-treated) stamp. Also, avoid any with oil stains or excessive damage, as these are obvious signs that the piece has been used extensively. Once you've found pallets that could be used in the garden, you'll need some ideas on how to transform them into something useful — here are some you could try.
1. Hanging pots
Attaching round wires to a vertical pallet will allow you to hang plant pots from it. This can be a great solution for those who only have access to chemically treated or worn-down pallets, as the plants won't be inside the wood.
2. Herb garden
If your pallet is safe for planting, you could create a small herb garden by building small planters within the rows. To remember where each herb is planted, paint the rows with chalkboard paint and label each one.
3. Color coded
Create a splash of interest and keep track of which plants are located in which areas by painting each row a different color. This is a great alternative to writing out each of the names.
4. Lounging furniture
Those who like to relax in their garden may want to create lounging furniture. Tables, chairs, benches, couches, and other items can easily be built — to make them more comfortable, add cushions on top.
5. Pair of pallets
Attaching a pair of pallets together will transform them into the perfect planter, as the herbs and flowers could be placed inside the piece. To make each plant more accessible, cut round holes in the front pallet.
6. Easy spacing
Those who want to add a small garden to their backyard or patio could use a single pallet as their guide. Plant things that don't need much room to grow in each of the rows, which will allow for perfect spacing and give your garden an orderly appearance.
7. Garden bed
To create a raised garden bed, attach four pallets together and place a bin in the center. To make this even more useful, you can hang tools or pots from the outside of the pallets.
8. Short garden box
While four full pallets could be used to create a tall garden box, some may desire shorter ones, in which case, the pallets can be cut to the desired size.
9. Flower box holder
Those who want to use their pallet as a decorative piece in the garden could paint it white and hang flower boxes from it.
10. Compost bin
The best way to reuse worn and stained pallets is for a compost bin. This will contain all your rotten produce, leaves, and other scraps in one area, which you can later use to fertilize your garden.
11. Rustic fence
Pallets can also be used to contain a garden inside an area or to form a perimeter, which would be especially beneficial for those who have small children or pets
12. Flower fence
If you want to make the fence more useful — and beautiful — you can paint the pallets white and plant flowers along the top.
13. Picnic spot
Those who like to entertain guests in their garden could create a gorgeous picnic spot with just a few painted pallets. These will act as the table around which everyone can sit and relax.
14. Decorative pergola
Pergolas can be either purely decorative or could act as a trellis for tall plants. To build this, you'll need to purchase four tall wooden planks and add pieces of the pallet to the top.
15. Plant trellis
A simple pallet standing vertically could also be used as a trellis for vines or plants that grow tall.
16. Patio garden
Using a pallet as a garden on the patio can save you space while also acting as a privacy wall between you and your neighbors.
17. Indoor garden
If you don't have a yard or patio, you could still use pallets for an indoor garden by placing them along a wall and planting your greenery inside.
18. White swing
To create the perfect place to relax in the garden, transform your pallets into a swing. You'll also need extra pieces of wood, a chain, screws, white paint, and a lightweight material for the roof.
19. Window box
While simple flower boxes in windows can look great, choosing to add a pallet to this area will allow you to grow many more plants along the side of your house.
20. Tool storage
Placing a pallet vertically along the wall of your garage or shed and cutting a hole in the top will create the ideal place to store your tools.
21. Privacy wall
If your yard connects to your neighbors, use large pallets to create a privacy wall between their space and your garden.