Make The Perfect Table For Gardening Tasks From Wood Pallets

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A good garden table is invaluable. It can be a station for potting plants or cuttings or a place to prepare seed trays, and it can provide convenient storage for pots and tools. In essence, it's a hub for all those important gardening prep jobs. There are lots of different types and sizes, including a great IKEA hack for a stylish potting bench that repurposes a cart. However, if you're looking for something a bit more budget friendly and robust, you might want to try making a gardening table using wood pallets.

Over on Instagram, content creator Patrick Vernuccio, who goes by thefrenchiegardener, takes us step by step through a quick and easy build that uses just a few basic tools and only three pallets. The result is strong, versatile, and something you won't mind dirt being spilled on or getting bumped around on occasion. Patrick tells us that when not gardening, he also uses it as an outdoor work desk, so he gets even more value for money out of the project.

There should be plenty of places to find free pallets near you, so try and avoid those that are in poor condition. Look for the initials "HT," which show the pallet was heat treated against parasites and insects. Avoid those marked "MB", as they've been treated by a highly toxic chemical, methyl bromide.

Making the main structure is straightforward, but watch out for splinters. You may want to wear gloves. The two pallets for the legs are cut almost in half, leaving short uprights to secure the top. Patrick uses a jigsaw, but a circular saw or handsaw would be fine. He then stands them upright and simply nails them to a third whole pallet used for the top. Long screws are an alternative, giving a stronger hold. Patrick adds wheels, like the ASHGOOB 3-inch Heavy-Duty Casters With Brakes, making the table easy to move around. A piece of plywood could be screwed on for a smoother top, but it would need to be sealed to prevent dirt or water damage.

To add a potting or seeding area, Patrick removes a section of board, covers it with wire mesh, and hangs a bucket underneath to catch any soil or compost that overflows. Spare plastic pots or hooks can be screwed to the side to store frequently used tools. Voila, as thefrenchiegardener might say. By the way, don't throw away the offcuts. They can help you save even more money by coming in handy for a number of unique small wood pallet projects around the home and garden.