Have you ever been at the point in your life when there is no extra money? When you need something positive, some growth in your life, but you are saving (or just barely breaking even)? Don't let that get in the way of your ability to be creative. When Janae first shared this pallet picnic table on our Facebook Fan Page, I was equally impressed with how cute the table was AND her ability to be creative without spending much money.
Here is from Janae:
I thought about taking pictures as I was going, but I was trying to work with my son's nap schedule and didn't have extra time. Okay, who else can understand where Janae is coming from? Not just a tight budget, but no time?
I found a few pallets for free on craigslist. I really recommend using ones that haven't been rebuilt several time. The more it's rebuilt and repaired the harder it is to take it apart. Luckily I had one beautiful pallet that came apart with ease. The only problem was by the time I decided to make a picnic table out of it I had already made a pallet shelf.
The table top is 40" long x 21.25" wide. I'm sure it will vary by pallet, but I made sure the pallet notch was centered (this is where I came up with 21.25"). I left the center pallet 2x4. I didn't want to bother removing it, and I felt like it gave the 1x4s more support.

Inspirational for sure! Thanks for sharing XX
I want one! I would love to have a picnic table like that in big people size...a project that will wait until we buy our next house. Great projects!
I love that leaning bookshelf are there plans for that?
My husband works with OSHA standards and wanted me to tell everyone to MAKE SURE your pallet does NOT have a stamp on it that contains the letters MB in the series. That means it's been treated with Methylbromine which has been shown to outgas and cause illness in even small amounts. (These usually come from overseas.)
SORRY to be a Debbie-downer....he thinks most of them are probably ok. I just want my fellow Knock-off peeps to be safe!
GREAT projects, by the way!
My spouse works with Osha principles and needed me to advise every living soul to Make Sure your bed does Not have a stamp on it that holds the letters Mb in the succession. That would not joke about this been treated with Methylbromine which has been demonstrated to outgas and cause ailment in even little sums. (The aforementioned for the most part hail from abroad.) Sad to be a Debbie-downer....he thinks the greater part of them are likely peachy. I simply need my individual Knock-off peeps to be sheltered! Click Here for more information
@ Shannon, thanks for the tip! I never heard of that.
I love the inspiration of reusing the pallets.
@ Anna, would you consider making a category on the right side for free-pallets only? It seems like there could be a few pieces to add to that "collection".
WOW! Love this!
I've been eying some pallets down the street that seem to have been there a while. We just moved into a new house with a much bigger deck and our patio furniture looks so small. It would be great to have a table for the kids to eat at. Maybe I'll slip down there in the dead of night and make off with a pallet or two...or just ask the neighbors if they are up for grabs.
I second the love on the leaning bookshelf. Very cool!
[...] For additional information and pictures visit Ana White’s post here. [...]
This spring we started out with more or less the same design, for our pallet picnic table, but we ended up with a totally different design. We didn't like the idea of dismantling the pallets we found, because they were too nice and sturdy to strip apart. We ended up cutting them up a bit, and stacking the parts to create our table. See the result here: http://eriestuff.blogspot.com/2010/05/pallet-picknick-table.html
[...] is a picnic table being [...]
I am soooooo stoked to do this!! Been thinking about it all day, and I just got the approval from my husband LOL.. He told me which saws I "Could" and "couldnt" use without him watching, (worried about the baby and about me cutting my finger off) can you believe it!! LOL, but this is a start. First im doing the picnic table, I am going to have him help me shorten it to a two seater, then im doing the rolling toybox and then Im gonna make the toybox without cutting the boards and make a trundle for under our crib!!! I am so excited. Thanks for your hard work on this website!!
Here's my version of the pallet picnic table: http://thatsmyletter.blogspot.com/2010/11/p-is-for-picnic.html Thanks again Ana for great plans.
I have broken down pallets with a sawzall and a blade for cutting metal. I didn't cut the wood but cut between the slats and just cut the nails. It was impossible to try to pry apart the ones I had.
I have been looking for something like this because we need an outdoor meeting table for 4 people with laptops. Awesome thanks, will be getting this started tomorrow.
This is just awesome. Thanks for sharing. Keep up the good work.
I really recommend using ones that haven't google platzierung verbessern been rebuilt several time. The more it's rebuilt and repaired the harder it is to take it apart.