Whether you are a keen gardener growing your flowers and vegetables from seeds or someone that simply plants up a few pots on your decking, having a dedicated potting area can be a real game changer. Here I show you how to build your own using 5 pallets.
MATERIALS USED:
- 5 pallets – I used 3 that are fully covered with wood and 2 that are slatted. Mine were 120 cm by 100 cm.
- Outdoor paint or clear seal – I used this one.
- Cupboard door knobs or handles
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- Screw driver and screws
- Hammer and crow bar
- Saw (circular saw is optional but useful)
- Sander or sand paper
- Paint brush
- Dust mask and gloves
- Spirit level and pen
- Tape measure
HOW TO MAKE THE PALLET POTTING BENCH
Step 1: Chose two matching pallets to make the sides and one for the desk top. I chose fully covered wooden pallets rather than slatted ones but of course you could use whatever you have.
TOP TIP:
The desk top part works best if you have a fully covered wooden pallet, so your compost doesn’t fall through.
Step 2: Turn the two side pallets upside down and carefully remove the back wooden slats using a crow bar and hammer. Remove any loose nails too. I chose to wear gloves for this to protect my hands. Put any good slats to one side as these can be used later.
Step 3: Turn the bench top pallet upside down and using the saw, trim the back slats back to the cross beams.
Step 4: You now need to cut the 3 pallets down to the right size. Using the saw, and wearing a dust mask, cut the pallets down so they are 70 cm deep. Place the 30cm off cuts to one side as these will make the shelves later.
TOP TIP:
Rather than cutting through slats, try to saw through the cross beams in between the slats. This may mean depending on the size of pallet you cut it down to a different dimension to me.
Step 5: The desk top part now needs to be cut along both sides, so it will sit on the support beams of the sides when they are standing in position. Using a spirit level measure 10 cm either side (or to the first support beam under the pallet) and using the saw, cut off.
Step 6: Stand the two sides and position the bench part onto the two side support beams. Once you are happy with this position and height, screw the pieces together.
Step 7: You now need to create a back to the potting bench. I chose the slatted pallets for this. Lay the bench upside down on the floor and position one or two pallets into position cutting down if needed. I chose to have the back coming up above the bench, so I can attach small garden tools to it. This can also be fixed to an outside wall for extra support when completed. When happy, screw them all into place.
TOP TIP:
If cutting down the back section, try to cut equal amounts from each side to make it symmetrical.
TOP TIP:
I tried a few different positions for the back-wall section and ended up with the slats running horizontally so I could attach more door knobs at the later stage.
Step 8: Stand the bench back upright. Using the offcuts, you can now create shelves with them sitting on the side support beams as per the bench top.
Step 9: To create drawers cover the underside with offcuts from step one and screw into position.
Step 10: I added another offcut to the front of the desk section to finish it off neatly.
Step 11: If you want the bench to feel slightly lighter and open, using the saw, cut down the sides to suit.
Step 12: Screw on door knobs on the back section to hang small tools from.
Step 13: When you are fully happy with the design add as many extra screws as you can to ensure it is secure.
Step 14: Sand down any rough edges using a sander or sand paper before painting. It is now a good idea to hoover everywhere and lightly wash down the wood to prepare for painting.
Step 15: Paint the whole project using an outdoor wood paint or clear stain such as decking seal.
TOP TIP:
You can now add anything you like such as signs or extra shelves. I cut a hanging basket down into half and attached on the side to store my gardening gloves and the like.
You could also make it into a bar for when it gets warmer and it is time to get the BBQ out!
IF YOU LIKE THIS PLEASE PIN IT!
This project first appeared in Take A Break Magazine. This post contains affiliate links.
