How to Build Wood Shelves From Pallets

You have probably been driving past wood pallets lying by the curb, never realizing how easily you could make wood shelves from old pallets. Get pallets for free or pay just a couple of dollars. Pallets are frequently made from hardwoods, which are excellent for constructing sturdy shelving for the living room, garage shelving and shelves for garden sheds. Learn how to build wood shelves from pallets for next to nothing.

Things You’ll Need:

• Wall anchors


• 2 wood pallets


• Hammer


• Nails


• Saw


• 2-by-4 wood


• Wood screws


• Drill


• Sandpaper

1. 
   

   Locate a source of free or inexpensive pallets. There are a lot of free sources for pallets, but you have to spend a little time looking for the right types of businesses that give them away. Look for businesses that receive large, heavy bag goods or equipment trucked in on pallets. Check with farm and ranch stores, pet shops and landscaping outfits. These are the types of places that may get in a couple of pallets each week and do not want to hassle with returning them or they become damaged. Free pallets often have a split board or a missing board. 

   
   


2. 
   

   Clean the pallets. Some pallets can be very dirty, so hose them down in the backyard and allow them to dry thoroughly in the sun for a couple of days.

   
   


3. 
   

   Sand and repair wood pallets before working on the shelving project. Replace missing boards so you have at least two pallets in good condition for shelving. Sand the exterior faces with sandpaper or use an electric sander. Sand off the rough edges and splinters. This makes it easier to work with when assembling shelves.

   
   


4. 
   

   Decide if you want to leave the pallets natural or consider painting or staining them. Painting and staining can be a lot of work and many times natural shelving looks fine. You can finish the pallets before or after constructing the shelves.

   
   


5. 
   

   Attach the pallets together. Use a drill and wood screws to attach pallets on top of each other with the pallets all facing the same direction. Use a minimum of two pallets or increase the number of pallets to make a larger shelving unit.

   
   


6. 
   

   Use a saw to cut two or more 2-by-4 pieces of wood to the same width of the pallet depending upon how many shelves you are using. Place the wood inside the pallet horizontally near the top. Level and adjust the position of the board and attach it to the pallet with nails and a hammer. Repeat this process for each shelf desired.

   
   


7. Locate the studs in the wall and use wall anchors to attach the shelf to the studs in the wall.