Building a garden bench from pallets

Why pallets make a sensible garden bench

A well-chosen pallet gives you thick, kiln-dried timber for very little money, and the slats are already cut to a manageable length. The trick is being selective. Look for pallets stamped HT, which means heat treated. Avoid anything marked MB, as that timber has been fumigated with methyl bromide, and steer clear of pallets with oily patches, chemical staining or heavy paint. A bit of blue-grey mould staining is harmless and will sand away.

Standard pallets measure around 1200 x 1000mm, with deck boards roughly 100mm wide and 18–22mm thick. Once dismantled, two or three pallets will comfortably yield enough timber for a bench about 1.2 metres long with a backrest.

• Roughly 3 pallets, all HT stamped and dry
• Pry bar, lump hammer, nail punch, hacksaw or reciprocating saw
• Gloves and safety glasses — pallet nails bite
• 80 and 120 grit sandpaper, or a random orbital sander

Dismantling without wrecking the wood

The quickest way to lose patience is to prise every board off with a pry bar. You will split slats and bend nails. Instead, work with the pallet on its side and cut through the nail heads where the deck boards meet the stringers. A reciprocating saw with a metal-cutting blade makes short work of it; a hacksaw works fine if you have an afternoon and a decent playlist.

Once the boards are free, knock the remaining nail shanks back through with a nail punch and pull them from the reverse side with pincers. Never hammer a bent nail straight through — it will tear the grain. Stack the good timber flat with spacers between the layers so it can breathe and finish drying before you cut anything.

Sort your boards as you go: the cleanest, straightest ones become the seat and backrest, while knotty or slightly split lengths are perfect for the frame and braces.

Your cutting list

This bench is designed around a 1200mm seat, which suits two adults comfortably. Adjust the figures proportionally if you want it longer, but keep the leg height the same — around 430mm to the top of the seat is a comfortable sitting height for most people.

• Seat slats: 6 boards at 1200mm
• Backrest slats: 4 boards at 1200mm
• Front and back rails: 4 boards at 1200mm
• Side rails: 4 boards at 450mm
• Legs: 4 blocks at 400mm, laminated from two or three slats glued and screwed together to make a chunky 90mm post

Cut everything slightly over length, then trim to a consistent size once you can see how the timber behaves. Sand each piece with 80 grit to remove splinters and grime, then finish with 120 grit. Ease the sharp edges with a few passes — this is the difference between a bench that feels crafted and one that feels salvaged.

Assembling the frame and seat

Build two identical side frames first. Each one is a pair of legs joined by a 450mm side rail at seat height and a second rail lower down as a brace. Glue and screw the joints with 5 x 60mm stainless steel or galvanised screws. Always drill pilot holes — pallet timber is prone to splitting, particularly near the ends.

Stand the frames upright, spaced 1200mm apart, and fix the front and back rails across them. Check for square by measuring diagonally corner to corner; the two measurements should match. If they do not, rack the frame gently until they do, then add a temporary brace.

Lay the six seat slats on top, working from front to back and leaving a 10–12mm gap between each. Those gaps let rainwater drain instead of pooling, and they give the bench its classic look. Screw down through the slats into the rails, two screws per slat per rail.

For the backrest, cut two uprights about 450mm long and angle them back roughly 15 degrees from vertical. Fix these to the rear legs, then screw the four backrest slats across them with the same spacing as the seat.

Weatherproofing for years outdoors

Pallets are usually softwood and will grey and crack within a season if left bare. Once the bench is assembled, give the whole thing a final sand and wipe off the dust. Then apply two coats of a good quality decking oil or exterior wood stain, working it well into the end grain, which soaks up more than any other surface. Allow each coat to dry fully before the next.

Keep the legs off damp ground. Standing the bench on paving slabs, gravel or rubber feet stops water wicking up into the end grain, which is where rot starts. Recoat once a year in late spring, and check the screws at the same time — tightening a loose one takes seconds, whereas replacing a rotten leg takes an afternoon.

Finishing touches and aftercare

A pair of cushions transforms the bench, but bring them indoors when rain is forecast. If you leave the bench out through winter, a simple cover will extend its life considerably, though make sure air can still circulate underneath.

• Re-tighten screws and check for protruding nail tips each spring
• Lightly sand any raised grain before recoating
• Sand splinters as soon as you spot them, before anyone catches a hand
• Keep the feet clear of soil and fallen leaves

Build one of these and you will find yourself eyeing every pallet on the roadside differently. It is a genuinely useful afternoon's work — cheap, sturdy, and far more satisfying than anything flat-packed.