Great furniture ideas from wooden pallets

Wooden pallets are cheap and easy to come by.  You can probably get some for free if you live anywhere near a warehouse or a supermarket as they are usually just dismantled after several uses. Within those rugged and unpolished pieces of softwood lie a whole world of furniture possibilities for that will add flair and style to your home while saving you a few extra dollars. Whether you are an experienced do-it-yourself-er or a weekend builder, here are a furniture ideas you can try with recycled wooden pallets.

Comfortable pieces for rest and relaxation

You wouldn’t think of it when you them in their original form, but pallets can be fashioned into cosy furnishings that you can sit back and relax on. A single pallet, for instance, can be fashioned into a snug little armchair. Several pallets can be attached together to form the base and headboard of a cosy king-sized bed or daybed.

Tasteful and exciting pieces for entertaining

Guests will feel at home when welcomed into your living by a sprawling pallet L-shaped sofa with a matching coffee table. Conversations will flow easy over coffee and pastries on these stylish furniture. Got a media center with the home entertainment gadgets?  Why not treat your visitors to a movie marathon with your pallet theater room couch?  Just be sure to have lots of popcorn and soda handy.

Functional pieces for work

If you like working in the kitchen, a pair of pallets can be constructed into a fine kitchen island where you can do all your food preparation or have casual and leisurely breakfasts with your family.  On the other hand, the spaces in between the panels of your pallet desk will make great storage for your office supplies. If you are into painting, a few pallets can be made into a practical artist easel.

House painting advice from the experts

Are you thinking of giving your home a makeover by giving it tasteful splashes of color?  With these great tips from the expert painters, you too can hold the brushes with confidence and ease to create a masterpiece out of your home’s interiors.

Tip 1: Roll paint along the edges for consistent texture

Have you ever noticed that the narrow corners and areas near the trim that were painted with brush instead of a roller will have a different texture from the surrounding walls?  Using a brush will help you cut close and keep the paint within borders but running a small 3-inch roller on the surface will erase the brush marks and create a consistent and finished look.

Tip 2: Prime and texture wall patches to avoid a blotchy appearance

If you patched your wall with a filler or a drywall compound, you will notice blotches – areas with uneven sheen – once you have given it a fresh coat of paint.  This is due to the absorption of the paint by the porous fillers which make the surface look dull.  Painters call this problem “flashing.”  To eliminate flashing and create an even surface, simply apply a quick coat of primer. 

Tip 3: Cut the tape before pulling it

A well-known trick to getting a perfectly painted edge is to apply a tape along the trim then pulling it off when the paint is dry.  Pros recommend cutting slicing along the edge of the tape before pulling it off to prevent the dried paint getting torn off the wall.

Tip 4: To avoid lap marks, roll the full height of the wall

Lap marks are stripes on the wall that are formed when paint builds up in uneven layers due to rolling over partly dried paint.  To avoid lap marks, you need to maintain what expert painters call a “wet edge” so that every stroke of your roller will overlap with the previous stroke before the paint can start to dry.  Pros do this by painting an entire wall at one go instead of in sections by running the roller up and down the full height of the wall.     

A handy solution for your household waste

Your household will inevitably produce trash, lots of it, in fact.  You can buy all of these fancy trash cans and waste bins to contain them but face it: trash is unsightly.  You wouldn’t want all of your household garbage to be constantly within sight of anyone visiting your room or helping you out in your kitchen.

This solid wood tilt out trash cabinet is the perfect solution to your trash dilemma.  It is easy to build and can adequately cover the offending bin in a flash.  You would need:

2 - 1x12 @ 6 feet long

1 - 1x3 @ 8 feet long

2 - 1x2 @ 8 feet long

Narrow Hinges (the cheapo kind with flat headed screws)

Knob or Pull

2 inch screws

1 1/4 inch finish nails

2 inch finish nails

1 1/4 inch pocket hole screws

wood glue

wood filler

120 grit sandpaper

primer

wood conditioner

paint

paint brush

Assemble a box out of your wood pieces to fit your trash can.  The bottom shelf should be 2 1/2" from the bottom.  On one side of the box, attach the trim to the top and bottom areas.  From the bottom trim, carve out the footers. This will be the front of your cabinet. Leave the back of your cabinet open to make it easy for you to clean or change trash cans. Make sure that your inset door can easily fit into the opening then hinge it to the cabinet.  Test it a few times to see that it tilts out properly.  You might want to add a chain to keep your door from opening all the way. 

Place your trash bin inside and position your cabinet in a corner of the kitchen or in your room.  Now, your unsightly household messes are out of sight and out of mind.

Sew a mismatched sock snake for your little one

Do you find your drawers overrun with socks with missing pairs?  Here’s a fun way for you to clean out the old socks from your clothes drawers while creating a new stuffed animal for your little one to play with: sew a mismatched sock snake!

A fun activity for you and your child

Let your child join the fun as you create a new toy out of old socks.  Having your child help out will help to stimulate his creativity while also leading him to treasure his new toy more. Keep in mind that, whether boy or girl, your child will enjoy this activity and will proudly exhibit the fruit of his labors to his friends.

For this project, you will need:

At least ten clean socks

Sewing machine

Thread

Scissors

Buttons

5 inches of red ribbon

Pillow stuffing

Sewing needle

First, choose the socks you want to work with.  While part of the resulting toy’s appeal will come from the mismatched patterns, you might want to choose socks with similar colors or textures.  You can make the snake toy any length you wish but working with ten socks is recommended.  Try to choose socks of the same width; if this is not possible, arrange them in such a way that the smallest pieces are at the ends and the largest pieces are at the middle.

Next, cut off the socks’ toe and the ankle sections so that you have three- to four-inch tubes.  Cut the tubes along the side, ending up with rectangular strips. 

Sew the strips together, front sides facing in and one on top of the other, along the edges to create a long tube.  This will form the body of the snake toy.

To create the snake’s head, indicate where the snake’s tongue should be by folding one end of the tube in half lengthwise two times, then marking the crease with a pen.  Cut an inverted “V” at one end of a red ribbon and sew its other end to the front of the tube (the side without seams) a ¼ inch to the left of the mark you made.  Sew two buttons aligned horizontally just below the ribbon to serve as the snake’s eyes.  Fold the tube lengthwise again, with ribbon inside, and sew the seam with a ¼ inch allowance.

Turn the snake right side out.  Its eyes and tongue should be visible on one end.  Fill the snake with pillow stuffing from the other end until full.  Use a long stick to push the stuffing down the snake’s body if necessary.

Once the snake is completely stuffed, sew the remaining seam at the end shut.

Now you can watch your little one play with a new cute and slithery stuffed friend!