I built this simple lounge chair from pallet timber using basic tools and almost no purchased material. The point was not fine furniture making. It was to turn free timber into something useful for the garden.
Before you start
Only use pallets with a known, safe history. I prefer pallets marked HT, meaning heat treated, and I avoid timber that is stained, contaminated or of unknown industrial origin.
Tools I used
- Saw
- Drill/driver
- Screws
- Sandpaper or sander
- Measuring tools
- Paint or exterior finish if desired
The construction
I cut the pallet sections into a seat and backrest, built simple side/leg supports from the remaining timber and screwed the pieces together into a low lounge-chair shape.
The exact dimensions matter less than three things: a comfortable seat height, enough rearward angle in the back and a base that cannot rack sideways.
Sand more than you think
Pallet wood is rough. I rounded exposed edges and sanded all surfaces that hands, legs or clothing would touch. For outdoor furniture, that step makes a disproportionate difference to how finished the result feels.
The result
If you already have suitable pallets, this is a cheap project with a lot of visual return for the effort. I also built a potting bench from pallets using the same basic approach: design around the free material first.
