Make the Perfect Pallet Daybed in 4 Easy Steps
I love reusing items to create something new! It feeds my low budget and creative juices and gives me a great sense of accomplishment! Pallets are something we can all get our hands on and they're free. They come in different sizes, different woods, different shapes. I had a growing pile of palets I'd been collecting and accumulating from various sources out behind our garage. At the same time my pile was beginning to tower, I wanted to build a couple of daybeds for our basement rec area so the kids would have a place to sit and watch movies as well as a place to sleep when they have friends over. Thus, the idea for the perfect pallet daybeds was born.
I needed a good bit of tools for this project.
circular saw
drill
reciprocating saw
hammer
orbital sander
tape measurer
additional 2X4's to connect/frame pallets
wood screws and bolts/washers/nuts
I wish my project looked more organized, but the reality is....this is the REAL way my projects always start out...much to my father's dismay!
Here is the basic order of construction..
Measure to cushions you will use to top your day bed. I used twin mattresses that measured 36"x75". Use the width to create the platform and I added 18" to the length so create an area like a side table at the end of the daybed.
Lay out your pallets and find ones of similar size.
Clean and wash the pallets with scrub brush and soapy water.
Use your circular saw to cut down the pallets to the desired dimensions.
If needed, cut and use the 2x4's to connect the pallets and/or as outter framing as necessary. I just bolted 2 pallets together as shown here:
I also used extra pallet boards to fill in spaces that were too wide on the palet, so we have a better surface to set things on.
Sand down the daybed once you have it together. I found some really beautiful pieces of walnut on one of my palets! An exciting find!
To elevate the daybed, some designs show 2 layers of pallets stacked on each other. Some designs use large castors (which I love) to give it a real industrial look. I chose to use some old 4x4 posts I got from a friend who tore out an old fence. I knew the daybeds would get alot of rough use from the kids and I didn't want them to have the option of moving on castors.
I put 2 of these daybeds together to create a sectional and I love how they turned out! World Market has great matress covers for daybeds that are easy to wash coupled with some large pillows made out of painters drop cloths. The perfect pallet daybed is easy and fun to create...give it a try!
