Pallet ProjectsPallet Walls & Pallet DoorsPallet Wood Wall: How to Build It Step-by-step

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by Izabela

Pallet Wood Wall: How to Build It Step-by-step

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Today I’m delighted to share with you my latest pallet project. I wanted a way to add some character to my living room without spending too much money on this project. So I decided to do it with pallet wood. Usually used for accent walls, this wood pallet wall added some warmth to my living room with nice “woody” details and a kind of rustic look.

So, after searching the internet for tips on where to get free wood pallets, I could find pallet wood from builders at a construction site near my home. Then, the process was fairly straightforward. I’ve disassembled pallets and then done a little bit of sanding and staining with a specific finishing wood oil. Added few black screws, and my pallet wall is ready! :)

Step-by-Step instructions to build your wooden pallet wall:

  1. Collect enough wood pallets to cover your wooden pallet wall entirely. The number of pallets needed will depend on the size of the wall you want to cover, this may seem like a hard task, but they can be easy to get.
  2. Using a Sawzall, saw through the nail between the planks and the frame. Take care to avoid splitting the planks. We wrote an article on the eight best ways to dismantle a pallet without spitting or breaking the boards.
  3. Once you took apart the pallet planks, spray them with a 1 to 1 mixture of bleach and water with a sprayer. Then allow them to dry in the sun to kill any germs, bacteria, or critters. If you want to have different color planks (if your pallets are looking the same) for a more rustic aspect, leave some pallets outside in the sun. Wet them down again with water and allow them to dry. Then pull some in a while, continuing to age others. It will give you an excellent variety of colors!
  4. Cut the pallet boards into various lengths with a Miter Saw or any wood saw. Try to have 3 to 5 different lengths but not too much and not too short for a beautiful look.
  5. Sand the pallet planks with a wood sander (check out our best tips for sanding pallet wood). Depending on how are your pallet planks and the style you want to achieve, you’ll have to sand them more or less; how much sanding is really personal but tries to remove any splinters that could hurt you, your family, or your kids.
  6. Stain, paint, or varnish your pallet planks or leave them raw; it depends on what you want to achieve (check how to paint pallets).
  7. Assemble your pallet boards on the wall, starting at the bottom of the wall, and work your way up. I wanted to be sure that my first board was straight, so I butted the board right up against my baseboard and then adjusted it to straight with the help of a level. It is important because if you start crooked, it will just be more and more twisted as you go up.
  8. Nail boards to the wall, making sure to stagger the joints. This will gives the wall a more realistic reclaimed and rustic look. Depending on the kind of wall, you may not be able to nails directly the pallet boards on it. In that case, try to add a wood base on the wall (like in the picture below) and then nails the pallet boards on this structure.
  9. Check the planks’ alignment with a level every 3-4 rows to make sure it’s still well straight. If not, adjust accordingly.
  10. Voila! Step back and applaud your beautiful new wooden pallet wall! :)
Pallet Wood Wall: How to Build It Step-by-step Pallet Walls & Pallet Doors
Pallet Wood Wall: How to Build It Step-by-step Pallet Walls & Pallet Doors
Pallet Wood Wall: How to Build It Step-by-step Pallet Walls & Pallet Doors
Pallet Wood Wall: How to Build It Step-by-step Pallet Walls & Pallet Doors
Pallet Wood Wall: How to Build It Step-by-step Pallet Walls & Pallet Doors
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Dori
Dori

What size nails did you use? Did you use a nailer gun?

Gillian Conroy

Luke Underwood

Charles
Charles

What’s the name of the color of the oil?

Stewart Hart
Stewart Hart

Didn’t that wall have studs behind the drywall?

Patrick Sullivan
Patrick Sullivan

So the pallet wood is close to 3/4″ thick, probably thicker and the strips behind it on the walls look like they are at least 1/2″ for a total thickness of 1.5″. How freaking thick are your baseboards then?! Why not show the people that you had to, Hilda’s out the baseboards so that they match up with the thickness of the pallet wall?! You can even see the board that was put behind the original baseboard to make it thicker? This is not just slapping up pallets on a wall and calling it done!

Alan
Alan

Curious, how did you dismantle the pallets? Also why the strips of wood behind?

timtom
timtom
Reply to  Alan

Less screws in the wall and easier mounting with those strips.

Rachelle
Rachelle
Reply to  Alan

Read the entire article to get both questions answered

Kari roles
Kari roles

The wall should be painted a dark color before to hide /cover holes in the wood

Houdaïfa
Houdaïfa

Très bonne idée ! Bravo !

Quentin Williams
Quentin Williams

So cool

Tanya StHilaire

Fred Martel on peut faire ca a lappart avec le bois de palette chez vous ca couterait rien

Hayley Kemp

Geraint Powell… couple of LEDs in that and we’d be golden!

Carrie Fenoy

Girlfriend has a wall like that in her living room it looks great

Peter Mehonoshen

Glen Newman, Suzanne Newman for the shed walls

Alex Norris

Sierra Kay Evans ship lap on the cheap

Sierra Kay Evans
Reply to  Alex Norris

Yes ❤️ just paint it white and call us chip and jo

Kayleigh Burkhill

Sam Buca Webb something I thought you’d like :)

George Gagnebin

really love it

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