For years this corner of my house has been the drop zone for everyone’s hoodies and shoes. Not anymore. This Anti-Drop-Zone Pallet Cabinet was built in five hours and cost less than 20 bucks! I made it out of pallets and other upcycled materials. I used my original walls to attach the cabinet and save on wood.
How I built this Anti-Drop-Zone Pallet Cabinet:
First, I used 2×4” pallet stringers to frame the cabinet out. I upcycled the top of the cabinet. It was originally a piece of bar top in my dining room. It had been torn down to reclaim that space for another use. For some fun, I used some of the arched portions of the stringer boards on the sides with the opening facing up at the top (under the top of the cabinet) and the other facing down (at the bottom of the cabinet).
Next, I built very straightforward door frames, except I arched the top rail of the door for some interest. I attached the redwood deck boards to the back sides of the doors and kept them slightly shorter so that the doors sat relatively flush. Next, I filled in the sides with more red oak deck boards. I used a leftover piece of trim underneath the top of the salvaged bar top to clean up the front edges.
Anti-Drop-Zone Pallet Cabinet – Fun with Finishes:
First, I lightly sanded the whole piece. I removed all the dust with a very lightly damp cloth and then painted it sapphire blue, then allowed it to dry. To create the aged, weathered look, I applied a very scant amount of petroleum jelly on a paint brush and lightly stroked the areas I wanted the blue to show through the most. Next, I applied a white paint over the top and allowed the paint to dry. Finally, I used a rough grade sandpaper to sand the whole piece down and bring out more of that sapphire.
The best part of the project, besides the satisfaction of building this Anti-Drop-Zone Pallet Cabinet myself? I really enjoy walking by this space now. I don’t have to see everyone’s shoes and hoodies all crammed up in this corner anymore.
