Soft accessories (mattresses and pillows) for furniture made from pallets

Recycling of resources and materials has recently become increasingly important. People are increasingly becoming interested in the possibilities of using only environmentally friendly things, giving new life to many items that have already served their purpose, and in general, in the conditions of the economic crisis, saving and recycling are becoming more and more popular.

Even furniture for the home, and not just for the garden, is now made by many from scrap materials. Lately, you can often see homemade interior items made from pallets when visiting someone .

These are structures used to transport goods. It turns out that it is not so difficult to make a sofa from pallets (pallets) with your own hands, and in terms of its quality it can be even better than what you can buy in a store.

DIY sofa made from pallets

What are pallets? Their features

What is a pallet? Many people already know it, but those who are far from logistics and have not encountered the transportation of various goods may not be aware that there is such a seemingly simple, but interesting and quite capable of being multifunctional design. So, a pallet or pallet is a special type of transport container or packaging, usually made of wood (but there are also metal versions), which is used during the transportation of various goods to protect and create a base for them. Thanks to pallets, storing cargo and moving it using certain technical means is much easier than doing it in conventional ways without the use of pallets.

What are pallets used for?

On a note! Pallets were invented in the USA in the last century. And the name comes from the English word “pallet”, which means a structure for transporting cargo. In Russia, most often such a product is called a pallet.

Types of pallets
Pallets are a very strong and durable structure. It is designed to easily support a load weighing up to one ton. Usually made of wood - pine, yew, larch. These types of wood are quite resistant to breakage and can last a long time. Plus they are good at carpentry work. Pallets are assembled at specialized enterprises in an automated manner, rather than manually.

Standard pallet

In Russia you can purchase two types of pallets - standard ones , produced in our country, as well as Euro pallets . Whatever one may say, the quality of the European design is still higher than that of the domestic one. At a minimum, you can be sure that the wood of such a pallet has undergone all processing, because Europeans are very strict about compliance with environmental and sanitary standards. Also, Euro pallets differ from ours in dimensions.

Euro pallet sizes

Table. Pallet parameters.

GOST 33757-2016. Flat wooden pallets. Specifications . Downloadable file (click the link to open the PDF in a new window).

GOST 33757-2016

Pallets

Where to get pallets and which ones to choose?

As you can see from the table, in addition to the quality of the material used, pallets differ only in length and weight, and even then to an insignificant extent. However, when creating furniture, experts still recommend using Euro samples, since they are easier and safer to work with.

To create furniture with your own hands, you need to take not entirely old structures and, of course, intact ones. First of all, you need to pay attention to the condition of the wood itself. So, it should have a pleasant wood color without blue. If the wood has a dark shade, then most likely the pallet was assembled from raw material and is of very low quality. Of course, it will not last long, and it is better to abandon it.

Buying pallets is not a problem

The service life of pallets for their intended purpose, that is, for transporting heavy cargo, is only 1 transportation cycle, but in general they can be used up to 3-5 times. Although, according to the rules, the pallet must be written off and disposed of after transportation. Simply put, they are thrown into a landfill. But in fact, such pallets can be bought at a very low price or even received for free and used to improve the interior.

On a note! Used pallets that have served their useful life can often be picked up, so to speak, “for pickup.” True, this “agreement” can only be achieved with small contractors - in large companies the write-off process is somewhat more complicated.

It is important to choose the right pallets.
You can buy completely new pallets in stores, but sometimes this is pointless. And obviously no one wants to overpay extra money. So it’s easier to take already used, but intact and durable ones. They will be able to perform the functions of furniture elements for many, many years to come without losing their strength.

You can buy new pallets, but why pay more?

Also, to create furniture, it is better to take pallets of the same type. For example, the same euro. Diverse ones will differ not only in quality, but also in size. For one piece of furniture you need to use designs of the same type.

Furniture from pallets in the interior

We can safely say that now pallets are not only transportation elements. There were other uses for them. These designs are used to create a wide variety of furniture for both home and garden. Moreover, working with them is quite simple - you don’t need any special skills, and even a beginner can handle the task of creating a new piece of furniture.

Sofa made of pallets

The advantages of pallets as elements for creating furniture and furniture made from them:

• high strength;
• light weight, and therefore the finished sofa can be easily moved even alone;
• ease of cleaning and care - usually the soft part of a sofa or armchair simply lies on top of a wooden structure and is secured with braid, so washing it and cleaning the wooden elements usually does not arise;
• simplicity of design and the ability to quickly disassemble furniture if necessary;
• simplicity of working with the material and ease of its processing;
• cheap pallets.

Simple sofa made from pallets

On a note! Despite the fact that we are talking about sofas, you can make a wide variety of furniture from pallets and furnish the entire apartment with objects of the same type and style. Pallets are used to make cabinets, tables, chairs and much more.

Furniture made from pallets, depending on the style and method of decoration, can suit absolutely any interior. But most often it is used in those rooms that are decorated in Asian style, loft style, eco-style. This type of furniture also looks good in kitchens and dining rooms, in private homes and country houses. Often, sofas made from pallets are installed on balconies and in recreation areas.

Sofa made of pallets - photo

More about decorating

Proper decoration plays an important role in interior design, because a simple wooden bed will not look very aesthetically pleasing against the background of modern furniture, curtains and household appliances. You need to learn how to properly decorate a bed. There are several tricks for this. If your bed has a headboard, it can be decorated with spectacular paintings or ornaments made using a jigsaw or a special burner . Paint the bed itself in the color you like, which will harmonize with the interior of the bedroom.

Pallet beds with lighting

Note! When decorating a children's bed made from wooden pallets, you can use delicate fabric to create a canopy. Silk fabric is best suited for this.

For a minimalist bedroom setting, where the bed is not only the central piece of furniture, but often the only one, pallets are perfect.
If you wish, you can mount LEDs in the headboard , thereby creating romantic lighting. They can be supplemented with hanging electric lamps - one on each side. However, it doesn’t matter what exactly you decorate your bed with. The main thing is to do it with your soul! This is the only way to achieve the perfect combination of beauty and home comfort.

A bed made of pallets is not poverty, but style

What is needed to create such a sofa?

So, let's figure out what might be needed to work with such material for creating furniture as pallets? In addition to them, you will need to get hold of various tools, as well as buy fabric and soft padding or a mattress to decorate the finished product. Tools and materials for work:

• saw, jigsaw and other sawing tools. It is easier to work with a jigsaw than with a saw;
• Sander;
• sandpaper;
• a nail puller, and sometimes an ax, which will be needed to remove nails;
• drill;
• screwdriver;
• self-tapping screws;
• metal corners;
• paint materials and brushes;
• wood primer.

What tools will be needed for the work
? Do not forget about the means to protect your eyes and hands (gloves, safety glasses), you will also need a pencil, ruler, tape measure. And in order to make the sofa easy to move, it is best to install legs under it on wheels, which you will also need to buy. However, you can get by with stationary legs. It would also be a good idea to get a construction stapler, which will help you secure the soft part to the sofa in the future.

Preparatory activities

The popularity of furniture made in eco-style is only growing over time, so many people want to assemble a luxurious bed from pallets with their own hands. Fortunately, you can find many different diagrams and step-by-step instructions for making such structures on the Internet. The process itself can be roughly divided into several stages: calculating the dimensions of the wooden product, choosing the design of the future structure and the actual assembly. Let's consider each of these stages separately.

Soft corner in the kitchen made from pallets

Calculation of the future bed with drawings

Since the design of the bed is very simple, it can be made even without drawings. But if this is your first time encountering a tree, then first it is advisable to prepare a diagram indicating all the dimensions of the bed.

Pallet bed drawing

On a note! It is not necessary to look for whatman paper, pencils and a ruler for the drawing, since you can even do it by hand. The main thing is that everything is clear to you during the manufacturing process. Many people sketch out a diagram with a pen in a notebook to assemble a bed, and this is quite enough.

Bed made of euro pallets in loft style

Material selection

Only high-quality pallets are suitable for the job, so you need to choose them taking into account some nuances. The ideal option for creating furniture would be the following pallets:

• without any damage or broken structural elements;
• without through cracks in the boards;
• there should be no rot on the wood, because the structure will be varnished. The presence of even small putrefactive spots is unacceptable.

It is important to choose pallets that are suitable for the job.
If there are knots on the pallet, this is not a problem. It is difficult to find wooden structures without such defects, so you can use them to make a bed.

Choosing a design design

A huge advantage of products made from pallets is their configuration, so when creating a bed you can give free rein to your imagination , creating original shapes of the bed. But if you don't want to deviate from standard shapes and sizes, you can choose one of the designs below.

Bed design may vary

Table. Pallet bed design.

It is not necessary to make the stock strictly according to the traditional plan. If you wish, you can use your imagination and build what you want. This is the beauty of using pallets.

Tools

To speed up the process of making a bed, it is advisable to prepare everything you need in advance. The work does not require special knowledge, therefore the set of tools is reduced to a minimum. Let's look at the most necessary tools and materials for making furniture.

What tools are needed for the job?

To assemble the bed you may need the following tools:

• set of drills;
• crosshead screwdriver;
• nails or screws for fastening pallets together;
• Sander. If you don't have it, you can use sandpaper;
• hammer;
• saw for cutting off excess parts;
• electric drill.

It is convenient to use a jigsaw.
After the structure is assembled, it will require external processing. For this purpose you may need:

• painting kit including roller and brushes;
• dye;
• varnish;
• a special primer designed for wood.

Kit for painting the structure
If you still decide to assemble a glowing bed from pallets , then in addition to the above tools and materials you need to prepare:

• extension cord (select the length based on the distance between the outlet and the future bed);
• special mounts for LED strips;
• glowing element.

LED strips
Once you have prepared everything you need, you can proceed directly to assembling the bed. Just don't forget to buy a mattress for her.

Pallet preparation

The first thing, of course, you need to buy not only everything listed above, but also the pallets themselves. And they will have to be prepared before starting work, especially if the structures have already been used before. So, first of all, you need to inspect them for damage and protruding nails. Typically, pallets require disassembly, removal of nails and then reassembly, but the boards are attached with self-tapping screws. To simplify the task, some do not disassemble the pallets, but use them in the form in which they are - that is, with nails. Only those that stick out are removed. But it is important to remember that pallets fastened with nails will last less than those assembled using self-tapping screws.

Pallet sanding

Pallets with cracked boards cannot be used - it is better to throw them away. All structures must be intact and neat. Also, dirty pallets should be cleared of debris, even washed and dried well. Of course, this needs to be done outside.

After this, the structures will need grinding and surface treatment with a number of agents that prevent rotting. The easiest way to sand is with a special machine. But when making a small piece of furniture, you can get by with sandpaper. It is also advisable to treat the pallets with a primer even before assembling the structure. This will then allow the paint to adhere better.

Orbital sander

Attention! The shape and size of the sofa must be chosen before work begins. This will allow you to determine the required amount of material, as well as decide how to properly assemble the piece of furniture.

Flaws

There are many advantages to beds made from pallets, but there are also disadvantages that also need to be taken into account. The main one is the instability of the structure to point impacts . In other words, you cannot jump on such beds, as this can cause a breakdown. Also, wooden products do not tolerate high humidity. They begin to deteriorate when exposed to moisture. To avoid such consequences, the bed must be treated with drugs that protect it from external factors.

This bed is beautiful, but at the same time unstable to point impacts.

High temperatures, in particular, have a detrimental effect on wood and pallets, so it is strictly not recommended to place finished products near a fireplace or other heat sources. But even despite the presence of shortcomings, such beds and other types of furniture made from old pallets are reliable and safe for the health of your family.

This bed should not be placed near heat sources.

The process of making a sofa with pillows

Step 1. First of all, you need to disassemble the pallets and remove all the nails from them.

Pallet dismantling

All nails must be removed

Step 2. Next, in accordance with the future width of the sofa on the pallets that will be used as a seat, you need to make markings.

Marking

Step 3. The top boards, as well as all elements of the pallets that will come into contact with human skin, must be thoroughly sanded using a sanding machine. It is best to sand all the boards without saving time.

The boards are carefully sanded

Step 4. Next, all the polished elements of the pallets need to be assembled again into a single structure, but the assembly must be done using self-tapping screws.

Assembling the pallet after sanding

Assembly is carried out using self-tapping screws

Step 5. Also, those pallets that will form the lower part of the sofa of the required height (about 2-3 pieces stacked on top of each other) must be connected to each other using the same screws.

Pallet connection for the bottom of the sofa

Step 6. Next, you need to assemble the back from separate sanded boards and one side of the pallet. In order for it to be inclined, you need to make 2-3 supports, secure them to the base, and attach the back part of the pallet to them at an angle. Also, the backrest can be completely assembled from individual boards.

Assembling the back of the sofa In our case, the back is inclined

Another photo of the process

Step 7. Now the structure must be primed, dried, and then coated with paint of the desired color. The paint will lie smoother and better if it is applied using special equipment.

Painting the resulting structure

Convenient to use the spray gun

Step 8. After this, you can screw the wheel legs in the corners onto the lower pallet under the base of the sofa.

Wheeled feet are screwed into the corners

Step 9. Next, the painted and dried surface of the boards can be sanded again.

Re-sanding of surfaces

The structure is sanded

Step 10. Next, you need to make stuffing for the pillows from a soft but dense material. You can take a small mattress and simply lay it on the sofa, but in this case the pillows are also made by hand.

The pillows will be made by hand

Making a pillow for the future sofa The pillow is almost ready

Step 11. Now, according to the size of the pillows, you need to make a pattern of covers for them and sew them. It is better to take a material that is dense and durable. On the underside of the covers you will need to sew small straps with a strip of Velcro tape, which will be needed to secure the pillow on the sofa.

Pattern of covers

Sewing covers

Ready-made case with Velcro

Step 12. When the covers are ready, the soft material needs to be tucked into them. It would be ideal if there were zippers sewn into the side of the cover, which would allow the covers to be removed and washed if necessary.

The case is filled with soft padding

The case has a zipper sewn into it, which is very convenient.

Step 13. Now the pillows can be laid on the sofa by inserting straps into the gaps between the boards.

Pillows are stacked on the sofa

Step 14. From the inside of the sofa, you need to attach the second strip of Velcro tape to the board using a construction stapler. Next, all that remains is to attach the strap to this strip. This is how you need to secure all the pillows. The back cushions are attached in the same way.

Fixing the second strip of Velcro tape This is what a finished sofa made from pallets looks like

Video - DIY sofa made from pallets

How to decorate a sofa?

You need to choose the style and design of the sofa, as well as materials for it, based on the style of the room in which it will stand, taking into account the color scheme. By choosing the right colors and fabric, you can make truly exclusive furniture that will harmonize with and complement all interior items.

Exclusive furniture made from wooden pallets

Usually, just wooden sofas made from pallets are left only if they are to be used on a garden plot in a gazebo. This is the best option, because located on the street, they will be exposed to environmental factors and will quickly become unusable if they have soft upholstery. To install a pallet sofa outdoors, simply paint it.

DIY sofa made from pallets

But in the room, especially if the sofa will be used as a sleeping place, you cannot do without soft pillows . You can make them yourself or buy a ready-made mattress and cover it with the fabric of your choice.

Furniture from pallets in the country

Sofas made from pallets, despite their apparent simplicity, can really turn out to be very beautiful and decorate a room. Moreover, they can be functional, and there is nothing to say about their low cost. So, with a little effort, you can furnish your home with very cheap, but at the same time practical and beautiful furniture.

Multilayer mattress

Multi-layer mattresses - the so-called "hamburgers" - are especially hardy and durable. They are designed for regular, increased loads. They provide minimal shrinkage even with regular exposure to a weight of 120 kg. At the same time, they are quite anatomical and comfortable. More in demand for public institutions.

Multilayer filling can also imply layer-by-layer alternation of sheet reinforced foam rubber of one of the EL brands with crushed polyurethane foam. This design allows us to obtain interesting, voluminous products that can hold their shape for a long time.