How Make a Super Easy DIY Pallet Couch (no Tools!)
Ever wondered how to make a DIY pallet couch? This easy tutorial will show you how to transform used pallets into inexpensive outdoor furniture!
Have you ever driven by a used pile of pallets and thought, “What could I make with that?”. Well, I’m going to show you the easiest possible way to make a DIY pallet couch with them – no power tools needed!
The other day I was wandering around the balcony of the new apartment that we will be downsizing to – which is actually one floor below the one we currently live in. It felt so huge and empty. We just had a few uncomfortable chairs out there. I really wanted to add some kind of furniture aside from the colorful fence with the dollar store flowers that I was planning to add.
I spotted a bunch of pallets hidden away in a corner of the house and was itching to do something with them. But the hubs was at the farm. Did that stop me? Of course not, with no tools at all I quickly made a super easy DIY pallet couch!
I had used pallets before. I had even made a drunken table with one, but here I was looking to quickly make something because my poor bones were tired after working on other projects all day. I just wanted something super easy that would allow me to enjoy this great big ol’ balcony!
What I used for this Project:
6 pallets
a saw (optional)
rope
How to Make a DIY Pallet Couch without Tools:
I placed two pallets down, one on top of the other. And another two next to those. Then I took the remaining two pallets and placed them behind the two sets. Like the backrest of a couch. In my case one of the pallets was a bit wider than the rest.
I used a saw to cut the excess off. Of course if you have pallets that are all the same size you won’t need to do this step.
I ended up switching them around and placing the one that I cut down on the bottom.
Using the rope, I tied the back of the pallet that was standing up to the top pallet which was laying down.
Now I didn’t want to have to cut my rope, so I just pulled it through and moved over to the middle section and passed the rope through the pallets again tying them together.
I did the same thing at all points where the standing pallets had a vertical piece that could be attached to the other pallets.
Here you can see how the back looks with them all tied together. Believe it or not, this was very sturdy and prevented the vertical pallets from toppling over because the ties were with the top pallets that were laying down. Had I tied the vertical pallets with the bottom pallets it would not have worked. It’s all about balance.
The front view. I then threw some old cushions on top…
… covered it with a piece of fabric and added a bunch of pillows! It also serves to add a bit of privacy. One side of this balcony is looking onto a major street.
I added a red throw to my “new” outdoor furniture to give it a pop of color and I was done! All in all it took me about 15 minutes! Did I mention fast?
The chalkboard was another “gift” left behind from the tenant who neglected to pay the rent.
Sometimes you just want a quick project with a big impact. Well I would definitely say this one fit the bill. Oh it is not perfect but for this tired lady who wants to enjoy her balcony it is so close to amazing! All in all I would say not bad for 15 minutes of work!
And if I’m feeling risque I can tuck the fabric in like this and expose the pallets on the bottom. I added colorful cushions – maybe I’ll change them up next year with some of these creative DIY throw pillow covers!
Opposite this DIY pallet couch is the colorful fence with faux flowers. Now I’ll be adding a few more things to this balcony but so far I have made a great start.
And so now I have a place to sit on this big ol’ balcony. And I didn’t even break a sweat! Nor did I break the bank! That is a win-win for me any day!
I hope you’ve enjoyed my super easy and quick pallet couch DIY tutorial. Why, it wasn’t even a tutorial. Just a small hint!
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Stunning, gorgeous and just plain perfect Mary. Using the rope to tie everything together is so incredibly clever. No manly tools needed, just the ingenuity of a very clever, thrifty woman. I love what you did here.
I was not about to let anything stand in my way! And sometimes we want a solution that can easily be taken apart if need be!
I have a little sofa outside my backdoor and I love sitting out on it when the sun is shining. I’m sure you are going to love your new outdoor sofa too! Great use of pallets.
It is such a pleasure hanging out in that space Claire. It is nice and breezy back there not hot like it is on the third floor.
I WOULD NEED MORE PALLETS AT BOTTOM TO HAVE MORE HEIGHT, I’D NEVER BE ABLE TO STAND UP.. I SEE THE PALLETS LYING AROUND FOR FREE FROM DIFFERENT BUSINESSES.
HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH THESE IDEAS? YOU ARE THE ULTIMATE QUEEN OF RE PURPOSING,
And yet it has two pallets and cushions that were left over from an old sofa. So it is quite high. But I’m sure you get the idea Baba! Take those pallets home and use them.
Mary, you’re a genius for coming up with this idea! I love it, especially with the fabric tucked in and the pallets showing.
I llike that look better too Carol. And if I want to change things up all I need to do is untie the rope. Easy Peasy!
Yes it is amazing, Mary, and so are you! This is the best repurpose idea, ever! You go, girl!!!!!
Gail who would have expected that I could come up with this after a long day of painting. Sometimes the mind works in strange ways!
Mary, I just love how you make your own kind of Happy! You are not afraid to try anything are you lady? You amaze me! I would have been lost with the saw much less the pallets! Hugs and blessings, Cindy
Cindy I have become fearless! After all what can possibly go wrong on a budget of zero? Lol!!
Mary, the Pallet Couch looks great.
I love work with pallets too.
many greetings
Uwe
Pallets are so easy to work with Uwe!!
Ok, so let me get this straight young lady…you were tired so you decided to make this?! Goodness, you’re like the energizer bunny!
I love the colors, and you were fortunate to have everything on hand to pull this together in no time flat. Of course, ingenuity and creativity played a part too :).
zxz
Haha Doreen this is the first time I’ve been called the energizer bunny!! I just needed a soft spot to lie down… but outside. What is that old saying, if you need something make it yourself! This project took me less time to make than it did to write this post.
This is super crafty Mary! In our area pallets are getting hard to come by- so many people are using them and repurposing them into all kinds of things that now places are charging for them! I even order some flagstone and there was a $15.00 charge for each pallet that was refundable if I returned them. I returned them sadly, so no couch for me!
Aww that is aweful Michele, by your estimates it would have cost me $120 for this couch. It is still cheaper than buying some of those plastic things that pass for outdoor furniture. Maybe there is a directory that has a list of places that give pallets away for free?
Mary, how clever to create a comfy couch. And if I recall from a prior conversation you don’t feel comfortable using power tools so I am so proud of you for sawing the pallet. I love pallets and everything that can be done with them. You really did an outstanding job. What a great space to take a break and relax.
That’s right Debra, unless the hubs is home I would rather not mess with the power tools. This was a super easy option and if I want to take it apart, it can be done in no time at all!
Aren’t you clever! I would have never thought to use rope to secure it all together and that’s why we call YOU the Recycle Queen! I like the blanket tucked under so you can see all that rustic goodness. And of course red being my favorite color, I’m loving all the hits of red you’ve been incorporating into this space. I hope you enjoyed a bottle of red wine with that couch *wink*.
I told the hubs it is time for a big bottle of red wine!! You know I used the rope because I’m not handy with fancy tools but in fact it serves a double purpose because nowit can be taken apart easily.
You are just to amazing, I love crates and this is such a great idea. I am actually helping someone use crates for a wedding. Should be fun.
Maria
They really can be used for almost anything. And this has to be the easiest project I’ve ever done.
I didn’t know y’all were moving! When is the big moving day? Well, Mary, you did it again with this pallet sofa! It looks so comfy, and all you did were a few simple twists of the rope. You continue to amaze me. Pinned
Florence we live in a 2 story house. We are downsizing from the big apartment to a smaller one on the floor below. No need to have so many rooms to clean since the kids are all grown up now and on their way.
Your pallet couch is amazing Mary! I have been wanting to do some pallet projects, but the hubby says I need to clear out some of my other stash first. The couch would be super cool to have when family comes over for more seating outside. I like the fabric tucked in so the pallets can show.
I also like the pallet showing, it has more of a rough, rustic look. No point in trying to hide the elephant in the room. Haha!
Mental telepathy as when we headed out on our recent trip we spent a night in Nemea wine country and I saw a pallet creation and immediately thought, “That is something Mary could make!” and you have. I will try to attach a photo of what I saw to your FB post. Love this!
Jackie I saw that photo on facebook. Haha! I guess we have plenty of pallets here in Greece. But they have become very popular in recent years because they are free! And you don’t worry about them if you leave them outdoors.
What a great way to furnish your balcony in a jiffy!
That’s it Carlee. In a jiffy! It took me longer to write this post than to actually do the project.
I like your super quick pallet bench! A great idea for summer and also a great idea if you’ll be making something more permanent later out of those pallets. 🙂
Pinned for you. 🙂
Enjoy your seating,
Barb 🙂
Exactly Barbara. I don’t need to commit to one particular set up with the easy rope tie ups.
Mary, Bravo for solving your seating problem using what you have. You are so resourceful! Nothing like relaxing outside on a beautiful day, it’s so good for the soul!
If only I would have thought of this earlier Laurie. I enjoy relaxing on that couch every evening now.
In just a few minutes you’ve created such a fun hangout on your balcony Mary, this is a great idea! I have two crates that I use as a small sofa and we love it! Your balcony is really big, so this sofa fits in perfectly, it looks really pretty!
I was thinking about your crates when I did this. I liked the set up you had but I really needed the backrest. So this idea was born. Pallets are really great and I’m guessing you can also leave yours out in the wintertime too.
Hubby and I were talking about pallet benches the other day Mary – you’ve shown they couldn’t be easier!
The easiest ever. I did this all by myself and I am not strong either. Oh I should mention that I ended up adding some rope up on top in the back to keep the backrests together. I definitely want to see your version Sarah.
Stunning, gorgeous and just plain perfect Mary. Using the rope to tie everything together is so incredibly clever. No manly tools needed, just the ingenuity of a very clever, thrifty woman. I love what you did here.
I was not about to let anything stand in my way! And sometimes we want a solution that can easily be taken apart if need be!
I have a little sofa outside my backdoor and I love sitting out on it when the sun is shining. I’m sure you are going to love your new outdoor sofa too! Great use of pallets.
It is such a pleasure hanging out in that space Claire. It is nice and breezy back there not hot like it is on the third floor.
I WOULD NEED MORE PALLETS AT BOTTOM TO HAVE MORE HEIGHT, I’D NEVER BE ABLE TO STAND UP.. I SEE THE PALLETS LYING AROUND FOR FREE FROM DIFFERENT BUSINESSES.
HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH THESE IDEAS? YOU ARE THE ULTIMATE QUEEN OF RE PURPOSING,
And yet it has two pallets and cushions that were left over from an old sofa. So it is quite high. But I’m sure you get the idea Baba! Take those pallets home and use them.
Mary, you’re a genius for coming up with this idea! I love it, especially with the fabric tucked in and the pallets showing.
I llike that look better too Carol. And if I want to change things up all I need to do is untie the rope. Easy Peasy!
Yes it is amazing, Mary, and so are you! This is the best repurpose idea, ever! You go, girl!!!!!
Gail who would have expected that I could come up with this after a long day of painting. Sometimes the mind works in strange ways!
Mary, I just love how you make your own kind of Happy! You are not afraid to try anything are you lady? You amaze me! I would have been lost with the saw much less the pallets! Hugs and blessings, Cindy
Cindy I have become fearless! After all what can possibly go wrong on a budget of zero? Lol!!
Mary, the Pallet Couch looks great.
I love work with pallets too.
many greetings
Uwe
Pallets are so easy to work with Uwe!!
Ok, so let me get this straight young lady…you were tired so you decided to make this?! Goodness, you’re like the energizer bunny!
I love the colors, and you were fortunate to have everything on hand to pull this together in no time flat. Of course, ingenuity and creativity played a part too :).
zxz
Haha Doreen this is the first time I’ve been called the energizer bunny!! I just needed a soft spot to lie down… but outside. What is that old saying, if you need something make it yourself! This project took me less time to make than it did to write this post.
This is super crafty Mary! In our area pallets are getting hard to come by- so many people are using them and repurposing them into all kinds of things that now places are charging for them! I even order some flagstone and there was a $15.00 charge for each pallet that was refundable if I returned them. I returned them sadly, so no couch for me!
Aww that is aweful Michele, by your estimates it would have cost me $120 for this couch. It is still cheaper than buying some of those plastic things that pass for outdoor furniture. Maybe there is a directory that has a list of places that give pallets away for free?
Mary, how clever to create a comfy couch. And if I recall from a prior conversation you don’t feel comfortable using power tools so I am so proud of you for sawing the pallet. I love pallets and everything that can be done with them. You really did an outstanding job. What a great space to take a break and relax.
That’s right Debra, unless the hubs is home I would rather not mess with the power tools. This was a super easy option and if I want to take it apart, it can be done in no time at all!
Aren’t you clever! I would have never thought to use rope to secure it all together and that’s why we call YOU the Recycle Queen! I like the blanket tucked under so you can see all that rustic goodness. And of course red being my favorite color, I’m loving all the hits of red you’ve been incorporating into this space. I hope you enjoyed a bottle of red wine with that couch *wink*.
I told the hubs it is time for a big bottle of red wine!! You know I used the rope because I’m not handy with fancy tools but in fact it serves a double purpose because nowit can be taken apart easily.
You are just to amazing, I love crates and this is such a great idea. I am actually helping someone use crates for a wedding. Should be fun.
Maria
They really can be used for almost anything. And this has to be the easiest project I’ve ever done.
I didn’t know y’all were moving! When is the big moving day? Well, Mary, you did it again with this pallet sofa! It looks so comfy, and all you did were a few simple twists of the rope. You continue to amaze me. Pinned
Florence we live in a 2 story house. We are downsizing from the big apartment to a smaller one on the floor below. No need to have so many rooms to clean since the kids are all grown up now and on their way.
Your pallet couch is amazing Mary! I have been wanting to do some pallet projects, but the hubby says I need to clear out some of my other stash first. The couch would be super cool to have when family comes over for more seating outside. I like the fabric tucked in so the pallets can show.
I also like the pallet showing, it has more of a rough, rustic look. No point in trying to hide the elephant in the room. Haha!
Mental telepathy as when we headed out on our recent trip we spent a night in Nemea wine country and I saw a pallet creation and immediately thought, “That is something Mary could make!” and you have. I will try to attach a photo of what I saw to your FB post. Love this!
Jackie I saw that photo on facebook. Haha! I guess we have plenty of pallets here in Greece. But they have become very popular in recent years because they are free! And you don’t worry about them if you leave them outdoors.
What a great way to furnish your balcony in a jiffy!
That’s it Carlee. In a jiffy! It took me longer to write this post than to actually do the project.
I like your super quick pallet bench! A great idea for summer and also a great idea if you’ll be making something more permanent later out of those pallets. 🙂
Pinned for you. 🙂
Enjoy your seating,
Barb 🙂
Exactly Barbara. I don’t need to commit to one particular set up with the easy rope tie ups.
Mary, Bravo for solving your seating problem using what you have. You are so resourceful! Nothing like relaxing outside on a beautiful day, it’s so good for the soul!
If only I would have thought of this earlier Laurie. I enjoy relaxing on that couch every evening now.
In just a few minutes you’ve created such a fun hangout on your balcony Mary, this is a great idea! I have two crates that I use as a small sofa and we love it! Your balcony is really big, so this sofa fits in perfectly, it looks really pretty!
I was thinking about your crates when I did this. I liked the set up you had but I really needed the backrest. So this idea was born. Pallets are really great and I’m guessing you can also leave yours out in the wintertime too.
Hubby and I were talking about pallet benches the other day Mary – you’ve shown they couldn’t be easier!
The easiest ever. I did this all by myself and I am not strong either. Oh I should mention that I ended up adding some rope up on top in the back to keep the backrests together. I definitely want to see your version Sarah.