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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Mary, this pallet couch looks super comfy and you made it look so easy to put together! Love how you used the fabric to make it a skirt but then you were also able to fold it up to show the pallets. It looks wonderful!!
Thanks Keri, I am now enjoying the fruits of my short labor every evening. I am having so much fun decorating this balcony now. And that couch really went a long way to fill up that huge space.
Fantastic idea and beautiful couch! Even with the fabric tucked in, it looks super cute and perfect for a balcony! How did you have so many extra cushions just lying around?
Mandy those cushions were from an old sofa. I ended up throwing them out. I now have a lightweight mattress from a fold up bed. It is much easier to bring indoors should it start raining.
Mary, this is genius. I have been wanting a bench/couch on the patio and this is the perfect solution. I love the colors and the look of it all. You’ve pulled it together perfectly, I hope that I can do it as well. I’m going to show this to Bruce and find some pallets! Thanks for sharing your idea. I love it.
I hope you can find some pallets. This really was the easiest project I’ve ever done Nikki. And of course the impact is huge. We enjoy this couch every evening.
I love this! I have a bunch of old pallets that I should use to make it. It looks really comfy.
I’ve since replaced the cushions with a lightweight mattress that came with a fold up bed I had. This is the best solution because I can just bring it in if it starts to rain. You’ll usually find me napping there in the late afternoon.
Great idea, Mary. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Mia.
Oh My Gosh! This is one of the most genius ideas I’ve seen in a long time. Thrifty and clever. I love it with the pallets showing off some of their natural beauty. So very cool!!
But most of all easy!! I like easy Tuula!
Mary what a clever way to hold the pallets together. You are so creative.
Easy peasy Fabiola! That’s what I like.
Wow! I can’t believe how incredible that is! And in 15 minutes? That’s crazy!!
The easier the better Gigi, more time for me to relax!
Super creative! Loving the big impact on your balcony too. You were spot on that you needed my Come Sail Away pillow..or a set of them! Pinned 🙂 XO
Won’t they look absolutely great against the blue? I can tone down the rest of the colors too.
Pallets are our best friends, right? What a great idea to use a rope to keep everything together, I didn’t do a back with mine because I felt lazy using screws and other stuff. Now I know what to do. I guess you are enjoying some family nights al fresco there.
Yes Pili, I really wanted to avoid the screws and what not. I just wanted something simple. And in the future if I want to change things up all I have to do is just untie the rope.
Almost instant furniture using stuff you already had – sounds perfect to me! I hope you got to sit down on it afterwards and enjoy a nice cold glass of something!
I get to enjoy this one every single night. Right about sunset I go down there and hang out with friends or family and we enjoy looking up at the stars. It doesn’t get any better,.
A couple years ago hubs made really nice sturdy 2 level coffee table with casters since it’s pretty heavy.
Our living room is small but since am tired of patio table been using for few years thought about sanding coffee table really well then paint it. Will be nice to have “pockets” all around to keep my “stuff” in living room. We have a single wide 16×80 mfg .home.
Was thinking we could make a pallet couch to put across back of house to go under shade cloth attached to grill gazebo.
Our deck is only 6 ft. deep by 20 ft. cross so had to buy small deck cover and had to be careful how much it cost.
So Lowe’s grill gazebo fit the project. We’re on SS.
Were going to put pergola over deck but nobody to help hubs/I build it so decided to do something else after several years. Our deck faces west so is very hot out there in afternoon. We had couple of old mini blinds we used for shade in hotter part of day and a match stick blind we used on one side. Other side is nice bushy tree
Had seen a wicker settee at thrift store but didn’t have money at time so actually was good since we have pallets to make couch besides chairs we were given. Now just need to find cushions to cover pallet couch.
See how your project inspired me?, now to inspire hubs. Going to put shade cloth between back side of gazebo shade between cover and back of house.
Where there’s a will there’s a way.
Enjoy rest of weekend. Hope you’ll be happy in new appt.
Jane thank you so much for your comment. I hope you find your cushions. What I ended up doing is taking a lightweight mattress from a fold up bed that we have. I use that now. It is super easy to carry and it has just the right amount of support. Good luck with your outdoor set up. I know you will be very happy with it once you are done.
I wonder if I could use zip ties instead of rope?
I think that’s a great idea. As long as they are sturdy and long enough to go around the pallet wood.
What a quick way of making a bench Mary and it looks much better than a pile of pallets
What I needed was a backrest. I don;t like having to sit and be uncomfortable. Also when I lie down the neighbors across the street cannot see me. haha!
What a great repurposing idea Mary!
I’ve been pinning pallet ideas for ages – the thing is – at my hub’s work they end up with lots of pallets and we’ve been storing them to use them for one of the bazillion of ideas we’ve pinned and a sofa bed was always high on the list, so eventually we’ll have one made 🙂
This one literally will take you no time at all. I really wanted something simple to enjoy now. Because I have lots of other projects in the apartment that I’m working on. So this was the simplest solution for me. I hope when you make yours you upload them on your blog.
The pallet couch looks great! I love that you used rope to tie the pallets together. You’re one of my features tomorrow at Sew It Cook It Craft It.
Thank you so much Lina.
I love how fast this is. It would be a super easy inexpensive first home couch as well. This couch just makes me want to snooze. Very well done Mary and I am sure everyone in your home is enjoying it already.
Yes it would Leanna for someone who wanted a rustic look. For indoors I would even paint it and make it look a bit more finished. But the rope idea stays.
Great project Mary! I love using free supplies, did you happen catch my pallet outdoor shower this week on Instagram? A great project, and the fact you were able to create this without screwing them together for later use as well. Thanks for sharing your project at #FridaysFurnitureFIx!
Thank you Brenda. You get that I may want to use them for a different purpose. I like have things that are versatile. I’ll have to pop over on Insta and check out your project!
You’re fortunate to have such a big balcony, Mary! That looks so cozy, it’s inviting me to take a nap 🙂
I see your husband (?) photo-bombed one of your pictures, lol. I can’t help to wonder how you dragged all those pallets up the stairs? That must be why husbands come in handy, ha. Enjoy your beautiful project!
Haha. They are actually not that heavy. As long as there are two of you to move them.
Ha! Youare too observant, he came when I was done and photographing to admire my handiwork. He was super impressed and now is enjoying that couch so much!
I know I commented on Facebook, but this is so charming I just had to pop in again to say save a space for me! 😉
Aww thanks so much Kim. I never thought such an easy project would turn out so useful.
Mary, this pallet couch looks super comfy and you made it look so easy to put together! Love how you used the fabric to make it a skirt but then you were also able to fold it up to show the pallets. It looks wonderful!!
Thanks Keri, I am now enjoying the fruits of my short labor every evening. I am having so much fun decorating this balcony now. And that couch really went a long way to fill up that huge space.
Fantastic idea and beautiful couch! Even with the fabric tucked in, it looks super cute and perfect for a balcony! How did you have so many extra cushions just lying around?
Mandy those cushions were from an old sofa. I ended up throwing them out. I now have a lightweight mattress from a fold up bed. It is much easier to bring indoors should it start raining.
Mary, this is genius. I have been wanting a bench/couch on the patio and this is the perfect solution. I love the colors and the look of it all. You’ve pulled it together perfectly, I hope that I can do it as well. I’m going to show this to Bruce and find some pallets! Thanks for sharing your idea. I love it.
I hope you can find some pallets. This really was the easiest project I’ve ever done Nikki. And of course the impact is huge. We enjoy this couch every evening.
I love this! I have a bunch of old pallets that I should use to make it. It looks really comfy.
I’ve since replaced the cushions with a lightweight mattress that came with a fold up bed I had. This is the best solution because I can just bring it in if it starts to rain. You’ll usually find me napping there in the late afternoon.
Great idea, Mary. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Mia.
Oh My Gosh! This is one of the most genius ideas I’ve seen in a long time. Thrifty and clever. I love it with the pallets showing off some of their natural beauty. So very cool!!
But most of all easy!! I like easy Tuula!
Mary what a clever way to hold the pallets together. You are so creative.
Easy peasy Fabiola! That’s what I like.
Wow! I can’t believe how incredible that is! And in 15 minutes? That’s crazy!!
The easier the better Gigi, more time for me to relax!
Super creative! Loving the big impact on your balcony too. You were spot on that you needed my Come Sail Away pillow..or a set of them! Pinned 🙂 XO
Won’t they look absolutely great against the blue? I can tone down the rest of the colors too.
Pallets are our best friends, right? What a great idea to use a rope to keep everything together, I didn’t do a back with mine because I felt lazy using screws and other stuff. Now I know what to do. I guess you are enjoying some family nights al fresco there.
Yes Pili, I really wanted to avoid the screws and what not. I just wanted something simple. And in the future if I want to change things up all I have to do is just untie the rope.
Almost instant furniture using stuff you already had – sounds perfect to me! I hope you got to sit down on it afterwards and enjoy a nice cold glass of something!
I get to enjoy this one every single night. Right about sunset I go down there and hang out with friends or family and we enjoy looking up at the stars. It doesn’t get any better,.
A couple years ago hubs made really nice sturdy 2 level coffee table with casters since it’s pretty heavy.
Our living room is small but since am tired of patio table been using for few years thought about sanding coffee table really well then paint it. Will be nice to have “pockets” all around to keep my “stuff” in living room. We have a single wide 16×80 mfg .home.
Was thinking we could make a pallet couch to put across back of house to go under shade cloth attached to grill gazebo.
Our deck is only 6 ft. deep by 20 ft. cross so had to buy small deck cover and had to be careful how much it cost.
So Lowe’s grill gazebo fit the project. We’re on SS.
Were going to put pergola over deck but nobody to help hubs/I build it so decided to do something else after several years. Our deck faces west so is very hot out there in afternoon. We had couple of old mini blinds we used for shade in hotter part of day and a match stick blind we used on one side. Other side is nice bushy tree
Had seen a wicker settee at thrift store but didn’t have money at time so actually was good since we have pallets to make couch besides chairs we were given. Now just need to find cushions to cover pallet couch.
See how your project inspired me?, now to inspire hubs. Going to put shade cloth between back side of gazebo shade between cover and back of house.
Where there’s a will there’s a way.
Enjoy rest of weekend. Hope you’ll be happy in new appt.
Jane thank you so much for your comment. I hope you find your cushions. What I ended up doing is taking a lightweight mattress from a fold up bed that we have. I use that now. It is super easy to carry and it has just the right amount of support. Good luck with your outdoor set up. I know you will be very happy with it once you are done.
I wonder if I could use zip ties instead of rope?
I think that’s a great idea. As long as they are sturdy and long enough to go around the pallet wood.
What a quick way of making a bench Mary and it looks much better than a pile of pallets
What I needed was a backrest. I don;t like having to sit and be uncomfortable. Also when I lie down the neighbors across the street cannot see me. haha!
What a great repurposing idea Mary!
I’ve been pinning pallet ideas for ages – the thing is – at my hub’s work they end up with lots of pallets and we’ve been storing them to use them for one of the bazillion of ideas we’ve pinned and a sofa bed was always high on the list, so eventually we’ll have one made 🙂
This one literally will take you no time at all. I really wanted something simple to enjoy now. Because I have lots of other projects in the apartment that I’m working on. So this was the simplest solution for me. I hope when you make yours you upload them on your blog.
The pallet couch looks great! I love that you used rope to tie the pallets together. You’re one of my features tomorrow at Sew It Cook It Craft It.
Thank you so much Lina.
I love how fast this is. It would be a super easy inexpensive first home couch as well. This couch just makes me want to snooze. Very well done Mary and I am sure everyone in your home is enjoying it already.
Yes it would Leanna for someone who wanted a rustic look. For indoors I would even paint it and make it look a bit more finished. But the rope idea stays.
Great project Mary! I love using free supplies, did you happen catch my pallet outdoor shower this week on Instagram? A great project, and the fact you were able to create this without screwing them together for later use as well. Thanks for sharing your project at #FridaysFurnitureFIx!
Thank you Brenda. You get that I may want to use them for a different purpose. I like have things that are versatile. I’ll have to pop over on Insta and check out your project!
You’re fortunate to have such a big balcony, Mary! That looks so cozy, it’s inviting me to take a nap 🙂
I see your husband (?) photo-bombed one of your pictures, lol. I can’t help to wonder how you dragged all those pallets up the stairs? That must be why husbands come in handy, ha. Enjoy your beautiful project!
Haha. They are actually not that heavy. As long as there are two of you to move them.
Ha! Youare too observant, he came when I was done and photographing to admire my handiwork. He was super impressed and now is enjoying that couch so much!
I know I commented on Facebook, but this is so charming I just had to pop in again to say save a space for me! 😉
Aww thanks so much Kim. I never thought such an easy project would turn out so useful.