Recently had the pleasure to construct a simple outdoor seating love seat for amazing clients. With the upcoming warmer months, it’ll be a perfect addition to their outdoor space when hosting BBQ’s and other gatherings. I was also tasked of creating this piece with reclaimed pallets—a material which fought against me at every turn. In addition, the build had to happen soon and inclement weather was a constant threat.
As a first step, apart from searching out the average pallet dimensions, was to gather a small mood-board for inspiration and direction. Usually, a preliminary sketch would’ve been drawn up but due to the chaotic nature of pallet wood, it didn’t make sense to plan and then have to throw those plans out. Once on site, the real magic was going to happen. Sometimes, carpentry is like jazz and it’s the notes you don’t play ?
Honestly I don’t have to many progress photos since my focus was on building and staining simultaneously. Rainy weather loomed constantly and since the build-site was on a balcony and not my usual workspace, I’d have to break up the work. However, the build was relatively simple: Cut 2 pallets in half, stack them and use 2×4’s as backrest bracing.
Disassembly was like pulling teeth. The wood was dry and brittle, adding more labour to the whole ordeal. Luckily, there were extra pallets to salvage more material from, though I had to carefully extract it without cracking or damaging it further.
Below, most of the seat’s completed, but with certain sections remaining to be weatherproofed. My thought-process of building and staining was to get all the difficult-to-access recesses early, before final assembly. This would ensure a more thorough application of the weatherproof stain, and thus, less chance of moisture damage years down the line.
TIP: Have an old toothbrush on hand to get into the nooks and crannies, but also the porous end grain of the wood. The bristles do an amazing job at filling all the cavities!
The completed seating! I was really proud that legs were cut with the remaining wood, resulting in little wastage of materials. My clients were immensely delighted and excited to use their new furniture piece. Once the rainy weather finally ceases, that is… ??
If you’re looking for your own custom furniture, you can always fill out my Request form and I’ll make it my priority to help make your ideas a reality.