Pallet Garden Bench Finished

Tah dah!

 Despite all of my whining this week, my bench was pretty easy to make in the end. I can't say it would have been so great if I hadn't have had a great big fence to cut up and use as the back, but with all the timber left on my plot, you can't deny me a bit of luck.

So, I had two long pallets, and I cut each one in 'half' lengthways (I cut past the blocks in the half way point meaning one was longer than the other), piling the two wider halves on top of one another. I used bits of the other two halves to make the base and spare slats to fill in the gaps.

I took the piece of fencing and had to cut a fair amount off the sides as it was *much* wider than the base. I removed the bottom slat, and then, after staring at it for some time, removed another slat. I cut a few inches off the legs so it would sink comfortably to the base of the slats. I then nailed on some batons behind where the legs should fit, to help them stay at the right angle.

I had to think of how I would fix them all the pieces of the base together. If I were making something more serious than a bench to sit and drink my thermos of  tea on my plot, I would take apart each pallet, and drill through to the next one, securing them properly, but frankly, who has got time for that? So, I used wood glue (gorilla glue! Works!) which I left overnight. I was advised to simply 'clamp' for 20-30 mins, but I didn't have a clamp and will probably never be that organised, so I just piled on what I had directly to hand to weigh it down and kept my fingers crossed, and then drilled the pallets at an angle with long, thick screws when I came back the next day. It was difficult. But I think for outside jobs, having two approaches is right.

Then I had to nail in slats for all the gaps on the seat. Very frustrating that gaps in a pallet should be different thickness. Sanded them all down. Slotted in the back.

I then got a very stylish tester to come and see whether it was comfortable. Luckily, got full approval.