There are a lot of re-purposed pallet projects popping up all over the internet. I can definitely see the appeal of using free wood, and to get that popular rustic wood look, using old pallets makes a perfect match. So today I wanted to show off this particular tutorial by Ananda from A Piece of Rainbow which is a perfect beginner project, and offers some really great tips on working with pallet wood.
The most important thing when selecting a pallet is to look for the HT stamp, which means it’s heat treated instead of chemically treated.
If you’re going to be disassembling a lot of pallets you may want to invest in this tool called a Duckbill Deck Wrecker. Otherwise, you can still get away with using a pry bar and a hammer, it may just take a little more elbow grease.
After you’ve cut down the wood, assembled the pieces, and sanded it smooth to the touch, it’s time to transfer some vintage graphics to complete the antique look.
Ananda shows us how to use the wax paper and inkjet printer method which appears to work really well. One really great tip she gives us is to get the wood a little bit damp, as this helps the ink transfer onto the wood.
Finally, she finishes off the crate with a natural homemade wood treatment comprised of beeswax and olive oil.
To get the full how-to and all the details, including where to find such lovely vintage graphics, head on over to A Piece of Rainbow.
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