Pallet Coffee Table - In the making

Have you seen that table? The one with the gutter in the center of it, so it can hold DRINKS!!! Super cool huh? Did I tell you I am cheap and I don’t like to spend too much money? I searched high & low for a used gutter and unless I wanted to tear one of mine off it wasn’t going to happen. First of all, I didn’t need an 8’ gutter. I wasn’t going to spend more than $10 for something that might not get utilized & frankly, unless I wanted to drill it, I didn’t see a really good drainage system set in place for that DRINK HOLDER. Of course I start looking around for something else. By looking around, I mean by looking at what I had at home. Now let me get off track for a minute and let you in on something. That’s if you don’t know already.

If I don’t have the money in my budget, I do not buy an item. I do buy things on clearance when they are out of season, because guess what? It will be in season soon. Start looking at winter stuff in the summer & vice versa. If you are going to buy something on sale, it will be because you will utilize it. EXAMPLE: I love pots (not the smoking kind) the ones you plant things in; I like to organize using unconventional items, therefore buying pots for cheap will be used in some shape or form. I don’t believe in using your credit cards, we own none. I LOVE saving my pennies for trips & I LOVE creating things. This is not to say that I don’t splurge every now and then but for the most part, cheap is best & if you are on a tight budget, I know you can make something fabulous for PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR!

OK so let’s proceed.  – We needed a coffee table for our new seating area. We had a pallet & I had a $0.75 window box planter in plastic. (thanks target). Since we entertain a lot I wanted something that could hold drinks, I mean I didn't want anyone to get up & have to walk all the way across the yard to get one. They need to relax & have fun. We must have a coffee table with the drink holder thingy.

Items - Pallet, Wood, Planter (it has holes to drain the ice), Saw, Hammer, & footing of some sort (we used 4x4 cull lumber)  Plywood for shelving (optional)

Alternate idea: You could also use just round plastic pots on ea corner.

STEP 1: Choose a nice even pallet, with good structure.

The planter has been sitting outside for a few months now. Nothing that a good wash wouldn't cure.

Measure your location. I found the center of the pallet & found the center of the planter & cut the center with a jigsaw and a circular saw. I added scrap wood to fill the slots, sawed to size,screwed down, sanded then added the first layer of stain.

 

 

added another layer of stain, the different types of wood shows different amazing colors. Im in love. I cleaned & spray painted the planter & plopped it right in!  YAY!

  This project is still in the making. I stopped so I can do the garage and well, it's on  mini  hold.

 Pictures & finish product coming soon! Hopefully by tomorrow. So far the cost for the top is $4.75 (yep, free pallet, oops paint stain in garage & screws that I had all included. The spray paint cost $3 & some change but I barely used any of it & had enough to finish another project.  Technically this is less then $2 to make, if you utilize every item for another project. NOW FOR THE REST OF THE STORY!!!
I used a scrap piece of plywood to build a shelf  NOTE: because pallets come in all shapes, sizes & conditions, I was not able to match the shelf depth on ea. side. Im ok with this as I won't be utilizing both sides that much.  
I used 2- 4x4 on each side to stabilize the table evenly (my mud pit yard would not be able to stabilize a coffee table with legs)

the opposite side I used cedar scrap wood

The sides

I added scrap wood to the sides & hide the 4x4's. I kind of like the 2 tone look but I may change this later.

 Now time to add ice & drinks, or plants or whatever you want. My sad set up. I threw what we had in there. The ice lasted about 6 hours, pretty awesome! Finally melted

 

& here it is in all its glory.

 

Hopefully this sparked some ideas for your outdoor hangout place!  

Xo-Xo

~Mel