Size and load decide which crate to build: a small slat crate is an afternoon’s work, while the rolling black crate and the criss-cross braced crates need casters, screws or braces to hold up under weight.
The ideas run from a planter box and a pet bed to a black crate on wheels, so there is a build here for most spare afternoons.
1. DIY Wooden Crate
Pallet slats are cheap lumber with a lot of character, and a crate is the simplest way to put them to work.
Three sizes like these cover most jobs: a big one for firewood or toys, a mid-size for shoes, a small one for tools.
Cut every slat to length first, then build the sides before joining them.
Sand the rough faces, since raw pallet wood splinters easily. Leave it bare for a light look, or add a clear finish.
2. Nested Crates
Four crates that tuck inside one another take up the floor space of one, and that is the whole appeal for a small house.
Each size needs its own cut list, so make the smallest first and size the next one up around it.
Leave a little gap between neighbors or they will jam.
The round handle cutouts help here, because a hand hole lets you pull a stuck crate free. Drill them with a hole saw, then sand the edges smooth.
3. Small Crate
A small crate with handle cutouts is the best afternoon project here, since it takes only a few slats and goes together fast.
I would leave one unfinished while you decide what it will hold.
Sand the cutouts well, since that is where your hand goes. Later you can stain, paint, or wax it to match its job.
4. Pallet Crate Planter Box
Long and shallow, a pallet slat planter sits well on top of other pallets, which lifts it off the grass and saves your back at planting time. Build it as an open-topped box, then fill it with garden soil.
Stand it where you want it before filling, because a box full of soil will not move easily. Add the soil by the bucketful and level it with your hands, which packs it gently without crushing the roots.
5. Pallet Crate Pet Bed
2 stacked crates make a cat bed with an upstairs and a downstairs, and cats like having both. Fit each level with a cushion, grey or any color that suits your room, cut to the crate’s inside dimensions.
Sand every edge and corner until nothing catches fur. Set the stack against a wall so it cannot tip, and screw the 2 crates together before any cat climbs in.
6. Rolling Black Pallet Crate
Casters turn a plain slatted crate into storage you can roll wherever it is needed. Black paint covers the mismatched grain of reclaimed pallet wood, so the crate looks like one finished piece.
Screw one caster into each bottom corner, using screws short enough not to poke through.
Choose wheels rated well above the load you plan to carry. Two that lock are worth the extra cost on a tile floor, where a crate tends to drift.
7. Criss-Cross Braced Pallet Crates
Diagonal braces crossing the sides turn a slatted crate into a stiff, heavy-duty box, and they are what I would add if the crate will be stacked.
Each brace ties the corners together, so the frame resists racking when you slide it across a floor or patio.
Cut the braces to fit corner to corner on each side, then screw them to every slat they cross. Pre-drill near the ends so reclaimed wood does not split.
Stack them against a wall, as they sit here, so the pile cannot lean out. Bracing costs extra lumber and time, so skip it on small crates.
Pallet Finding Tips
Free pallets turn up more often than you’d expect, and construction sites are the best first stop.
Small manufacturers, warehouses, and industrial businesses often have leftovers they’d gladly see leave. Always ask permission before you take anything, because wood that looks abandoned still belongs to someone.
Skip the pallets stacked behind big retailers and grocery stores. Many of those are collected by an outside company that reuses them, so taking them is not as harmless as it looks.
Other places to check:
- Dumpsters behind strip mall stores are worth a look too, as long as you ask the manager before you haul anything away.
- Friends who can pull spare pallets from their workplace trash
- Craigslist and local Buy-Sell-Trade groups on Facebook
Aim for 2 mostly intact pallets near home. That is plenty for a first crate, and the slats you pull from them will be easier to work if the boards aren’t cracked.
Materials for DIY Crates
Use screws or nails made for structural lumber, since they keep the box from racking when it’s loaded.
For a slat crate, wood glue plus brad nails from an air compressor makes tight joints. Wipe off glue squeeze-out as you go, since it blocks stain later.
Sand in 3 steps: 80 grit, then 120, then 220. A palm sander smooths the rough surfaces fast.
If you want a protected finish, apply stain, let it dry fully, then spray on polyurethane. Three light coats beat one heavy coat, and a light sanding between the 1st and 2nd coats leaves it smooth.
A slat crate built this way can come in under $30, even with casters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can you get wood crates for free?
For free pallets, a construction site is where I would stop first, since they tend to have stacks of them going unused.
Small manufacturers, warehouses and industrial shops usually have extras out back, and a friend can often grab spares from the trash at their job.
What are some cool things I can make from wooden pallets?
Crates are the easiest place to start, and they come in many forms: nested sets that tuck inside one another, small ones with handle cutouts, and rolling ones on casters.
Beyond crates, people build furniture and decorative pieces from reclaimed pallet wood. A small slat crate is the quickest of these to finish in an afternoon.
