Rustic Pallet Trays

While editing my Island Paradise post, I realized I referenced a project I haven't shared with you yet!

Remember these?

When my mom- and dad-in-law bought some property recently, they inherited a whole slew of gorgeous, weathered, and rusty old pallets. Dad-in-law Jack hauled those babies across AZ for me, and these trays were the first project I put them to use in!

Even the backdrop for my "studio" (a.k.a. a picnic table in my backyard) was made with the very same pallets!

Disassembling the pallets was the first step. I gave it my best efforts. Honestly, I thought I'd have a nice pile of reclaimed beauty in a half-hour, tops. Not so much! I tried everything. Crow bar, hammer, sawzall, stomping on them like a certain brown-eyed two year old having a tantrum. They kicked my arse, but hey, any chance I get to see my big, strapping mountain man in action... I'll take it! Of course Trav got them apart in minutes.

The next step was cleaning them off. I was probably more thorough than I needed to be, but since I didn't know the whole history of the wood, I didn't want to take any chances. There was a generous helping of good ol' Arizona desert dirt caked on them, so I brushed them down with a stiff brush (wearing a mask of course). The second step was to sand them with a 120 grit block to get any loose and splintering pieces off. After a shot from the air compressor they were ready for another round of sanding, this time with a finer grit. I finished them off with a light spraying with diluted bleach - probably not necessary, but a little bleach goes a long way in making something feel clean and safe!

Then it was time to get making.

The pallets I used were roughly 1"x4" and four feet long, and two boards made one tray.
Here's a simple cut list for you:
3 - 1x4s at 24"
2 - 1x4s at 12"
I just cut them both in half, lined up the three that fit most snugly, and cut the remaining board in half once more. Everything was attached with my Ryobi Airstrike brad nailer and wood glue, and was a breeze!

I used the same dry brushing technique on the ones I painted that I used on my Kitchen Island (and first learned about over at Beyond the Picket Fence). It's my favorite way to paint almost everything - it's easy, it's clean, and it's quick!

I had intended to use rustic cabinet pulls as handles, but remembered these reigns that I had come across on a junking trip. There's nothing I love more than digging into my "I might be able to use that someday..." piles and finding a perfect match!

These were a hit! I only have one left in fact. I was sad to see the white one go in particular, but I'm glad that others have enjoyed them as much as I did!

Thanks for stopping by.
~Cassie

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