Rebuilding a Bench using Pallet Wood

In this video I show how I use a discarded pallet to rebuild a cast iron bench frame with 3/4" thick wood/with slat 40" seat. The width of each board will depend on where the holes are on the frame.
*Suggestions from WHITE VAN MAN: Go to a timber yard and ask for 'western red cedar wood' it's tough and is almost rot proof, they usually cut what size you need, get stainless coach bolts. Usually 8mm are a good fit. Clear boat varnish. Black Hammarite for the iron.
*Suggestion from Reno Tankit: To extend the life of your new bench, seal the wood with a clear sealer of your choice or paint it and pay special attention to the ends so they don't suck up moisture :)
**and a note from Ellis: you should also wear a mask when you are using spray paint:)
I have a few other wood projects you can find here:
Recycling Wood to Rebuild Cast Iron and Wood Bench
• Recycling Wood to Rebu...
Pallet Couch Pallet Sofa the Tarrou Way, Time Stamps in Description
• Pallet Couch Pallet So...
Upcycled Wood Outdoor Bench 60 inch
• Upcycled Wood Outdoor ...
How to make a Pallet Christmas Tree the TARROU way!
• How to make a Pallet C...
Upcycled Wood Easter Bunny
• Upcycled Wood Easter B...
Check out www.ProfRobBob.com, there you will find my lessons organized by class/subject and then by topics within each class. Find free review test, useful notes and more at www.mathplane.com If you'd like to make a donation to support my efforts look for the "Tip the Teacher" button on my channel's homepage / profrobbob

[@Irene-gq4jr]

Absolutely loved this project, exactly what I was looking for and your logic regarding how to fit it together is impeccable. I have two good quality cast iron bench ends, a mid-piece stabilizer and between my fiancé and I the tools to do it. The slats fell into disrepair when I rented my house out. I hadn't thought of using pallets and don't mind putting in the effort. Compared with the ready made hardwood slats for sale at £5+ per piece it means the project will be a fraction of the cost. Thank you so much for this.

[@profrobbob]

You are so welcome Irene! ...and THANK YOU for watching a taking the time to send such a nice comment...let us know how it turns out! A recent viewer suggested to seal the wood (especially the ends) to help extend the life of the wood...whatever kind you can find:) I don't know where you live but we see alot of free wood furniture and wood scraps on the side of the road...if it's solid wood you could even mix and match woods. Headboards and footboards would work great:)

[@Irene-gq4jr]

@@profrobbob We don't see a lot of roadside freebies here that would be suitable, but I have already contacted a man locally who is selling off some old pallets very cheaply. I also took it as a sign from the gods that yesterday my friend dropped off a bag of drill attachments surplus to his requirements (he knows I'm that kind of girl) that will be perfect for refurbishing the bench ends :-)

[@profrobbob]

LOVE it!@@Irene-gq4jr ...wish there was a way to see your finished piece! You also might want to invest in stainless screws to help it last longer if it's going to live outside:) Funny, my wife motto is: "if it's free it's for me!"

[@Irene-gq4jr]

@@profrobbob Man, please tell your wife she has a friend in me! I don't live on credit other than my mortgage, and a good upcycling project gives so much more satisfaction in any case. Stainless screws... goes without saying... and almost ALWAYS when it comes to motorcycle maintenance. Thanks again!

[@profrobbob]

Will do:) Sounds just like the way we live too@@Irene-gq4jr !

[@jamesjones5363]

Thank you so much for clearly explaining in so much detail all you were doing. I also found a rusty old bench a little over a year ago. i have struggled with how to do it because I want to stain using paint to create an American Flag on it. I believe with the pallets it will work out nicely. I did clean, and paint the ends when I brought it home. Now this gal is off to find some pallets. Thanks a million! JJ's wife

[@profrobbob]

You are so welcome, I happy to hear that we inspired you! Check at your local flooring stores, they usually have odd size pallets that don't recycle back to the manufacture . ...another place we look for free wood is on FB Marketplace. The flag idea sounds amazing ...send us a message when you finish it and post a picture on your home page so we can see the finished product! Good luck!

[@maryford9651]

Your video is the best one I have found. So easy to watch and listen to and you did not skip any important points while at the same time no time wasting on the obvious. So now I can get to work doing mine, my ends are pretty much identical , but I was not sure about the bracing bits. You have also given me some very handy tips that had not occurred to me the last one I did (not to mention how perfectly the pallet wood works). So thank you ProfRobBob.

[@profrobbob]

Thanks for the great review and I hope your bench turns out for you! If you can, be choosy on the pallets you get...some of them are oak and need little sanding. We even painted one we did for a friend of ours. Ours came with the metal braces...you could go to one of the home improvement stores and ask them if they sell anything that might replace it...some kind of flexible metal:)

[@rigrentals5297]

YOU HELPED MY PASS MY STATISTICS COURSE IN COLLEGE!!! YOU'RE MY HERO PROFESSOR ROB BOB!!! I also love the summer build videos.

[@RyogaEchizen]

same

[@rickykalife3708]

I really like how the use of calculations and mathematics are showed through different problems in our daily life, and you prove it, and even explain it. Thanks!

[@profrobbob]

20 years of teaching math and 580 math videos ...it's great to hear that "MATH" is coming thru the building videos I've done:) Thanks for watching and being so observant!!!

[@JackieW-w1o]

Nice work. Great detailed information. Thanks!

[@profrobbob]

Thanks for watching...glad you enjoyed it!

[@rickstergames9757]

He did a wonderful job explaining. No you don’t talk to much, your demonstration, is great for me to follow

[@profrobbob]

THANKS...are you making one yourself? ...at least there is a fast forward option for those who don't need ALL the details:)

[@nwvortex]

Loved your explanation of your build. I have the EXACT same bench. I sent it off to get sand blasted and powder coated, with a matte black finish. Using 5/4" cedar boards, which I've stained, I countersunk the holes for the stainless steel, black oxide coated hardware. I couldn't agree more: spend the little extra $ for better hardware. Hoping to assemble it this weekend.

[@profrobbob]

Appreciate all the input too...may I ask how much it cost to sandblast, powder coat, and are they applying the black flat finish as well? Is the black oxide hardware rust proof too? I counter sunk the screws on a recycled wood piece (which was NOT cedar or a hardwood) and in our case, it seemed to make the wood rot quicker:( ...too bad we can't see a photo of your finished bench.

[@nwvortex]

@@profrobbob It cost $150 to sandblast the five pieces (two end pieces and the three metal bands). I tried wire brushing it, even soaking it in vinegar to loosen things up at bit. In the end, I just had it done. The finish was a flat black. From my understanding, the black oxide is a chemical process done to stainless steel? Turns out my 1 - 1/4", 1/4-20 hardware wasn't long enough, even with the countersinking. Picked up shiny 1 - 1/2" screws the other day. At least I have the black oxide washers. Two coats of a dark stain for the slats. Was an expensive "free" bench. I like your quarter+washer spacing technique. I'll keep my eyes out for another "free" bench.

[@profrobbob]

@@nwvortex thanks for the additional info! I heard sandblasting was costly but worth it if you plan on keeping it! I get it...my wife's motto is: if it's FREE it's for me, but it does sometimes end up quite costly, but as least we get to share quality time together:)

[@Anto-kz5hk]

I did this before finding your video. Nice job.

[@profrobbob]

Thanks and congrats...these old benches are made much better and way heavier than the new ones but most importantly...we are keeping things out of the landfill!

[@FirstnameLastname-uh4rk]

Nice job. Wish I’d thought of using old pallet wood for mine. The hardwood slats on mine rotted, so I replaced them with softwood. I made the slats thicker than the original 18mm ones. By the time I’d bought the wood, glass paper, paint, brush cleaner, wood preservative, new nuts bolts and screws, etc I could probably have bought a new bench 😂

[@profrobbob]

...at least you'll know to look for a harder wood next time:) We've even found oak pallets...you just have to hunt them down...also, look on sites that share free stuff, we often find good used hardwoods there!

[@photog1529]

I recently restored two of my cast iron benches. When it came to the rust, I liked the patina so I just removed the loose rust and any bird poop, then coated each with two coats of clear lacquer. For hardware, I went with SS carriage bolts...they make for a more finished look. For wood, I went with 1" cedar (I could never find pallets that look as good as those you found lol).

[@profrobbob]

Thanks for watching and sharing ALL your great tips! I used SS on the last one we did too. Cedar is a great choice for the slats...my wife enjoys the search and finds some nice pallets for us to deconstruct:)

[@shiftyshamsk]

Nice idea and a decent bench. That's a new pallet? You'll be hard pressed to find one like that. Full of nail holes and fractures when you take it apart. Pallet wood, 9/10 is soft wood too. It'll rot out as quick as the local shop bought benches theses day's. Go to a timber yard and ask for 'western red cedar wood' It's tough and is almost rot proof, they usually cut what size you need, get stainless coach bolts. Usually 8mm are a good fit. Clear boat varnish. Black Hammarite for the iron. Good luck!

[@profrobbob]

THANKS for the tips @White Van Man...in fact, I added them to my description notes:) This was not a new pallet and it seemed like a harder wood than pine. We tend to be very selective on the pallets we use...we are just now getting ready to re-wood these benches and we DO use stainless steel bolts too...4 years wasn't bad for free wood though!

[@barcusful]

Thanks for sharing your method 😀

[@profrobbob]

Thanks for watching!

[@indianatone218]

Man after my own heart well done for upcycling ,did one on my channel ,greetings from UK.

[@kaden56]

I subscribe to a bunch of math channels and a bunch of woodworking channels. You my friend are the only one I have seen both from now!

[@profrobbob]

I need something else besides math to do in my spare, spare time...I'm glad I could be that full-service channel for someone...BAM!!! Thanks for the continued support too!

[@femgoth]

Great video. What would you suggest is a suitable replacement if you have some old bench ends but the center strap is missing?

[@michaelhou1753]

Oh I am planning to do something much similar to this! Instead of an iron, its wood so I have more sanding to do. Thanks for sharing this!

[@profrobbob]

Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoy your finished product as much as we do ours, there is something very rewarding about doing it yourself :)

[@renobtankit6019]

Pro tip for the next time you do this, you need to seal the boards and be sure to use a lot of sealer on the ends of the boards the end grain is like a sponge and will just soak up moisture.

[@joaniec4560]

Good job. Enjoy

[@blu_lemonade_2321]

Did you put a clear coat on top? Would you put the clear coat on separately or when the bench is built? Good instructions, good speaker.

[@profrobbob]

We did not show sealing on this bench but in the description we have added a few suggestions from other viewers you might refer to:) Also, since making this one we have found that you should defiantly seal the wood with something...tung oil or some type of outdoor wood sealer if you want to keep the wood natural...otherwise you can just paint it with a good exterior paint. And in our experience it would be easier to paint or finish the wood (separately)AFTER you have all the holes drilled and wood numbered in order of placement, but before the build is completed. Good luck and let us know how yours turns out!

[@joegreenwdd]

Great video ProfRobBob!

[@etet715]

Amazing job! Waterproofing might also help the wood last longer since it stays outdoor. Otherwise, you did an awesome job!! Thank you for this video.

[@guloguloguy]

WOW!!! That is a GREAT way to "up-cycle" old pallet wood! Did you do anything to strengthen, or stiffen the whole assembly, such as by adding some kind of X-bracing, or other? ...[Oh, at about 17:00 min, I noticed that there are a couple of minimally functioning angle braces under the seat planks. IMHO: This type of bench really might need more strength that the original design provided.] Have you considered having the cast iron leg-frames "Powder coated" rather than merely "spray painted"?!... There's a shop in my town that specializes in doing "Powder-coated" metal finishes.

[@profrobbob]

Thanks for watching and the feedback! Since we had no real investment in them we just choose to use a rust-resistant spray paint because the cost to sand blast and powder coat is very expensive here but a great idea if it's a piece you want to last for years! The length of the boards and type of wood you use would also determine the strength you need underneath...so far the braces that came on the original bench have held up just fine:) We also made one for a friend that had no braces so we cut the boards the width of a comfortable chair...it looked GREAT and was the perfect size for one person and didn't sag in the middle. We painted the boards white and it's been outside for a few years and it still looks good! Hope this will inspire you to try one of your own:)

[@ZENIX280]

Hey! Loved this project. I got the castiron ends from the neighbor who wanted to throw it away. I don't have the mid-piece stabilizers though, do you know what could I use in its place? I believe a strong metal piece? I could look around in the Home Depot. Thanks.

[@profrobbob]

Thanks for watching...glad you liked our project! I'm sure you could find some kind of bendable metal at home depot if you haven't already...let me know what you found and if it worked and I'll add it to the description for future viewers and mention you if you'd like!!!

[@robkyzer6695]

Great info thanks!

[@pauljohnson68]

What wood filler you'll use to plug those holes, based on mineral spirits, or water? What about wood sealer, what kind?

[@Paris16273212]

Nice video, very interesting and informative :D

[@profrobbob]

THANK YOU for watching:)

[@tommyjimenez6120]

Hi! I loved your video and I have a bench of my own to redo but no prior experience. I have some questions and would be very grateful if you could help answering them. What brand and type of black paint did you use? Did you paint anything over the wood? I thought I was supposed to stain it for protection from the elements. I have two pallets but the wood on both seems to be pine and they have no stamp on them. Would any type of pallet wood work? I thought pine was considered softwood and that I should only use hardwood. Thank you very much for any help!

[@profrobbob]

We usually use Rust-Oleum Professional Semi-gloss Black Spray Paint for metal and if it has rust use a wire brush to get any flaking paint off first....and always wipe it clean before you paint. We used a boat wood sealer on our "up cycled wood outdoor bench" video but for general wood sealer you can use linseed or tung oil to create a beautiful and protective hand-rubbed finish or a spray polyurethane, varnish, or lacquer. You might keep hunting for something other than pine. We have found older pallets that were oak but then you need it to be 3/4"-1" thick slats too. Keep your eyes out for someone taking out an old deck...that's were the wood came from in the outdoor bench video. We also found some old hardwood paneling from an old home in our neighborhood that was outside waiting for garbage pickup! Check with Floor & Decor if you have one in your area...they get rid of a lot of pallets and most of them are more heavy-duty because they are carrying heavy flooring. Keep us posted on what you find...we like hearing about other "finds" that keep all this great wood out of the landfill!!!

[@etm567]

If you had put some tung oil finish on those boards before putting them on, they would be pretty impervious to water for a very, very, very long time. Tung oil is amazing.

[@profrobbob]

Thanks for the tip and great advice for future creators. My wife wanted it to weather a bit first:)

[@wendeezoo]

I am in the process of restoring a bench like this. It came with two narrow strips of metal, similar to the one shown in your video, but I'm unclear as to how they attach to the back or underside of the bench. I know you're doing something to install them on yours, but I can't tell what, from your video. When I purchased the ends, these pieces were screwed on, exactly as they are in your video at the 1:00 minute mark. Thanks for any info!

[@oranneecadena]

Bam!

[@901help2]

Cool video!

[@profrobbob]

Thanks!

[@saasoom1]

How old is the cast iron ends. I've the exact same I'm doing , and at cutting wood stage.

[@lilianaxgonzalez]

YOU'RE THE BEST

[@profrobbob]

Thanks Liliana! I hope you enjoyed this video and it gave you some inspiration:)

[@kehindeadedara3959]

Mr. Tarrou can you do a playlist of what math topics to study for the SAT 2016, or what to learn? (btw your channel rock!)

[@profrobbob]

This is not a 100% list even for the old SAT kzbin.info/aero/PL67C119EDA6BDE946 and unfortunately I have not yet looked at the 2016 SAT test. I have been typing a BUNCH of Closed Captioning lately. Thank you for the nice feedback.

[@felixmadison5736]

Very nice work from the guy who should have his own show on PBS. LOL!!! Did you see how close you came to drilling a hole through your finger?

[@profrobbob]

LOL...thanks for the compliment and for watching! I always do try to be careful since I need these hands for my real job:)

[@lilianaxgonzalez]

YOU DA GOAT

[@wakemeupjpg]

IVE MISSED UR VIDS

[@profrobbob]

I've been working on some home projects and closed captioning over summer break:)

[@jasonhuang8068]

nice video!

[@profrobbob]

It was a fun project too!

[@wendeezoo]

I can see the piece running along the back (although my piece only has holes at the bottom and top, not all along the strip), but I'm not sure where the the other piece you're installing would go. I assumed it would run perpendicular to the wood slats as a support for the bottom, but I'm not sure that's what you're doing with it.

[@profrobbob]

The metal attached to the side of the bench is attached with a nut and bolt. The other end attaches to the underside of one of the slats of wood with a short wood screw. They run the same direction as the slat of wood and make approximately a 30-60-90 triangle... 30 degrees to the wood and 60 to the metal frame. I am just making these numbers up to try and give you a visual. They just need enough strength to keep the side of the bench from rocking side to side as you sit on the bench.

[@profrobbob]

You can get a good visual of the Geometry at 16:53 and 23:10. You get a lot of strength from the long strip of metal running perpendicular to the slats with all the holes. It makes the individual pieces of wood work together. That long metal strip has holes drilled so you can put a small wood screw into every slat of wood.

[@wendeezoo]

Ah, yes, I see now! I was a bit confused, because I do have two strips of metal, but one had been bent into a very strange configuration, which I assumed would be the one running behind the back slats. I've managed to bend it straight, and now have those two supports for the underside of the bench. I will have to work out something for the back. Many thanks for your prompt reply! Appreciate it!

[@ellisfarrell4380]

Great job but I got to say you put the mask on to cut but not when you used the spray can lol just found it funny 👍

[@profrobbob]

Good point and nice catch...you're the first to point that out in 3 years:) **I added a note in the description, THANKS!

[@ellisfarrell4380]

@@profrobbob no problem 😁 Great video helped me with my project

[@jackytang5524]

spuare root values of above results twice? Can you help for this? Please thank you.

[@markjackson6642]

I love it!!!

[@profrobbob]

Thanks!

[@lifeonearth4139]

What's the thickness and width of reeper ?

[@oscarnunez7801]

Legitness!

[@profrobbob]

BAM!!!

[@cliffcarlo180]

CHRIST!!! can this guy YAP or what!

[@leozmaxwelljilliumz3360]

Carpenter pencils are great spacers

[@profrobbob]

GREAT tip!!!! Thanks for watching and adding to the experience:)

[@monikas4656]

15 :40 you have very flexible little finger....Thanks for nice presentation.

[@profrobbob]

...and THANKS for tuning in!

[@cornishplanthunters4768]

great

[@profrobbob]

:)

[@ONEMUNEEB]

why did you use a saw to cut the screw off instead of unscrewing it?

[@profrobbob]

It was frozen and would NOT unscrew.

[@ONEMUNEEB]

Then why didn't you microwave it?

[@spicynomad]

what is the weight limit on this bench?

[@profrobbob]

While no engineering tests have been conducted, it does hold 2 adults... if the pallet wood is thick! They vary wildly.

[@lifeonearth4139]

What's the size of screw(thickness & length)?

[@redkingizaya1206]

interesting vid

[@profrobbob]

:)

[@myasesaleh6241]

I really wonder, where are you from?

[@profrobbob]

Sunny Florida:)

[@moretriflenowplz1837]

I shouldn't watch these videos, I need to dump stuff, not think I can repair it hahaha

[@profrobbob]

I'm glad you are thinking about restoring instead of throwing away, it can be addicting.

[@blakecangelosi8892]

Golly gee, is there anything you can’t do?!

[@profrobbob]

How about we get another few months of quarantine and see?!?...lol

[@advancelast1740]

Brilliant except for the measurements- inches - So archaic !! Give me metric every time !!

[@profrobbob]

THANKS!!!...As a math teacher I would agree but most of these vids are watched in the us in inches so when I make a diy video that seems to work best:)

[@unclelala4216]

In Canada we are also on metric but when building or constructing we use inches , even buying the hardware is in inches.

[@mikem6176]

12 inches in a foot...3 feet in a yard...5,280 feet in a mile... 16 ounces in a pound...8 pints in a gallon...one chain by one furlong equals one acre. What could be simpler???

[@Peter_Jenner]

Wear a mask while spray painting Rob.

[@profrobbob]

I usually do...but it's too distracting to wear one during a video:(

[@Peter_Jenner]

I wear one while doing maths. ...just so no-one can see the pained expression on my face. ;-)

[@erikmaldonado9330]

I was expecting more math but interesting none the less

[@profrobbob]

Surprise...I can do more than just math...BAM!!!

[@georgeh9967]

pallet wood will last about 2 years.

[@profrobbob]

That is true and a disadvantage of using this salvaged wood. Those benches have been rebuilt again since this video. We were lucky to find someone giving away hard wood for free.

[@nancynoszka3036]

I could not follow this video....I wanted to know what product you were spraying onto the cast iron...never watch again

[@photog1529]

Black spray enamel. He mentioned enamel...plenty easy to find at Home Depot or Walmart. I don't know why some people need to be spoon-fed every little bit of information. Rust-Oleoum is a common brand.

[@stephenhuskins920]

Couldnt see bugger all because of the writing rubbish

[@merlinp6301]

Whos dad is this?

[@profrobbob]

Nobody's:)

[@picadurapica6630]

Wrong you need hard wood for bench, maple, oak, pallet is no safe wood

[@profrobbob]

If you search and know your wood, we have found oak and cypress pallets to use:)...plus most benches have a middle brace underneath. Thanks for the feedback for those who did not know that!

[@felixmadison5736]

I have a few pallets that are made of oak. They are great for kindling in my wood stove or...for restoring a back yard bench as you just saw.

[@spicynomad]

what is the weight limit on this bench?