DIY Map Art From Old Pallets

14 Materials

Custom framed art can be VERY expensive and is definitely out of our budget. Our family room has giant wall without any windows that needed art so we needed to create some without spending a ton of money. We created these stunning framed maps using old pallets and hung them from a pipe for a super cool industrial look. We chose to make them in a way that will allow us to change out the prints for Christmas or other seasons if we choose to :)

First we ripped the pallets down to a more narrow width using our table saw. Then we cut them down to length using a chop saw. We used old plywood to create strips that were half the width of the pallet pieces and painted them gray (not necessary--it just looks better). Then we glued one strip of the plywood the back of one of the pallet pieces. We avoid drilling or nailing into pallet wood whenever possible because it can be brittle, so we use wood adhesive for this step. Our favorite wood adhesive (aff link) is Dap Rapid Fuse.

We then added hinges and another strip of plywood. Making the back of the frames hinged will allow us to remove the map prints and change them out for seasons and holidays, like Christmas. Or, if we ever tire of the map prints, we have the option to change them out for whatever we want!

We then drilled horizontally through the pallet and attached some old rusted screw hooks to the top of each frame.

This is what the back of the frame looks like with the print in place.

We then made a 10 foot rod out of iron pipe, elbows, nipples and floor flanges that we found at our hardware store.

We hung the rod and then placed the maps on it. We were able to attach one end to a stud. The other end required us to use wall anchors. We found that the rod sagged a bit in the middle, so we used a simple curtain rod support in the middle to keep it nice and level.

We ordered all of our map prints (aff link) from this Etsy shop and they were very reasonably priced. We are over the moon happy with the results. For a small budget, we filled a HUGE wall with gorgeous art made from reclaimed materials.

Another shot of the finished product.

Another shot of the finished product.

Resources for this project:
See all materials
Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.More info
Tasha @ Designer Trapped In A Lawyer's Body
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Go
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 70 questions
  • Sharon Jones Sharon Jones on May 25, 2022

    Where did you find such a large pole?

  • Donna Donna on Oct 14, 2023

    Could you please tell me the brand and color of blue paint on your walls

  • Rudi Suckow Rudi Suckow on Nov 03, 2023

    How did you secure the artwork with the bottom hinged ply?

Comments
Join the conversation
3 of 496 comments
  • Kay Kay on Oct 14, 2023

    Looks great. You guys did a great job

  • Keeno Keeno on Oct 14, 2023

    I absolutely love this sort of idea. My Guy friend surprised me with doing something similar for my giant calendar and posters. But he used yardsticks at top and bottom clamped together. 😸 Great job!

    • Victoria Hiers Victoria Hiers on Oct 18, 2023

      Hi Keeno! Is it possible you could take a picture of the yardsticks trick? I would love to see the finished product of what your guy friend created for you.

Next