Pallet Fence

Zee
by Zee
2 Materials
$5
4 Hours
Easy
With little to no money i have always tried to make use of what i already have instead of buying new.. all i had to use was a load of pallets for some privacy between mine and my neighbours garden.
on one very hot day ,I started running the pallets along the small chain-link fence dividing mine and my neighbours garden using the fence posts that were already there and putting steaks down inside either end of each pallet and into the ground to give a bit more strength. I Nearly died of sunstroke! (id advise not doing this in that kinda weather btw) but the worst of the job is done but not totally finished. I want to run something along the top of the fence to straighten it a bit more and make it a little higher.
I have also included a couple of pics of a bench i made weeks earlier (just make-do for now), its surprising how much more uniform/tidier it can make something look when its painted all in the same colour so i painted both the fence and the seating the same..
im going to keep improving on the fence (and bench) so there may be more pics in the future, any ideas would be welcome
but for now i am one very knackered 45 yr old single parent with 101 other jobs on the go and am much in need of a rest icon
Please be kind as i am beyond nervous showing this to anyone other than friends icon and bare in mind this is very low budget but i do love creating something out of nothing whenever possible!. the only thing i spent money on was the paint which was £5 from Wilko's for a 5 litre tub! .Thanks for reading icon
The chain-link fence i wanted to cover
this was after the garden had been cleared of all sorts of rubbish and i had just finished putting grass seed down. i wanted to create a bit of privacy along the left-hand side


getting everything in place
the grass has now grown-in. I ran pallets along using the posts that were already there and putting steaks down through the inside of each pallet and into the ground to give added strength. some pallets were already painted from being used for another project before but still needed another good coat this time round
halfway through making the bench
this took two and a half pallets , the bench is 3 pallets high. i put one pallet on top the other, then cut another half a pallet for the back of the seat, then attached with screws wherever needed and a long piece of wood running from the top of the bench to the bottom on either side for added strength. apologies there aren't more pics of this part .
As you can see i filled any gaps in the seat with more pallet wood , sanded and painted. i just wish i had more pallets! this bench is solid and with a coat of paint should last a long time, and also cost me nothing.
after a first coat of paint
theres also a little chair made for my grandchildren by my youngest son (hes 12) and did a grand job! . im unsure if im gonna paint the bottom of the bench just because its so fiddly to get into (should have done that before assembling!) but its to your own taste i suppose, i'm happy for now..
need ideas for the top now
finished fence. this side of the garden is around 8 metres long and i used 9 pallets, costing the grand total of £0 , i was given mine but you can pick them up all over, most places throw them out, google and second-hand websites are good for finding people advertising them free. i know its not to everyone's taste but this fence suits my garden (very natural, with lots of trees and wildlife ) so even if i could have afforded it i don't think id have gotten anything too modern and streamline. The great thing is it serves its purpose and i think with some trellis or planting along the top it could look much better. Ideas please!!.. (and please be nice.. first-time posting )icon
Suggested materials:
  • Pallets   (for free)
  • Paint   (Wilko's)
Frequently asked questions
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3 of 7 questions
  • Momma2cubs Momma2cubs on Jul 20, 2020

    How do you keep grass and weeds from growing inside the pallets and looking overgrown and messy? Or how do you tackle it once it’s grown?? I love the idea and look of it now, but seems a landscaping nightmare in the future, no??

  • Andrea Andrea on May 10, 2021

    Love this idea. Going to start looking for pallets. I wonder if there is a stain, spray or finish that you can apply to the pallets to make them more weather resistant? I would like it to hold up for many years. How long will it withstand weather as it is? Just wondering

  • Corey Corey on Sep 05, 2021

    Did you use wooden fence posts or another type of stake?

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  • Brenda Brenda on Sep 20, 2021

    I LOVE this idea AND the bench. In answer to the person who commented on weeds coming up, you could mix up vinegar, salt & dish soap in hot water & spray periodically as a preventive rather than waiting til weeds spring up. You could also add horizontal boards & landscape fabric to make a vertical garden on part of the wall & use another section for climbing plants. Then top it off with solar powered lights spaced across the top.

    • Sandra Sandra on Feb 28, 2023

      Just a note on the vinegar that many might find helpful. I tried this using regular household white vinegar and had no success. After some trial and error and a little research, tried 30% vinegar, available at hardware stores, and found that worked perfectly to get rid of even the most stubborn weeds. You do have to be careful when spraying as it will also kill grass and flowers.

  • Ella Ella on Mar 03, 2022

    You did a fantastic job, the paint added so much charm , although great exactly the way they are, you could plant flowers in the top section for added color. I wouldn't worry about weeds, they are everywhere , my yards are very low maintenance and I still get weeds all of the time, I am constantly spraying.

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