Multi-use, but above all mobile, a trolley finds its place everywhere, whether in an indoor or outdoor kitchen, in the dining room, or even on the terrace. What if you made this piece of furniture instead of buying it?
The choice of pallets and casters
Combine business with pleasure with a kitchen trolley made with wooden pallets. Indeed, not only is it economical, since you recycle materials, but you also have the possibility of personalizing the furniture at will. In addition, very versatile, a sideboard will provide you with additional storage space, not to mention that, worked with care, this piece of furniture can also be very decorative.
Moreover, to be able to move it everywhere, you can equip it with small wheels. And when choosing these essential accessories, choose aluminum or chrome models. The latter are indeed more robust and support heavy loads very well while bringing a touch of modernity to the furniture. Otherwise, to make it easier to maneuver, also opt for swivel casters with plates, with polypropylene wheels if possible, especially if you want to avoid stains from the furrows left by rubber tires.
Regarding pallets, you can pick them up for free from shopping centers and department stores. Be careful, however, to choose them well so as not to end up with rotten wood. Indeed, pallets are often exposed to the sun and rain for a long time. Prefer therefore the lots that are on top, because they are the last abandoned. And remember that not all pallets are suitable for making furniture. Locate those with the stamp “EUR PAL” which are consigned and are not destined for recovery. You will find many others that you can make your own.
Disassembly and cutting of pallets
This kitchen cabinet is made up of three floors. However, to get an exact idea of how many pallets you will need, start drawing sketches. But in general, three will be more than enough to build a sideboard with very acceptable dimensions. The main thing is not to get confused in calculating the right measurements.
It all depends on the size of the service planned and the number of shelves or compartments desired to store dishes, bowls and crockery. However, for the assembly of the pallets to be possible, you must first remove the skids and the dice from the central crosspiece. To do this, turn the pallet over to the dice side and saw off the three soles.
You do, however, need a crowbar to clear the dice. The same operations will be done on the other pallet for the lower level. With the only difference that it will be the floors that will have to be removed and the soles this time kept. Before using the handsaw, on both sides, take the time to draw a line according to the thickness of the dice. Attention ! Do not touch the third pallet, because the latter will serve as a support for the rollers.
Processing of pallets and assembly of the trolley
The only downside is that the surfaces of the wooden pallets are very rough. A little sanding is required. You have the choice between a medium-grit sandpaper, or an electric sander, but this time with fine sandpaper. Once the pieces are sanded and smooth, clean them well to get rid of residue and dirt. You just have to brush them vigorously with soapy water. Rinse thoroughly before letting them dry.
Once completely dry, finally move on to the assembly stage. Here’s how to proceed: once the pallets have been resized to the correct dimensions, you will have three trays cut to the correct dimensions. Screw them to the uprights that you will also have collected on the rest of the pallets, using a screwdriver.
Consolidate the structure by adding stainless steel strap fastening plates to all the joining points. Add stainless steel suitcase corners for the look. Then move on to fixing the wheels on the four corners of the back of the bottom pallet. Finally, you are spoiled for choice between painting or preserving the natural colors by applying colorless stain.