How to make a potting bench for £1

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Things to make n do – level 6;
Joy with pallets – the potting bench.

Ok by popular demand heres how to make a potting bench for almost nothing (about a £1 for screws) and recycle some wood at the same time.

Assuming you can get a couple of pallets and a few pieces of wood. Time taken about 3-3 1/2hrs.
NB I should point out that you may need to spend a bit of time taking any rusty nails out at these pallets are full of them.

Ok so gather the materials. 2 pallets an 7 pieces of wood. 2 for each side and 3 for the back. NB oops need to go and get another bit of wood! You will also need 3 bits of wood for the diagonals and a couple of longer thin bits of wood for the slats.

And gather a few tools, (also need a spirit level). The box of screws (250) is ideal and then a few smaller screws and a couple o nails.

Ok first create the 2 shelves and cut just beyond halfway. This provides quite a solid shelf. NB be careful with your saw, safety at all times!!

Then the next one. This one is thinner and lighter so i’ll use it for the top shelf.

You can use the wood from the other side to fill in any gaps and here you have it the base and the top.

Ok so now the legs. For my bench I wanted it at 33 inches. This one is for someone else who is a bit shorter so I set the height at 31, but I think maybe the optimum height is about 32 but think carefully how high you want it because you want to avoid any backache at all and be working with a straight back. You want a few extra inches at the back (for 2 slats) and enough for 1 slat at the sides.

Ok back legs first. stand the top shelf on its side and nail the three legs to the top. Then lean back (on level ground) and see they all touch the ground, adjust as necessary. You want the weight on the legs.

Using a couple of pots, then rest it and nail the legs to the base. Just a nail at this stage so it can be adjusted.

Ok to get the top shelf level, nail the bottom front leg to the base and then lift the shelf till level and nail to the top. Do this on level ground.

Same the other side, ok its level.

Not nail the back side legs. NB it still will be a tad unstable but we want to get rid of any ‘twist’ first.

Ok we now get rid of any twist by putting in some diagonals. This provide strength and stops any wobble ready for the screws. 2 more smaller bits of wood for the sides. Stand over the shelf and just rotate so the base and top shelf are flush, this will tell you which side to do first. IE one side might need to be pushed abit forward, that is to say rotated clockwise or anti-clockwise so the top is flush.
Screw it to the base first, then screw the top half way, rotate the top shelf so it is flush and then screw the top into position. Then do the other side and have two screws top and bottom

Then a bit of wood at the back to stop any lean (any carpenters look away now ; ), use a couple of smaller screws. use the spririt level on the side.

Ok now its all level and flush with no lean or twist so ready for screws. lean it forward on its front and screw all six joints on the back top and bottom with 2 screws into the blocks of wood behind. 2 screws a bit apart will provide more strength. Then put it on its side and do the remaining side joints. whack those screws in..enjoy ; ) When you stand it up it should be nice and strong with no wobble, ready to take all your pots.
Now its ready for the final slats.

2 at the back and 1 at the sides. And voila there she is.

Woodstain or paint to taste.

and that concludes level 6; Joy with pallets ; )

• 10 Aug, 2011
• 23 likes

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