Pallet and Recycled Wood Patio Bar

Have been collecting some recycled old wood and fence posts, I decided to try building a bar for the patio, I started with reclaimed wood from a torn down fence, some pallets, a few left over 2x4s and some wood dowels.

I painted my pallet after giving it a good sanding and cleaned off the dirt and small rocks. I had used an overhead projector to get the image just right and then sketched the logo on the wood pallet before painting it with black paint.

See drawing.

Removed nails from the fence post.

Time for the tool list: I brought out a drill with a drill bit the size of the wood dowel (5/8 inch), some wood glue, a few wood screws, a power extension cord, a hammer and a power miter saw.

I had a pallet that I had painted a nautical theme on the front with black paint.

My neighbor had some posts he was replacing in a fence and I asked him for the used weathered post.

Of course the fence posts had the slots for the lattice, but I was going to use thin planks of pine to put into the slots. So, I used the size of the slots to measure how high I could build the bar height.

I wanted very little hardware to show so i decided to put the frame together using wood dowels.

I used the dowels to pin all the 4×4 posts together and some very discreet metal hardware to add extra support.

Cut the legs and the support rails out of the Slotted fence posts. Be sure to line up the slots and drill the holes big enough for the wood dowels that will hold the frame together.

Line up the side frames and put the dowels into the legs.

Having two sides of the bar out of the 4x4s and four cross members to secure the pallet with the art work I anchored (pun intended) it all together.

See drawing!

Once completed I cut the dowels to length, added the top wood pieces.

What is nice about this bar, with a few screws removed I can store the entire bar flat, or against a wall in a very small amount of foot print space. I leave the dowels in the frame but remove the pallet and the support frames from the metal hardware (The 2 in. x 4 in. 20-Gauge Face Mount Joist Hanger, about 0.60 cents a piece).

I would like to finish up the build with a few wine crates to go underneath to hold glasses and bottles.

I might even put a good thick coat of polyurethane and I will be done.

I was thinking I should stain it and then distressed the wood with chains and a hammer to give it an old school appearance… but I will see how the finish “clean” looks and go from there… I am sure the weather here will make this happen for me.