Reclaimed Pallet Wood Seed Crate Storage Bench

Something about a new pile of pallet wood that inspires me.

I liked this aged appearance that is on a lot of this pallet wood so I decided I wanted to make a crate that looked old. But, not just a crate--a crate that became a storage bench or coffee table.

I started with four 5.5" pallet boards and four 18" pallet 2" x 4"'s (also known as the runners on pallets). I just chose a random length to cut the long sides of the pallet boards. They ended up being 31" long and the side boards are 17" long. I started by making the short sides, securing them to the legs.

After making the two short sides, I added the 31" front and back boards to the short side panels. Don't be afraid to use a clamp to help square things up.

I found a piece of plywood to use for the inside bottom of the crate. This particular piece happened to be something that the high school drama department was sending to the dump. It said Aunt Emily's General Store. I kept that on the inside because I thought it was fun.

I cut the corners out of the plywood with a jigsaw to fit around the legs.

I added braces to the inside bottom edge for the plywood to rest on.

I secured a narrower pallet board to top of the back of the crate for the hinges.

I made a wood top from three 5.5" pallet boards, joining them together with pallet boars on the inside. Be sure to place these towards the middle and leave some room in the front and back so they will fit around the legs and inside the crate edges.

I aged the hinges by throwing them in the fire and then soaking them in some hydrogen peroxide and salt.

(For your convenience, this post contains affiliate links. What does that mean? If you chose to purchase something through my link, I may receive a small compensation, BUT it cost you nothing extra 😉. ALSO, please note, prices for stencils that you see are in Canadian and convert to less in US dollars.)

I then used Funky Junk's Old Sign Stencils to make the crate look like a see crate. I used the wildflower seeds stencil and the shipping crate stencil to achieve the look I wanted. You can get them HERE.

 I placed them off the edge to look like they might have hastily been stamped at the seed factory. I put them on the back as well in case someone decides to use this piece as a coffee table. I sanded them for a faded look.

A clear coat of poly inside and out sealed everything well.

I like the rustic look and that it looks like a crate that has been repurposed into something new and useful.

 The shelf above was made from pallets too. You can get the directions in my book Wood Pallet Wonders--you can get it HERE.