Wooden Pallet DIYs That Are Perfect For Refreshing Your Bedroom On A Budget

There are a few simple ways to give your bedroom a refresh without spending a fortune. If you like rustic wood furnishings, one option is to DIY your own furniture and decor using wooden pallets. Often available for cheap or free, wood pallets are an economical and environmentally-friendly alternative to buying new wood from the hardware store. If you can get your hands on a few pallets, there are plenty of simple pallet wood projects even beginners can do, including a variety of items for your bedroom. We've rounded up a mix of straightforward bedroom DIYs that you make with these repurposed materials.

Safety is of the utmost importance when choosing a pallet for a home project. Avoid painted pallets, which may belong to pallet rental companies. Next, check the platform for markings, particularly a two-letter code, which lets you know how the wood was treated. One without a two-letter code is a national pallet that has not been treated and is therefore safe to use. Pallets with the letters "HT," "DB," and "KD" are treated without harmful chemicals, so they're safe to use as well. Avoid using ones with the letters "MB." These are treated with a toxic pesticide and aren't fit for DIY projects. Only use a pallet if it's clean; you don't want to deal with any potentially toxic stains or spills. A bit of dirt is fine, since you can clean wood pallets for your next DIY project with these tips. Now that you know how to choose a safe board, here are some gorgeous DIY bedroom project ideas.

When it comes to pallet projects for the bedroom, a DIY bed frame is one of the first ideas that comes to mind. A pallet bed frame can be much cheaper than new furniture, and it can make a big difference in how your space looks. There are a few ways to make a pallet bed. The simplest is to lay down enough pallets to support your mattress. This video from @tea.at.shiloh adds a little extra, placing plywood planks on top of the pallet for more mattress support. A plywood plank on one side creates a built-in bedside table. Lights add a glowy finishing touch.

One downside of some pallet beds is their height. They're low to the ground, which can be an accessibility issue for some and an aesthetic issue for others. To fix this problem, stack two layers of pallets to add some height, as this video from @officialryanswain shows. To keep the pallets stable, you can attach them together using screws and straight brackets, like the Everbilt Mending Plate for $3.27 from The Home Depot. This project also uses string lights to create cozy ambient lighting.

This pallet pet bed is just plain adorable. It uses a single pallet as a platform bed for a large cushion, perfect for your pet. The size makes it ideal for large dogs (or smaller dogs and cats that like a lot of room), all for a fraction of the cost of most large beds. A coat of paint and some driftwood sides make this DIY from @lisakiburg look charmingly rustic. If you don't have access to driftwood, you can use scrap wood to build some side rails that keep the cushion in place. Or, if you want a minimalist look, forgo the railing altogether.

If you're not in the market for a new bed frame, you can use a pallet to upgrade your existing bed. A wooden pallet headboard has a casual and rustic look that can make your bedroom feel extra cozy. This video from @gwamszama shows how easy one is to make one. You can move some of the pallet planks to get your preferred design, but if you like how the pallet looks already, you can leave it as is. Then, sand and paint or stain the headboard to your liking to match your bedroom aesthetic.

The planks of a pallet can create easy and simple wooden shelves. Remove your planks of choice and sand and paint or stain them to your liking. They'll retain that rustic, unfussy touch that's characteristic of pallet wood. Then, attach each plank to the wall with some brackets. This is a simple DIY that can make a big difference on bedroom walls. The shelves will be thinner than normal, so they're best for decorating with lightweight and compact accessories, like picture frames, narrow vases, and small potted plants.

If you want your shelving to look more ornate, build a rustic pallet shelf inspired by this video from @diy.hammeredhalo. Instead of mounting the shelf directly to the wall like in the previous DIY, install it on a decorative base. Build the base from different lengths of pallet wood attached together (you can use wood glue and screws and brackets to get the job done). You can get creative with your layout — rustic projects tend to look even better when they're a little imperfect. Add some hooks along the bottom section for extra utility.

When it comes to cozy decor, pallets and plants are a match made in DIY heaven. Of course, you can mount pallet shelves directly to a bedroom wall to create a living green display. But for an extra rustic touch, why not mount the wood pallets first? As this video shows, wood pallets create a simple, but eye-catching, background for your greenery. To make this project look even more rustic, @annelauremercier uses wooden crates as shelving, mounting each crate sideways to create the shelves to place potted plants.

Natural wear and tear gives pallet wood a whole lot of charm. If you have some pallet planks with distinctive gnarls and markings, turn them into a rustic tray. This video from @lfrustics shows how easy it is to put one together with some nails. You can adjust the size of the tray to your liking too, and make sure to finish it with a coat of paint. While the paint is still wet, you can use a sponge to wipe off some areas and create a distressed look. The finished tray is perfect for displaying decor in the bedroom.

A few wooden pallets can help you create a cozy reading nook. The spacious size of pallets means you can create a seat large enough to curl up in (every bookworm's dream!). Stack pallets to your desired height and add a pallet behind as a backrest. This video from @brookieb044 shows a waterproofing process, which isn't necessary for a bedroom, but a must for a patio pallet couch. Once the pallet is in your reading spot, add some extra-large patio cushions. A few throw blankets and decorative cushions are a nice finishing touch.

A simple wooden desk is a project that's suitable for most beginner woodworkers, and if you're building on a budget, you can make a pallet desk. This video from @DIYUnlimited shows how to make a simple desk frame. The tabletop is made with attached pallet planks to create a rustic-looking work surface. While a circular saw makes it easier to chop the wood to size, you can use a handsaw if you don't have one. Wood glue, screws, and nails hold the desk together.

Don't have much room for a regular desk? A wall-mounted option is a space-saving alternative. You can organize your home office with this DIY wood pallet storage shelf and desk. It uses a pallet as a wall-mounted base (installed into the studs). Planks of pallet wood create additional shelves. For the fold-down desk, it's easiest to use a piece of plywood. Install the desktop to the pallet using a piano hinge and a supporting chain on each side. You can add removable legs to improve the sturdiness and weight capacity of the desk.

A wood accent wall is stylish and can make a space feel cozy. Don't bother with new wood for this build, and reach for cheaper and more eco-friendly pallet wood instead. This video from @diymillennialdad shows the straightforward process, which starts with furring strips installed into wall studs. This creates the base for your wooden accent wall. You can build the wall itself using pallet wood. Just make sure each plank is attached to at least two of the base pieces for security. Then, paint or stain the wall to your liking.

If you've always wanted a makeup vanity in your room, here's your chance to DIY a makeup vanity out of wood pallets. This project takes a bit of woodworking know-how. You need to build a desk-like frame, with a space to install the mirror. Once your makeup vanity is all put together, make sure to add some LED lights to illuminate your work area. An adhesive LED vanity light like the Consciot LED Vanity Lights ($11.84 on Amazon) is very easy to install.

This picture frame DIY is an easy project, but with great pay-off. Wood pallets are just perfect for this type of rustic DIY. You can adapt this project from @SteveRamsey, which shows how to put a frame together using several planks of pallet wood, and make your frames smaller or larger. It's possible to make all the necessary cuts with a hand saw, and then wood glue and nails hold the frame together. Twine detailing adds that extra rustic finishing touch, but you can also use other materials like ribbon, cotton string, or sprigs of faux plants.

With a few strategic cuts, this video from @AshleighLaurenCrafts explains how to make three simple floating bookshelves out of one pallet. She essentially cuts sections from the pallet that already have a built-in front and back piece attached (the shorter front piece is the front of the bookshelf). Then, you just need to attach a piece of wood on the bottom of each section, which creates the surface to rest the books. Be sure to use screws or nails to secure the bottom in place so it can hold the weight of your books.

This video from @trendeyoungmac shows another way to create floating wall shelves from pallet wood. This DIY has a decorative rustic backing, taking advantage of the natural grain of pallet wood. A small shelf is made with a square and triangle piece, cut from a plank of pallet wood. You can repurpose picture hanging hardware to mount each shelf on the wall. In this case, they use the finished project to hold candles, but you can use it for all manner of small decor, including vases, small statues, and seasonal decorations.

Of course we appreciate the heat that radiators bring, but that doesn't mean we love how they look. If you want to conceal a radiator with a rustic cover, you can make one from pallet wood. This video from @MrCarrington keeps much of the original pallet intact to maintain its distinctive look. A plank along the top provides a spot for you to place decor and other bits and bobs — if you place this project in an entryway, you can even use this surface as a console table.