Will we ever get tired of things made out of discarded shipping material? Survey says, no! This sofa is a great alternative for those with awkward living spaces or small budgets! Are you daring enough to make your own sofa?
Although foam for a project like this isn't always cheap, spending $200 bucks for a custom piece that fits your home perfectly is a small price to pay when something similar in the retail world will easily push $1,000. It's a fun project that doesn't take long to construct and can easily be dismantled for easy transport — if you're a habitual relocater like I am!
It's also a fun idea to keep in mind for something smaller, although this demonstrates the ability to build a large piece, an oversize chair with just two pallets would be just as wonderful and would work well for smaller spaces. Would you ever build your own sofa? Let us know in the comments below!
Image: cuartoderecha via 2Modern
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I'd definitely try to build my own sofa if space or budget constraints made it a logical thing to do. I think it would be fun, and the ability to choose the dimensions/fabric would be awesome.
I'd love to try this if I could just talk my daughter into it. One question. Aren't most pallets treated with a chemical for fire safety? If that is the case is the chemical harmful?
It looks kind of tall. That would look neat in a loft or a big space. Gotta love the storage it has too!
Congrats on your ingenuity. I'd be too wimpy to attack such a project, but really admire those who do.
Will we ever get tired of things made out of discarded shipping material?
Hopefully, yes. The sooner, the better!
Survey says, no!
What survey was this? I didn't see it. Why don't you have an actual survey? I bet you'll find 99% of your readers are sick to death of this... cough... "trend".
"Discarded" pallets may not actually be discarded. I used to work retail and after unloading, the pallets were placed outside near the dumpsters for a shipping company to pick up. They are reused over and over and over. If you take one that's sitting outside a establishment, check with the proprietors first and make sure you are not about to commit theft.
Pallet theft is being prosecuted:
http://articles.latimes.com/2007/may/06/news/adna-pallettheft6
http://www.palletenterprise.com/articledatabase/view.asp?articleID=1319
This has been pointed about before on Apt Therapy. RoseCampion pointed out in a previous post about pallet theft:
"Also, those pallets, just like milk crates, are used again. They are not just thrown away, but usually recycled. For use as pallets. Our pallets are picked up by our freight company to be used again. If someone were to take them, even though they just look discarded, that would be theft."
This is appropriate for a basement or kid's playroom or maybe a really poor student but nowhere else. It does look pretty good though. Considering, however, that you can buy a sofa for $300 or so, by the time you purchase foam and fabric and paint, is this worth it? I say no.
Will we ever get tired of things made out of discarded shipping material?
Hopefully, yes. The sooner, the better
I agree with this... I can understand why some people like upcycled pallets, and this example is well made but personally anything made out of those reminds me of my student years. Pallet made furniture goes along with the industrial spool table, the wine bottle candlestick with all the melted wax on it that everyone found awesome, shelves made of cinder blocks and planks, and plexiglass store display structures found in the trash...
I'll be part of the survey that says 'no'! Although I don't like painted pallets, I do like the natural ones, and a definite item on my to-do list is the stained pallet coffee table with glass top and big castor wheels.
I really like this. Very creative, very green, very nice.
BonivaGScott is 100% correct on this. Generally, when you see pallets, they are waiting pickup to be brought back to a warehouse or shipping point, and are not being discarded. Even broken ones are pieced together and made into new pallets.
Also to consider: A couple years ago, Tylenol was being recalled by Johnson and Johnson because the pallets it was being packed on was "out-gassing" and effecting the product, which was in it's own bottle, in a box, wrapped in cellophane, and then in larger cardboard cases. And still the fumes from the treated wood permeated the product. The chemical was 2,4,6-Tribromoanisole.
Yes, I would consider a lounge area diy if I had a space that needed something like this. Regarding this particular execution - I liked the pallets better unpainted and the additional application of the pallets as a storage area leads to a considerably less refined look in my eyes.
I like the idea of the DIY sectional, but I'm not sure I would try this with pallets, for the reasons that other people listed.
It reminds me of when I owned a lava lamp and a black light.
I'm sorry, but this is just really ugly. Especially after they were painted white. Plus those pallets look like they had alot of life left in them in shipping.
I like the ingenuity of this sofa, but I'm not a fan of the industrial look. Also, this sofa looks very deep, which I find uncomfortable. It's not for me.
I like this alot, but its not really my style
http://statementpiece.blogspot.com/
I used to work for a company that uses shipping pallets. Please know that they are treated with chemicals to prevent insects from living and boring into the wood and also to prevent the growth of mold. One of my duties was checking the paperwork that ensured that the pallets were both sprayed and fumigated. I would highly rethink using used pallets as any sort of furniture in the home. However if you do, I guess you wouldn't have insects in them!