Introduction: Simple Potting Bench With Storage

About: 20yo electrical engineering student

A Potting bench or gardening table is a kind of workbench used for small gardening tasks such as transplanting seedlings. A basic potting bench has a work surface at bench height and storage for potting soil, pots, and tools.

What you are going to need:

2 pallets, ideally in a good condition

Electric saw/hand saw

Pry bar, pliers (to remove nails), tape measure and pencil

2 drills (one to drill pilot holes and another one with the screw tip bit)

Sand paper

Paint and brush (optional)

Step 1: Dismandling the Wood Pallets and Coming Up With a Design

For the project, we are going to use 2 pallets. I found some old pallets, in a bad condition, that were no longer needed. Using a claw hammer and a prybar, break the pallets into pieces. Remember to have in mind the final shape of the table while doing so. Don't break them completely into pieces, to save time. As you can see in the photos, I kept intact the wooden "frame", where the rest of the planks are nailed to (pictures 4-6). Those two pieces are going to be the main structure of the table. Put them across of each other (picture 7) and start putting together the table.

Bear in mind that pallets come in various sizes, and shapes, so in order for this to work properly, the pallets must be identical.

Design and DIMENSIONS:

Since I used the pallets almost as they were, I didn't have much flexibility with the length or height of the table. So I had to work with what I had. The dimensions were roughly 1.1 m length, 0.45 m width and 0.80 m height

Step 2: Putting the Table Together

After cutting the planks with a saw, start nailing them on the top of the gardening table. Add bottom boards for more stability and extra storage space.

Idea: try to utilize all the gaps to make extra shelves or storage areas.

As you can see in the 3rd and 4th picture, I decided I needed extra storage. So I thought about making a drawer or a chest attached at the top of the table.

Step 3: Making the Lid and Sides of the Storage

See in the pictures for better descriptions. It is hard for me to explain how exactly I made it. First I made a lid pictured in the 1st photo, having the width of 5 planks. Using a latch mechanism ( Better use two) I attached it on the top of the table. Then, I turned the whole structure upside down and screwed the sides. See the pictures for details. Then, I screwed 5 planks to the bottom and it is done.

Step 4: Done

Now we are almost done. All that is left is sanding the table. The lid can open very easily, but if you want you can drill a hole and attach a handle.

Step 5: BONUS: Paint It

the pallets were old and the wooden boards in a bad codition. So, after sanding it I painted two coats of protective paint. then, I finshed by painting it once more with brown paint