This year I was looking to save some money and spend some time with my kids. We decided to get into the Halloween spirit by making our own Outside Decorations! We started out by finding some pallets that were still in good shape, but I think it would have worked no matter what shape they were in. Pallets are a pain if you've never taken them apart so be patient. Crowbar and a hammer minimize wood from splitting and becoming trash!

Supplies

Crowbar
Hammer
Table saw
Jigsaw
Finishing nail gun
Nails
Craft paint
Paintbrush

Step 1: Take Pallets Apart.

To take the pallet apart I used a crowbar and hammer I had laying around. I tried a sledge hammer, but it continued to bust the wood into pieces. I considered using a Sawzall because I figured it would be fast but I didn't want any nails left in the wood for my saw to get hung up on. So I used the old fashion way of hammer and crowbar.

Step 2: Cutting the Wood to Size.

To do this process I started making the crates first. I took the 48”x5” plank and ripped it into 3 pieces it’s roughly an inch and a half. After ripping all of the boards down to size I then cut them into three pieces, 18 inches twice and the remaining piece 11 inches. I choose my box to be these dimensions so I could get the most out of the plank without too much waste. Any dimensions will work. For the standing brace I used the 2x4 that was in the middle of the pallet and ripped it to a little smaller than a 1x1. This is the support to space the boards apart and it was 11 inches long.

To make the characters lay out the planks on a flat working surface. Once they are laid out put a smaller piece to run the distance of the planks so they can attach to it. Use your finishing nail gun to nail them to this piece and turn over and nail from opposite side for added strength (optional). A hammer and small finishing nails will work also, but the gun is faster.

Step 3: Drawing an Outline for Your Character

To do this step lay out the boards and use your imagination to determine how to cut the boards. I used the help of my kids by drawing the outline of the shape in pencil. Knowing what shape of character your making will make the step before this step easier.

Step 4: Cut Your Shape Out

To do this step cut along the shape that you drew. Turn blade slow around curves to not break the blade. Just follow the line and watch it take shape.

Step 5: Dust Off and Paint

To do this step use an air compressor if you have one. If not just use a broom that’s what I did, you just want to knock off the dust so the paint will adhere to the surface. I started by coloring the entire surface whatever it was going to be. For instance: The candy corn I knew was going to be three different colors. So the white, yellow, and orange were colored first. Then I drew the face that kids picked out from some emoji faces they liked. A lot of faces can be found online. Just let your imagination wonder and put it together.