Upcycling Bookshelves Using Recycled Pallets

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There’s nothing like a good book. While the avid reader enjoys collecting and sharing the books they’ve read over the years, they may not always have a nice central location to store and display all their various titles. The right bookshelf can really tie a room together, and the most beautiful book shelves can be assembled using the reclaimed material from wood pallets. Finding a new use for an old thing not only makes the world a little bit nicer, but also saves you money, which means more money for books! You can have a nice and unique bookshelf at a fraction of the expense of buying a manufactured bookcase that will likely require assembly anyway.

Plans for building a variety of book shelf styles using the upcycled planks from wooden shipping pallets can be found on woodworking and upcycling websites. With wooden pallets as construction material, you have a low-cost opportunity to build something unique and new out of something that has otherwise served its purpose.

When selecting discarded pallets for your bookshelf woodworking projects, you’ll want to pay attention to whether the wood used to make the pallet was treated chemically or not. If you cannot find any labels or markings anywhere, it is likely to be untreated wood used in domestic shipping. Treated wood may also be heat-treated, indicated by the letters HT, but if you see the letters MB, you’ll know the manufacturer used Methyl Bromide to treat the wood, which is a preservative and pesticide you’d be better off not interacting with. If the maker used chemicals to treat the wood, wash it as thoroughly as you reasonably can before using it to make it as safe to touch and be around as possible, before attempting to sand, treat, cut, or assemble anything.

Using reclaimed wood from wooden pallets as your bookshelf building material is a great way to use the reclaimed wood. The rustic quality of unfinished woods like oak and hickory makes wood pallets perfect for building bookshelves and bookcases that attract attention and enhance the ambiance of the room they’re in. If you want to finish the wood with a stain and a clear coat, you’ll find that the natural beauty of the wood is enhanced, and enhances the character of the area where it sets. Choose from various finishes to adapt your reclaimed pallet wood for a suitable bookcase for any decor style.

Bookshelves and bookcases made from upcycling wooden shipping pallets make amazing gifts to give. The effort you put in to designing and building the piece adds tremendous value in the eyes of the beholder, and has a deeper meaning than some store-bought gizmo or plywood pressboard cookie-cutter factory furniture.

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