Deck Using Pallets: 7 Builds for Any Yard

These 7 pallet decks range from a single afternoon on concrete blocks to a full raised build with frost footings and step lighting, so the deciding factor is how permanent you need it to be.

A sitting area you can break down in fall asks nothing of you but sanding and spare time; a raised deck asks for joist hangers, ledger boards, and code checks first.

The sister joist is what keeps a pallet deck walkable after a few months: a 2×4 screwed to the underside frame to stiffen boards that were never meant to span that far on their own.

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1. Pallet Decking with Concrete Blocks

Concrete blocks buy you time and flexibility. You can level each one with a scrap of wood and a spirit level, then set pallets across without driving a single post.

I would check local code first; some towns call this temporary, some call it a structure, and the difference is whether you need a permit.

Concrete blocks under the pallet corners and mid-span are the minimum support for a deck you actually walk on.

Grass underneath will die and flatten, so expect to rake out thatch or lay landscape fabric first if the look matters to you.

2. Simple Pallet Deck for Sitting Area

A sitting area needs less engineering than a deck you dine on. I would spend serious time sanding; pallet wood splinters, and gloves are not enough when shorts season hits.

The privacy screens are a smart add-on if your neighbor’s window lines up with your lawn. What I like about this version is that it moves: take it apart in fall and the yard goes back to grass.

3. Raised Pallet Deck

Height changes everything. A raised deck needs joist hangers, ledger boards, and footings that reach below your frost line; none of that is visible here, and I would not skip it.

The lighting in the steps is the detail that makes this work after dark, but run your wiring before you lay the last pallet or you will be drilling sideways through corners.

This is the most ambitious build on the list, and I think it suits someone who has already built a ground-level version and knows where the wobble comes from.

The sauna and shower sit beside it, not on it, which tells me the load is thought through.

4. Covered Pallet Deck with Pergola

A pergola frame built from pallets means notching 4x4s into 4x4s, which is harder than it looks because pallet wood is rarely straight.

I would buy new posts for the verticals and use pallet lumber only for the roof slats and furniture; the structure above your head is not where I gamble on cracked oak.

String lights warm the whole thing up, but plan your outlet or solar panel before the roof goes on. The built-in sofas save you from buying outdoor seating, though I would still budget for cushions that can handle rain.

5. Stained Pallet Grid Deck

The grid pattern here is parquet, pallets turned square to each other so the grain runs alternating directions.

That hides the gaps between pallets better than running them all one way, and it looks intentional from the sidewalk. I would stain before assembly; brushing between slats after the fact takes far longer and never reaches the edges.

A dark brown like this one reads as deck, not as shipping castoff, which I think matters if you are trying to match a house with real siding.

Ground level means no railings in most codes, but check your local height limit; two and a half feet is common.

6. White Painted Pallet Deck

White paint on a deck is a commitment I have mixed feelings about.

It looks crisp through early summer, then pollen, foot traffic, and leaf stain start in. I would use porch and floor enamel, not wall paint, and I would budget for a recoat every other year.

The matching furniture is what sells this look; everything reads as one piece instead of a deck with stuff on it.

The umbrella is a practical must, since white paint keeps the surface cooler but does nothing to block the sun overhead.

7. Low-Profile Pallet Deck Base

Gravel underneath buys drainage and keeps the wood off mud, which is why I go low in the first place. I would still use pressure-treated or pallet wood rated for ground contact; rot finds anything sitting this close to soil.

The planks run lengthwise here, simple to cut and simple to replace one if it cups or cracks. No railings, no steps, no frost footings: this is weekend work if you have a miter saw and a level.

What you give up is permanence. Grass and weeds will push through gravel eventually, and the deck stays where you built it unless you lift every piece.

I think it suits a renter’s side yard or a utility space where all I need is dry footing, not a showpiece. Sweep it off, hose it down, and it does its job.

Finding Pallets

Free pallets usually come from asking, not from taking. I would start with businesses that receive regular deliveries: hardware stores, garden centers, and small warehouses often have stacks out back.

Big-box retailers sometimes sell theirs to pallet recovery companies, so a no is common there. Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace are worth checking, though I would inspect before I commit to driving.

A token payment of a dollar or two per pallet is still cheap lumber, and it keeps the relationship friendly if you need more later.

I would avoid any pallet that smells like chemicals or has stained wood; those are often treated with methyl bromide or other preservatives you do not want near bare feet.

Heat-treated pallets are marked with HT and are the safer bet for a deck you will touch daily.

Pallet Quality

A pallet rated for hauling weight is built differently than one made to hold empty boxes.

I would flip each candidate over and look at the blocks or stringers underneath: three stringers with solid blocks between them will carry a person; two stringers with thin plywood blocks will sag by fall.

The gap between top slats matters more than most people think. Wide gaps mean twisted ankles and dropped chair legs, so I would pass on anything with more than an inch of daylight showing.

Pallets built for brick or paver delivery tend to be the sturdiest I have found; produce pallets are lighter and often have wider spacing.

I would collect extras beyond my count, since some boards will split when you pry them apart or cut through nails.

Deck Design Considerations

Laying pallets out dry before you fasten anything is the step I would not skip.

It shows where the deck overruns the space, where the grain clashes, and where you need to cut. I have redesigned at this stage more often than I care to admit, and it costs nothing but time.

For anything holding furniture or groups of people, I would screw 2x4s to the underside frames as sister joists.

The pallet’s own structure was built to sit on a forklift, not to span open ground, and the extra timber removes the bounce.

Treat every surface you can reach before assembly: preservative on all faces, then decking oil. Once the pallets are screwed together and weighted down, the underside stays wet longer and rots first.

The pallets with slats spaced wide apart belong in a vertical garden, not under your chair. I would sort them at the start rather than discovering the gap problem mid-build.

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