Build

I found two plasterboard pallets (USA sheetrock) set aside and discarded. They were strong, heavily built from solid stock, in good condition. I retyurned with my trailer thinking they would make the roof and floor for my stud framer shed. I bought the studs and then used them for other things. A sandbox came as a prototype and then second one for my videoing build to show others how in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, things like that.

Three weeks ago I found five more. I took these too and changed my plans for the combo greenhouse shed I had thought to build. First I had a part of tiled slab area where my new vegetable boxes are stationed. It’s against my fence and not a good spot for growing because of the arc of the sun’s path. I took the pallets sized them without any dismantling and they were absolutely immoveable. Cutting some to length gave me exactness to the space I had.

The walls were up in an hour, just in time for my granddaughter to come over and play in the sandbox with me. We played for an hour and then kicked the football around. She found the frame of the shed fascinating because it looked like something you had in the kid’s park to climb and swing from. Bit splintery to let her, but we walked around it and she played go hide until I found her.

These big awkward pallets often stay outside the skips until last because they stop waste from going in. I asked for them and they were glad to let them go with me. I love my little trailer for things like this. I can load up and be on my way in a few minutes and it is so stable too. The other five came in two lots of two and three. Outside a builders, these pallets lay abandoned and awaiting retrieval by the waste management company. I was very happy to get the superstructure for free but all the more for the speed with which my shed would actually come together.

Last week I put up the roof panels and this weekend I applied the fibreglass underfelt ready for the roofing next weekend. I have a little infil to go in but the cladding is treated wood and I ordered that to come next Friday when i will indeed finish the tool shed. It was fun and when I build the greenhouse it will be from wood I buy. I am planning the greenhouse to come from studs and will customise the sections to receive polycarbon panels for lightweight and safety. But it will look lovely when done as will this new shed.

28 Comments

    1. Hello Bobbie. Thanks and stay well. If I get by your neck of the woods I’ll look you up. It would be nice to catch up with you.

    2. Amazing, this really inspired me to get started! Nice to see something like this in these hard times!

  1. Honest to goodness recycling, there’s little that’s more satisfying. Have you enough to clad the walls, and are you going to insulate it? Please keep us updated on this project, in it’s own way it’s as fascinating as making fine furniture.

  2. Paul, did you make a video of yourself playing in the sand box? That i would have loved to have seen. 😃

    1. It would be funny if Paul hung some knives up on the walls of the ahed and called them knife walls.

  3. My brother, local kids and I built a fort out of similar pallets when we were little. I had all but forgotten about it until I saw this. Thanks!

  4. I would be interested in seeing how you assembled the pallets into a shed. Would it be possible to make say a 8 by 12 shed out of 4 foot square pallets? How would they be joined?

  5. Even the Good Lord takes a day off! Do you ever? I always enjoy reading about how you bring your vision to life! Thank you, sir, again, for making me smile!

  6. No Paul never stops. He is so driven. Its a wonder he wasn’t a character in the marvel comics. Now what would he be called? WonderWoody?…..

  7. I wish I could find pallets like that! Although I don’t have a trailer, which doesn’t help. I was trying to find half decent pallets for a compost bin(s), but I just couldn’t find any that weren’t poor quality. Anyway, went on to Gumtree and found all the materials locally (tanalised timber and some fence posts) for £40, which was great value and took them off someone’s hands too. Well on the way to making some usable soil – hopefully. It’s definitely somewhere to put my wood shavings and grass anyway, next year will tell if it has worked.

  8. Great build Paul, did you make the cement pavers? I’m in the process of making pavers similar to yours and before I start I would like to see your process.

  9. Paul,

    I am building a cold frame, hand tools only, that is to have polycarbonate panels for the windows, so I’d love to see a post on your design for installing those on your greenhouse.

  10. Years ago pallet wood was like fools gold. They were made with “construction oak” and the young guys would think; “Oh, look. Free wood,” till it bent every nail you drove into it and dulled all your saw blades

  11. I wish I could find pallets made of good wood. In my part of the US all I find is junk. either too thin, too twisted or too something else. If nothing else it’s treated with toxins.

  12. Excellent. I loved the recycling and the fast-erect prefabricated sections idea. Plenty of room for insulation, if required. I bought those small scale gutters for my new shed. Waste of money. I’m now far happier with full-sized house gutters. They are not obtrusive. If you do fit gutters, I have long, good experience of the mesh guards to keep leaves out. I see you have plenty of leaves nearby. Leaves fall on the mesh, dry in the wind and sun, curl up and blow off. I collect the water for our veg. My granddaughter loves hide and seek, but it’s difficult to pretend I don’t know where she is.

  13. Mr. Sellers,
    You should know that you qualify as my therapist. I come to your youtube channel to not just learn woodworking but to just hear you talk about life/work etc. It always calms me down.

    I design handmade textiles for a living. They are hand-dyed and handloomed and are essentially made the most old-fashioned way possible. Your philosophy in life matches mine but I definitely have a long way to go.

    It realized that I have never thanked you properly even though I have watched your videos for last 2 years. Is it possible to send you a gift in mail to express my gratitude?

    Warmly,
    Shweta (USA)

  14. Ah, so the bottom pallet is uncut, the top is a ripped short side on its side.
    A lot of skew nails for roof?

  15. You have inspired me to have a towbar fitted to my car. Been putting if off for some time.

  16. Hooray! What a day to tune in after time away from this blog. I always learn so much, and to see the shed building now I wonder what Mr. Sellers will come up with next? One of the best aspects to the teaching and blogging is the fact that Mr. Sellers has been a resident of both the UK and the US, gives a much clearer understanding of both sides of the pond. That makes all of this information so much more relevant. I enjoy british culture and think the idea of so many people pottering around in sheds is wonderful. Reminds me of the ‘Men In Sheds’ program in the UK, to get people out and about before this pandemic. Keep up the good work, we all enjoy and need this so much at this stage. Continued health and well being to Paul and his crew.

  17. I can’t find a video giving details of how Mr. Sellers joined the pallets, build the roof, etc. Can someone please provide a link
    Thanks

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