Redo Redux - Revisiting Past Projects - Pallet Wood Front Porch

9/1/2016 Redo Redux: Revisiting Past Projects: Pallet Wood Front Porch
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Redo Redux: Revisiting Past

Projects
When we bought this house, it was movein ready. Ha! We spent the next seven years getting it 'ready' for the life
we live in it....
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Friday, April 13, 2012 Blog Archive

► 2013 (3)
Pallet Wood Front Porch ▼ 2012 (38)
► October (2)
► September (4)
► May (12)
▼ April (20)
Photo Display
Bingo Ball Plant Holder
Things Aren't Always What They Seem
Bible Pages On the Wall
Miracle Cornices
If Walls Could Talk: A Large Bank of

Shelves
Barn Wood Basement
Boat Oar Trellising
Wood Counter Top: Kitchen

When we bought this house, it was movein ready everything was in working order but
there were many things about this house that had not been updated since it was built, Burlap Back Splash
back in the late 50's. The front porch is a good example of this: It functioned, but it was a Smiley Face
bit worse for wear, if'n you know what I mean! The concrete slab was cracked in the
Growing a Patio
middle and sagged so that the porch was not level. The storm door was original to the
house aluminum and wornlooking. Paper Bag Wall
Copper Soffit
Pallet Wood Front Porch
Garden Foot Stools
Drapes Revisited, and Revisited, and

Revisited A...
Tiled Table
Cassette Box Door Trim
Trellis Project: Magnetized Photo Display
About Me
Susan Hirneise Moore
When we bought our home at

the tail end of 2004,
The first thing we did, early on, was to replace the storm door. I found it through a radio everything in it was functional
program called Tradio bought if from someone who was advertising that they had a but outdated. So we started updating it,
storm door to sell. We brought it home and it was soon installed.... making it our own. This blog is about the
journey from outdated to reworked, redone,
http://redoreduxfaywray.blogspot.ca/2012/04/palletwoodfrontporch.html 1/27
redecorated and more: It's a blog about how
we put together a home that we like, and one
that even looks good when it's dirty!!
View my complete profile
The planning stage is my favorite part of any project, and this porch was no exception: I
thought about an upgrade for some years before we finally decided how we wanted to fix
it. When someone gave us a slue of pallets, we had our solution: Fix the porch with pallet
wood. Most folks, when they first see our palletwood porch, think we just laid whole
pallets on the porch. Well, no, that's not how it happened: My husband laboriously and
patiently took the pallets apart and denailed the boards. Then he planed them.
The planing process revealed beautiful wood of all kinds all hard woods, some of them
exotic; we certainly had never seen some of those types of woods before.
Bill had to predrill every screw hole before he could screw those boards together; they
were that tough. Oh, yes, he broke many a drill bit in the making of this porch. The first
thing we did was build a 'jig' a frame to help us get every one of the 36" squares exactly
the same size. We put together 18 36" squares using that jig, then added support boards
to each one, then attached the resultant squares to the porch leveling as we went.
Once the top boards were in place, the porch was almost complete.
We opted to finish the wood with a dark walnut stain.
There was an area at the south end of the porch that was uuuuggly it was part of the
driveway and had concrete on it. It looked like someone had patched a hole there at one
time. There was more concrete next to the house, an obvious attempt to keep rain water
out of the basement. It really was ugly!
So, with leftover pallet wood, we built a small deck/step leading up to the front porch.....
By this stage of the project, neighbors were making favorable comments they liked what
they were seeing happen to our porch...
Then we added a railing. The porch was almost done! This was a long process, a difficult
project, but we loved working on it, and we now have a lovely front porch. Er, at least we
think it's lovely!!!
This photo shows Bill, my husband, adding some stairs to the newlyfinished front porch.
That man! He is such a hard working guy . . . .
We eventually covered that old white metal post with nice wood.
To see what else we did with pallet wood, click this link.
Link to Pallet Wood in the Bathroom
Posted by Susan Hirneise Moore at 3:57 AM
+381 Recommend this on Google
140 comments:
Monika April 13, 2012 at 7:11 AM
Well done! Can we get a photo of the front with the railing? This would be great for my
backyard which has ugly broken concrete.
Reply
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Susan Hirneise Moore March 23, 2014 at 6:13 AM
I did not hit the right button to 'reply,' so I'm not sure you got notice that I
replied, all those months ago. I did reply, though, but not the right way,
apparently. So sorry. Please read the comments I did make about your
comments. Thanks.
Reply
Dinakar KR April 13, 2012 at 7:22 AM
Nice that you have documented this also in your post. I remember this well because at the
same time you shared these by email, we were discussing about wind chimes! I saw them
there. Does Bill bill you for the work he does for you? :)
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comments. Thanks.
cindy April 9, 2015 at 11:17 PM
Very nice, we made a floor for my Gazebo out of pallets, it looks good!!
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faywray April 14, 2012 at 3:30 AM
Thanks, Monika, for your kind words. I added another photo this time from the front, sort
of! If that doesn't serve your purposes, I can insert another, more recent pic.....
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comments. Thanks.
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faywray April 14, 2012 at 3:31 AM
Dinu: Hey, hey, hey! I help too, ya know. I am the idea person and the gofer a role I hate,
actually and of course I supervise!!!!
Wind chimes: Good idea. I was looking for a short post for this morning.....
Susan
Reply
Sweet Bee Cottage May 28, 2012 at 5:36 PM
What a fabulous idea and what a fabulous look! Clever and recycling! What is better than
that? (I'm a supervisor too. I'm good at it. LOL)
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Susan Hirneise Moore May 29, 2012 at 3:17 AM
Oh, yes! Supervising is hard work! I find that if one starts a directive with
'Honey....' or 'Dear...' things go a lot more smoothly!
It's funny: For some years, we used barn wood and pallet wood, etc, but I never,
ever thought of it as recycling. No! I thought of it as 'makingdo.' Then someone
used the word 'recycling' in re to some of our projects, and suddenly I realized
that we were not only having a grand time, but we were being PC, too! Who
knew?
stampmeup March 5, 2013 at 3:14 PM
Now the new PC buzz word is "reclaimed" or the fashionable word is

"upcycled".. Ha!! :D Love your project!!!!
It's funny: We did so many projects with old reclaimed wood, and never once
thought of it as recycling. Not until someone suggested we were doing it as
recycling did that occur to me. No, we use(d) old wood because it's . . . . free!!
We are sooooo cheap!
Thanks you for the lovely comments. I appreciate it....
Susan
Reply
Michele Eskew June 1, 2012 at 8:25 AM
Excellent idea and great job! We have been talking about collecting pallets to make a shed
from but this is a great idea also.
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comments. Thanks.
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Susan Hirneise Moore June 1, 2012 at 6:13 PM
Thanks, Michele! Hey did you look at some of my other blog posts? There's a blog entry
about our bathroom, for example; we used pallet wood in there too. Let me know if you
find anything else you're interested in. Thanks. Did you, by the way, see the blog post
about the workshop?
Thanks again.
Susan
Reply
Tree Huggin Momma August 21, 2012 at 10:33 AM
Must be wood pallets are made differently in different areas. The ones in my area are all
shabby and made of rough wood, nothing as thick as the pallets you found :)
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comments. Thanks.
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Eremite August 21, 2012 at 10:41 AM
Indeed... where did you find pallets made of quality wood? I've seen a LOT of pallets in my
day and not one of them would I trust not to rot out from under me if used as a porch floor.
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comments. Thanks.
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hgalwalk August 21, 2012 at 10:49 AM
beautiful!
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comments. Thanks.
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DeDe August 21, 2012 at 11:38 AM
This is Great! Got me thinking about my back porch! ..hummmmm
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comments. Thanks.
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Deb Kwek August 21, 2012 at 1:21 PM
Wow what a great ideal it looks so nice congrats :)
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comments. Thanks.
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Susan Hirneise Moore August 22, 2012 at 3:51 AM
Note: Before I forget: Please check out the kitchen counter top redo post; we used barn
wood for that. And there's a post on this blog that shows the pallet wood we put in the
bathroom I think that post was done in April...
Reply
Thanks, everyone!! I'll pass your kind comments onto my dear husband....
Those pallets came from a factory that makes industrialsized doors, so the pallets have to
be sturdy, hence the hard wood. Some of that wood was not familiar to us. We surmised
that perhaps some of the wood came from S. America, or even Africa. We have no way of
knowing.
Reply
By the way (PS): Pinterest is awesome. I have to give a plug to that great website. After
most of the remodel was done, I decided to blog about some of the projects. (And please
note: Take photos of your projects, before during and after. OK? OK? OK?If I hadn't done
that, there would have been no blog.....)
Now, where was I? Oh, yes: Pinterest....
After I would finish a blog entry, I would post a link to it on FB, and I sent links in private
emails to family and friends, etc. Of course family and friends reacted with, 'Ho, hum, it's
only Sue mouthing off again,' and I got little interest from those sources. But I also posted
pics to pinterest, and that's what caused people to sit up and take notice. I have had
thousands of hits on my blog because of Pinterest, folks...
So please consider blogging about your own projects I'd love to read about them and
don't forget to post photos to Pinterest.
I'm just sayin'.....
Thanks again. Susan
Reply
I need to add one more thing . . . because I can!!!!

One of my favorite things about these oldwood projects was watching them come out of
the planer as my husband worked on those boards. What a treat!! We never knew what to
expect, and it was thrilling to see those old, ratty boards come to life. The grain! The color!
Well, you get the idea....
I quit. No, don't try to talk me out of it, I really do quit....at least for now!!!
Sue
Reply
George Bal August 28, 2012 at 9:39 AM
Hi there! What a great idea!!!I'm interesting of fixing my back porch but there is a
problem!There is no roof on top!Are the pallet's wood gonna have a problem with the rain
water etc?
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Pamela June 17, 2013 at 9:24 AM
put wood sealer paint or spray on each piece before use to get it all covered. it
should be ok then. i want to do this in back of my house and i don't have a roof
either. will it work everyone? answer back so we will know. thank to all very
much.
comments. Thanks.
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Barb J. August 28, 2012 at 5:29 PM
Beautiful... it's amazing what you can do with pallets. Any ideas for finding free ones?
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comments. Thanks.
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First of all, I have to say that the pallet wood was free. So our initial investment was small
screws, drill bits (plenty of drill bits because each hole had to be predrilled), planer
blades, and so on. So that, we were able to invest in plenty of stain, to protect the wood.
Secondarily, there are gaps between the boards, so stain ran down the sides of the boards,
too, if you see what I mean. They make bathtubs out of wood, actually; with bathtubs,
there have to be very closed joints, obviously. But used as decking? I'd say the gaps
become important, so the wood can dry between exposures to rain and snow.
And please note that the pallet wood porch we added extends beyond the eaves, so water
and snow does get on part of the wood; it has held up fine so far.....
Reply
Our pallets came from a company that makes huge doors they use it for shipping and
such. So I would ask around at companies that make huge things; maybe they have pallet
wood that is also hard wood. This particular company has a deal with their employees:
They are allowed to take as much pallet wood as they want to but cannot sell it, cannot
make money off of it.....
Yes, most pallets are not made of hard wood, and most pallets, let's face it, are used till
they are ratty looking and falling apart. Hope you find some you like....
And please check out the blog entries about the wooden counter tops we installed those
are made from barn wood. And the wood in our bathroom also a blog entry is pallet
wood. For the counter tops and bathroom floor, we used tung oil to protect it. The dining
room/kitchen floors is barn wood protected with polyurethane, also a blog entry....
Hope this helps. Hope you have as much success with these wood projects as we have
had...
Susan
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fulldollar September 11, 2012 at 4:18 PM
Excelente idea, ya estoy buscando mas tarimas para hacerla realidad
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comments. Thanks.
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Susan Hirneise Moore September 12, 2012 at 3:24 AM
fulldollar: I hope you find just the right pallets. Or perhaps you could find another source of
wood, then share you new idea with the rest of us.....
PS: I email in the Microsoft Outlook format. So I was able to hit 'Reply,' then highlight your
message, then right click on it and hit 'Translate' in the drop box. In that way, your
wonderful message became readable to me.
Thanks for the comment.....
Susan
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Kathy January 26, 2013 at 5:18 AM
Elbow grease and good old American ingenuity!
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comments. Thanks.
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Susan Hirneise Moore January 27, 2013 at 4:59 AM
Hi, Kathy!!
Thanks for reading the blog entry about the front porch. We did the porch, oh, about 5
years ago, so it's fun to look back and comment about it all these years later....
Most of the elbow grease was my husband's. I could barely drive one of those screws into
that hard wood, so he did most of the drilling and screwing. The ingenuity came into play
when I was trying to figure out what to do with all those lovely boards that were piling up in
the garage. They were only @ 4 feet long, and of course porch boards would have to be
longer. Then it occurred to me (inspiration!!) that we could put the boards together in 3'
square units. Once that was decided to make a sort of checkerboard the rest fell into
place.
Thanks again for your comment, Kathy. I appreciate it......Susan
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mandylou February 11, 2013 at 12:59 AM
It doesnt look like wood from wooden pallets. It looks thicker and better quality. Wood
pallets are much thinner.. your deck looks quality, like 2x4's. What kind of wood pallets did
you get ahold of?
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comments. Thanks.
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Susan Hirneise Moore February 11, 2013 at 4:09 AM
Hi, Mandylou! The wood is from a factory that moves very heavy objects. I believe the
wood we got was used for packaging, shipping, and used within the plant to move large,
heavy materials. Hence the hard wood. That's my guess. They were given to us, to I didn't
ask many questions. I am just grateful for the wood.....
I know the type pallets you are thinking of ratty ones that are reused so often they are a
hazard. The ones we got are not reused more than for one shipping/packing, apparently.
Hope this answers your questions.
Susan
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Jon Bengtson March 5, 2013 at 4:15 PM
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
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Kimmy Kat March 5, 2013 at 5:58 PM
For many years I have wanted to build a free standing portable deck out on my lawn and I
have always envisioned this deck to be made from wood pallets... A portable patio is the
perfect solution for a renter like me as I don't want to invest the money to build something
permanent that I would eventually have to move away from.. The trouble is that I no longer
have access to the good grade pallets that I used to have access to ... Mmmmm ... This
article inspires me to get the lead out and start looking for a good source of pallets ... I
would love to hear if anyone has any suggestions as to design .. etc
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comments. Thanks.
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This comment has been removed by the author.
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Kimmy: I must tell that those pallets were made of hardwood. They were not the scruffy
looking pallets most of us are used to. But I say: Go for it.
It's not so important how you do something as it is that you do it!!!!
Susan
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Jon Bengtson March 8, 2013 at 5:36 AM
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
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Barrett Elmore March 19, 2013 at 11:42 AM
You and your husband are doing a really great job in updating the old house. The front
porch looks simple yet beautiful and unique. The house is looking good; what part of it are
you going to work on next?
Barrett Elmore
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Susan Hirneise Moore October 8, 2013 at 3:40 AM
I think I missed this comment, when you made it last March, Barrett!
Yes, that is the BIG question around here: What will we get into next!
Here's how it goes around here. This story is illustrative of how things work:
After having darkish paint for years in the ping pong room side of the basement,
my husband talked me into painting it a lighter shade. So we did that. Then we
had to paint the floor, didn't we?! I'd always wanted to paint the trim boards
black, so we did that too!
We're just wrapping up another yardsaling season. I mention this because many
of our projects involve materials we find at yard sales. Sometimes, too, people
off us free stuff see post titled How To Make a Workshop with Three Telephone
Poles and An Old Boot.
Thanks for your comments!
Susan
PS: How I do run on!
comments. Thanks.
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Thanks, Barrett.
That is always the question, isn't it? What fun will we have next? We recently repainted
the basement; that can be seen on my Year in Pictures Blog. I don't know if I can add a
link here, but I'll try....
https://faywray2.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/march182013/
Thanks again for your kind comments. We press on....
PS: Do you do projects, too, that you can share with others?
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peter March 30, 2013 at 8:00 AM
What a great looking porch, Ive been trying to come up with ideas for mine and I think I
found it.
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comments. Thanks.
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Susan Hirneise Moore April 1, 2013 at 9:34 AM
I hope it works out for you. There comes a time in every project when I ask myself, 'Would I
do anything differently if I had it to do over again?' I think I would not put a railing on, for
one thing. The law says if the decking is 24 inches off the ground it needs a rail, but ours is
not that high. And I think I would stain it a lighter color, too. Just some thoughts. Thanks
for your comment. Susan
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Angelina Garcia April 1, 2013 at 1:48 PM
I really like what you did with the floors. The pattern was simple, yet looked great when you
implemented it. Being a fan of the natural look, I approve that you used wood stain rather
than painting it. For me, if it’s outside, gotta use stain. :)
Angelina Garcia
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comments. Thanks.
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faywray1 April 2, 2013 at 9:37 AM
Thanks, Angelina. To keep the pattern simple, we used a jig to fit the boards together.
Each board was cut to size and fit into the jig. That way we were able to get the right size
(36") for each of the 18 squares without too much hassle. The boards were all different
thicknesses, and without that jig, well, I would've lost my mind!
Reply
Jennifer Szatny April 10, 2013 at 8:20 PM
This is really cool! I work in solid waste management, recycling area for City of Houston.
We applaud your efforts to build something beautiful and to save space in the landfills with
great pieces that make for a very enjoyable porch. Kuddos to the skills and effort. Jennifer
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comments. Thanks.
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I love that we used the wood from downed trees, Jennifer. A tree takes so many years to
grow but can be burnt up in minutes. Thanks for your wonderful comment.....
Susan
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Sol Hendricks May 15, 2013 at 1:03 PM
I can only imagine the amount of effort in planing every single one of those pallets. And it
really does look like it was already put in there in one piece, what with the smooth fit and
minimal spacing in it. Question though: did you plan on raising the porch, or was just a
happy coincidence of putting the frames for the pallets to get attached to?
Sol Hendricks
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comments. Thanks.
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As soon as we thought in terms of a deck covering the old cracked concrete, the next
consideration was whether we had room to set the joist boards in place, with boards atop
them . . . and still be able to use the door! In the end, we had to raise the door sweep just
a hair, so it worked out OK. The alternative to all this and if I'd known, as you indicate,
how much work this pallet porch would be we might have gone with that alternative: poured
concrete over the existing slab. These were all considerations, for sure. In the end, my
main concern became an asthetic one: Would it be weird to have the porch ceiling so close
to our heads after we raised the porch! But I got around my concerns soon enough. (This
surely makes it easier to change the light bulb!)
Thanks for your comments. It would seem you've had experience with planing and such. My
husband put in a lot of hours with the planing, yes, but he seems to enjoy it, for which I am
grateful. I'm not sure the neighbors appreciated his earlymorning planing habits, though! I
do a great imitation of a planer in action, by the way; I do this imitation when I want to
stress to listeners what our neighbors heard at 7am some mornings!
Thanks again, Sol.
Susan
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EmBeeMarie McDaniel May 30, 2013 at 6:59 AM
Just wondering I need lots of pallets here in Georgia and love this idea but how did you get
them to your house if you do not have a car? :( any ideas
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comments. Thanks.
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Susan Hirneise Moore June 2, 2013 at 3:12 AM
Hm. You don't have a car? Did I get that right, EmBee? Could you put out the word to
family and friends that you need pallets transported to your home?
I admit that we have the ideal situation here, for projects: We have two trucks, and our
grown sons have trucks too. We also have a burn pile and can burn any unwanted parts of
the pallets. But this was no always so, this ideal situation. We did not even own a home
until 8 1/2 years ago. We rented for all the years before that. I think I was 50 years old
when we bought this house. We lived in rentals for the first, oh, 22 years of our marriage.
So my answer to your questions is: Wait till the time is right. In the meantime, plan for the
future. Plan, plan, plan. The planning stage is the most important part of any project
anyway, and it's also the most fun part of any project, so you are in a good place.....
Hope it all works out for you.
Jesus, please give EmBee the desires of her heart.....
Susan
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Stacey Beck June 11, 2013 at 10:47 AM
I would have never thought to do that! It's funny how much of a difference decks can make
on a house.
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So true! I don't know if you noticed the blog entry about the deck we put up? I
mention that because I had wanted a deck in that spot for years, and when I
finally saw it happen, I asked myself, and everyone around me too, 'What is it
about a deck?' You are so right: Decks are . . . . just . . . . different. Why, I still
am not sure!
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Samantha Mostarlic June 29, 2013 at 6:12 AM
It's a lovely porch, thanks for the idea!

we have so many pallets lying around and are always looking for good ideas to reuse the
wood!
Samantha
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If they are hardwood pallets, you're good to go, Samantha. Though it would be
fun to take on the challenge of finding ways to use other types of pallets....
Oh, and please share any ideas you come up with; I'd love to see your pallet
projects....
Susan
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James Reynolds July 3, 2013 at 8:35 AM
Thanks for the information. I am currently in the planning stage of a very ambitious
remodeling and re landscaping project for my back yard. I have a grand vision of a deck
that connects to the 2nd floor of my house and has an outdoor spiral staircase leading to
the ground level. Anyway, I'm researching some building material and methods online in
order to plan my starting point. Do you suggest real wood, or some other material?
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Susan Hirneise Moore July 5, 2013 at 2:54 AM
With planter boxes attached to the spiral staircase as it goes up and up! Flowers
dripping over the edge! Oh, yes, I like that idea!
Your comment reminds me of a recent email: A friend's hubby does not like
pressuretreated wood! From what I gather, some arguments ensued when they
went to add new decking to their back yard!
I don't like [plastic] composite woods for one reason: People donate their milk
containers . . . . then 'wood' is made from them . . . and they charge sooo much
for that product. The plastic is essentially free, yet they charge so much! It's the
principle of the thing!
Beyond that, I have no opinion yea or nay in re to wood choices.
I would love to see your finished outdoor projects. Please inform when done.
Thanks. Susan
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R Porter July 17, 2013 at 8:43 PM
Susan, I want a deck so bad and can't afford the wood. I got estimates and it was over
$2,000 for the deck I want. We have a pallet company up the road from where we live so I
can get the wood there, just wondering if I can use this Idea on a floating deck at least two
feet off the ground. Thanks for your blog.
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Susan Hirneise Moore July 19, 2013 at 2:46 AM
Hello! Have you checked out any ideas on pinterest, for different options for
decks? You might also check to see what the building codes in your town say
about railings: Where we live, if the deck is 24" or higher, you have to have
railings!
beyond that, I'm sure someone will come up with a way to make a deck with
whole pallets, maybe just piling them up on the ground. With enough plantings
around it, that might look really nice. I love a challenge, so your question is a
provocative one for me! Thanks for the comment. Hope you have a deck soon,
and I pray that it works out for you. Susan
comments. Thanks.
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Mindi@MyLove2Create September 1, 2013 at 9:39 PM
So creative and beautiful! I absolutely LOVE it!
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Hey, you! Thanks!

I just checked out your 2Create blog, Mindi! I love it! I signed up to get bulletins
in emails.
Did you happen to see the post about our pallet wood bathroom? It's in the list
for May, 'Pallet Wood .....in the bathroom.'
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Jason Knight October 7, 2013 at 5:14 PM
That is awesome! I have been trying to find a good way to put a front deck in for my home,
here in Kitchener. I think that it would be nice, and have a sweet look to it!
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Our pallet wood front porch is definitely unique. Some people, I know, eschew
'unique' at every turn, though. But we have had many compliments on the porch.
In fact, it is the most popular post out of all the blog entries in Redo Redux.
Thanks for your comments, Jason. Hope it all works out for you. Perhaps you
can find materials to use for your deck that are unique to your needs.
Susan
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Brenda Miller February 1, 2014 at 11:14 AM
This is such a great idea!! your porch is beautiful!! Thanks for sharing.
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I have to admit that I wrote all of the posts for Redo Redux for myself so I
could have fun reliving past projects. So it's always a pleasant surprise when
others enjoy those posts, Brenda! Thank you for your lovely comments. So glad
you like the porch, so glad to have met you! Hugs. Susan
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Joseph sims February 19, 2014 at 10:10 PM
It’s a blog with full of latest and spectacular information’s – This blog has helped me to
gain much more information.
Fences tampa bay florida
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comments. Thanks.
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Thanks, Joseph! I've said it before, I'll say it again: We enjoyed all of these projects
tremendously, so if anyone else enjoys them, well, that's icing on the cake!
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aman February 27, 2014 at 8:41 PM
Hi
Hi, I was simply checking out this blog and I really admire the premise of the article this is
regarding and this is really informative dave burke
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Susan Hirneise Moore March 1, 2014 at 5:39 PM
Dave: Thanks for taking time to comment. I really appreciate it. If there is a
premise to this blog and now you've got me thinking about that it's this: Have
fun and take pics along the way so you can share with others the fun you've had.
Thanks again for your comments. You made my day! Susan
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Susan Hirneise Moore March 1, 2014 at 5:38 PM
This comment has been removed by the author.
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Brenda Prudhomme March 22, 2014 at 7:14 PM
This is fabulous! You did an impressive job!
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Thanks, Brenda! I look forward to warmer weather so we can actually use our
front porch again. Cold winter here this year!
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royalred55 March 22, 2014 at 10:28 PM
GREAT JOB! I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD MAKE A WOOD COVER TO
GO OVER THAT UGLY WHITE RAIL GOING FROM THE DECK TO THE ROOF? IT
YOU COULD JUST TAKE SOME 2X4'S OR 2X6'S WHATEVER IT TAKES JUST TO
COVER IT UP. THAT WOULD FINISH OFF THE PROJECT. IT WOULD LOOK SO MUCH
TIDIER THAT WAY. MORE FINISHED OFF! YOU HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL
HUSBAND FOR DOING THESE THINGS FOR YOU! HOW WONDERFUL OF A
PROJECT!
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Oh, oh! We added a wooden sheath around that metal thingie a long time ago
and I never added a photo of it! Thank you for reminding me. Your mind works
like mine. You might be a bit concerned about that! Just kidding. Thanks for
your comments. PS: We had to wait till we found just the right wood to cover
that metal post.
I just added a photo of that post. Thanks again! Susan
Reply
Jamala Wallace April 6, 2014 at 7:27 PM
This is by far THEEEE best pallet updo I've ever seen...
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Well, thank you, Jamala! If you ever try something like this, please read the
comments and my replies to them. I have tried to explain some of the ins adn
outs of this project so that others can try it.
The key, I think, to this project was the inspiration about how to use boards that
were @ 42" long. How to use those to make a huge deck/porch? Once that
problem was addressed, the rest fell into place without a hitch. Happy creating
to you! Susan
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Ed May 7, 2014 at 8:20 PM
IT is truly a beautiful porch, but as a forester who works with pallwts I have some concerns,
submitted respectfully:
1. Sealing the wood on the top will not necessarily prevent water from leaking through
screw holes, between boards, and causing the wood beneath to rot.
2. A spacer between the concrete and the bottom boards would possibly allow the water to
drain off and the boards to not have to stand in water which might slow the rotting process.
3. Untreated wood, matters not whether it is hardwood or pine, is susceptible to termites,
especially when the water content is suitable for them, and :
4. wood untreaated beneath, if watersoaked, will allow fungus to spread below the top seal,
causing visible changes to the color and grain of the wood beneath the sealer. Wood can
"wick" water from the bottom up the cells into the top of the wood, getting under the sealer
from the bottom up, instead of through the sealer..
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You remind me of the time lo those many years ago when I read book after
book to teach myself to can, to preserve food in jars. Every book said the same
thing; they all emphasized to a faretheewell the need for cleanliness. By the
time I got done with my research, I was sick and tired of reading the same thing
over and over again! Then something occurred to me: The writers of those
canning books were writing for the lowest common denominator: They had to
emphasize cleanliness because there are some unclean people out there. The
authors of those books were speaking to them, not to me I have a clean
kitchen.
This blog entry was NOT written for the lowest common denominator. And it
was not written as a howto on porchbuilding. Unlike those books on canning, I
assume that the readers of this blog are knowledgeable about important
construction techniques. And I wrote this blog for my own enjoyment, for sure.
You are so right, Ed, precautions must be taken, proper building techniques
need to be employed. No question. And in fact, these precautions go far beyond
those things you mention. (I am thinking about how I researched building codes
in our area, etc.)
So, yes, by all means follow the rules when building such a thing. By all means!
Thank you for your thoughtful and knowledgeable comments, Ed. I appreciate it.
Oh, and one more thing about those canning books: While they all stressed
certain things, none of those books addressed certain other issues that are
important to canning; those things, I had to learn on my own. I think that is true
of any endeavor: After planning and researching, in the end, it's time to JUST
DO IT.
Thanks again, Ed. By the way, my dear daddio's name was Ed. He would come
to our home, eager to see what new project we'd been working on since he'd
been here last. I miss you him so.
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Nanao555 May 14, 2014 at 1:09 PM
how much was it to do?
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Please see my comments to Cardens Firewood, just below this comment.

Thanks.
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Cardens Firewood May 14, 2014 at 5:50 PM
Thats a very clever idea and your right palleys can have sum amazingly exotic and nice
hardwoods in them. I work in the logging industry and i know for a fact that we have
delivered white/red oak locust gum maple cherry pecan hickory beech black birch and
numerous other hardwoods to the local pallet factory and alot of the local tree services
deliver logs from trees they take down to the pallet factory were its all roighly cut and put
together.
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Oh, oh! I wish you'd been here as that wood came out of the planer! We
marveled at the beautiful woods that emerged, but we had no idea what some
of those woods were. So beautiful! I wish you'd been here to inform us!
That wood was so hard, we had to predrill every screw hole. (A great way to
teach one's grandchild how to use a drill, by the way.) I mention this because
one of the costs of making that porch was drill bits! Lots and lots of drill bits! We
tried all brands, in our effort to find a kind that would take the pressure. Screws,
drill bits, concrete and planer blades were our only expenses, though. The wood
was free. And the stain I got at a yard sale, cheap, cheap. I did a quick tally
after we were done, and as I recall it cost about $120.00 to make this pallet
wood porch.
PS: One of the woods I called 'zebra wood.' I have no idea what it was, but it
looked like that wood I've seen people use on TV. Stunning wood. In an earlier
comment, I wrote that if I had it to do all over again, I would use a lighter stain
so that the grains would show through more.
Thanks for your comments. I really appreciate you and people like you, people
who join in the fun. For that, in the end, needs to be said: My husband and I
made a memory that will last a lifetime, in the construction of that porch.
Priceless! So thanks for adding to that memory. Susan
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Dow Escalante May 16, 2014 at 6:58 AM
Just beautiful. I haven't read everyone's comments so someone may have said this already
but your new porch reminds me of "Mayberry". It's very inviting to sit back, relax, and enjoy
a hard days work while also inviting neighbors to also " come sit a spell". :) I'm 47 years old
so I did not have the opportunity to know what it was like in Mayberry USA, but I love
watching reruns of the Andy Griffith Show, and your hard work on this porch reminds me of
that era. Thank you for sharing you, and your husbands hard and very creative work with
the rest if us. I just stumbled upon "this post" of tours but I'm assuming you're still
blogging? Blessings and peace to you and your household from Branson, Missouri!
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Susan Hirneise Moore May 17, 2014 at 5:55 PM
Dow: I don't blog at all now. After working on this house for all those years, I worked for
about 2 months to put together the redo/redux blog....then I stopped blogging.
Interestingly, this blog has garnered, so far, over 200,000 hits most of them, by far, were
hits caused by pictures of this porch on pinterest. I have not been inspired to blog since I
finished the 40+ entries for this blog, oh, about 2 years ago. Who knows what this future
holds for me in this regard? It would be easier to answer the question 'Where does
motivation come from?!'
I love the idea that the pallet wood porch reminds you of Mayberry! Didn't Andy serenade
his girlfriend on his porch in that show? Can't recall the girlfriend's name!
Blessings and peace to you and your household from Marion, Ohio! Susan
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shawn maher May 17, 2014 at 9:55 PM
Susan, I really love your work on the front porch. I am planning on making an entire deck
out of pallets and was wondering if you made up anything on paper that might be
emailable. My email is csiinvestigations@hotmail.com. Any help or advise would be
appreciated.
Thank you
Shawn
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Sure, I can send you and email and outline my calculations for the porch, but I
don't have anything on paper. The email will mark the first time I've written
anything down!
Thanks for your kind comments. There are a lot of details in the comments, so
please read those to get more info. Susan
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Cheap Is The *New* Classy May 31, 2014 at 2:39 AM
This looks gorgeous! I am so glad that you shared it on your blog. I will be showing this to
my husband when he gets up. It's crazy all the things that you can do with pallets and
some imagination and hard work!
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I LOVE your name cheap IS the new classy; very well put. I like to tease that we did not
set out to conserve and reuse valuable resources when we used pallet/barn wood; that's
just all we had to use, so we used it!
Thank you for your wonderful comments. I'm glad I took the time to chronicle our redos on
this house; it allowed me to relive the fun we had on all these projects.
In addition to cheap, don't you think that people, too, are looking for authenticity?
I'll never forget the look on my brother Paul's face when he first saw our redone bathroom:
He looked sort of stunned, shook his head, and mumbled, 'Pallet wood....' He's a builder by
trade and he's open to new ideas, and I could tell the pallet wood in the bathroom got his
creative juices flowing.
So we have enjoyed these projects in more than one way, and it continues.
Thanks again.
Susan
PS: I'd love to know what your hubby thinks.
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randy cox June 6, 2014 at 5:06 AM
Wow! What a beautiful wood deck has come out.. I really impressed by your hard work.
Hope to see some more interesting works done by you. I suggest to follow up Deck Repair
Michigan
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melissa June 24, 2014 at 11:05 AM
Absolutely beautiful! I love it! My concern is that pallet wood is generally untreated and
warps easily. ..how has it held up? Any rotting along the ground?
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Thanks, Melissa!
Because that pallet wood porch is suspended over a cement slab, it has not deteriorated at
all. If you knew my husband, you'd know that he would address any such issues
immediately, anyway; he's a gogetter for sure.
My biggest concern, in re the front porch, is the places where the railing boards meet the
decking. Since the porch now extends out beyond the eaves, it gets exposed to rain and
snow. I watch that area the most, for any signs of deterioration. If such a thing starts to
happen, we could just take the railing off. I think I liked the porch better without the railing
anyway. And keep in mind that when we make something ourselves, we can also fix it if it
comes to that.
Thanks again for your comments. What fun this porch has been, in more ways than one.
Susan
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binabug June 26, 2014 at 7:54 AM
wow that would take a tremendous amount of time and dedication! WTG we've got tons
of pallets at work but most of them are the painted type and have had chemicals on them
but I love how people can find new uses and are willing to take the time to re use
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binabug! You got it: A lot of time and dedication! But it was also fun. You know
how it goes: one project feeds into another project.....and another!
A thought: If you can't find pallets to play with, perhaps there is something in
your area and available to you that you need to but look at in a different way.
Oh, I think I'm going to take that advice my own self and look around for
something new to play with!
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Carolyn Piaskowski June 28, 2014 at 1:36 PM
Could you let me know what you had to buy?? All I can find is thin pallets up here in
Alaska???
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Carolyn: We were given the pallets. They were from a factory that makes giant
doors. You will also see info on my blog about the barns we used for other
projects; my husband found them near our home and asked the owners if he
could have those barns.
So the only thing we have to buy is screws and drill bits, and we've run through
two planers so far, and planer blades too we've had to buy some of those, of
course. Stain I found at a yard sale I bought quarts of stain for 50 cents and a
1.00.
PS: I love revisiting these projects when I respond to remarks made about the
blog. So thank you for asking! Thank you for your kind remarks. Susan
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Kay Wilson June 28, 2014 at 2:47 PM
Great idea, when i think of how many pallets our grandkids burned for bonfires!!
Amazing what your hard work produced. thanks forsharing.
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Oh, Kay! Thank YOU for reading my blog! I appreciate it. I tease that, while
family and friends pretty much ignore my blog, total strangers are interested!
Oh, well; I am making new friends friends who feel like long lost family! So,
thanks again! Susan
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Johan Kersop August 12, 2014 at 7:42 AM
HI just want to know what you used to level the porch out and is the material you used for
the leveling sufficient?
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I don't know all the lingo, Johan, but I'll try....

We were dealing with 18 3'x3' increments see photos so we leveled from
section to section, starting in a corner and referencing the one beside it to level
each element. My husband screwed one 3footsquare to the one next to it, then
we used the level to establish level, and so on. Each corner intersection was
then built upon a sort of hardwood piling: the bottom board was tapconned to
the existing concrete, then wood pieces piled on top and screwed to that base.
In this way, we moved across the porch, adding pieces and leveling each one as
we went. Sure, we could have opted for a more traditional longboard structure,
and leveling those long(er) boards would have been a lot easier. But there was a
problem with that idea: By the time we attached boards to the house, then
added decking, the porch would have been higher than the front door opening, if
you see what I mean. The method we used circumvented that problem, and was
a definite consideration in the design of the porch. Hope this answers your
question. And thank you for leaving a comment. Susan
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MissySue August 12, 2014 at 9:21 AM
Those looking for good pallets breeds to find a roofing company. My husband is a roofer
and is all the time get solid oak pallets that are 610 feet long!! And they are Heavy!!
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Good tip, Missy Sue! That is the number one question I get: Where did you get
such nice pallet wood! Thanks!
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MissySue August 12, 2014 at 9:22 AM
Breeds = Needs
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stiffler4444 August 18, 2014 at 10:36 AM
Just in the process of finishing up my pallet deck. I got the criss cross idea from your photo
on Pinterest. Thanks!
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Do you have any pics of the deck you made? I am on Facebook under the name
Susan Hirneise Moore. Perhaps you could message me there and send me
pics? I would like that.....
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Yeandy Garcia September 19, 2014 at 8:08 AM
Great JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Thanks! What a fun project this was, and I love to relive it. Comments like yours
help me do this, remind me to revisit past projects. Thanks again!
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diggindiana October 3, 2014 at 2:28 PM
Beautiful job on this porch you created , would love to this also however the pallets are
becoming hard to come by seems a LOT of people have seen projects like yours and others
who have repurpose pallets and now you have to pay for pallets were around here in the
Northern California it use to be free ! Love your landscaping also great job thanks for
sharing your wonderful ideas
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Thanks for your awesome comments! Yes, I so agree with you about supply and
demand; all of a sudden people realize they can sell their pallets/barns!
So.....I'm thinking we'll just have to come up with new ideas about what
resources to 'mine.' Hm. That gets my mind whirring, thinking about what other
options there might be out there that no one has tapped into before.
I love it when people take time to leave comments. Thank again. Happy
creating!!!! Susan
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ZoZo's Mama October 3, 2014 at 5:12 PM
Love it. Looks like a giant parquet porch!
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And inside that front door....is a real parquet floor, in the front hallway. You are
so right. I also think of the quilt design called 'rail fence.'
Thanks for taking the time to comment, sweetie!!
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Michelle Shepherd February 26, 2015 at 5:09 AM
How did you stabilize the wood to the concrete so that it did not shift?
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This deck is built, essentially, on stilts. At the base of each 'leg' is a board that
has been anchored to the old concrete slab with something my husband calls
tapcons screws/bolts designed to use with concrete. The concrete was in good
shape but had a few large cracks in it. So we had to adjust each component of
the deck as we went along, based on the level of the concrete beneath each
'leg.' Does that make sense? Did I say that right? My husband, literally, knows
the nuts and bolts of the howto's, something that I appreciate about him
tremendously. I'm more like, 'Hey, let's do this! without regard for whether my
design ideas are doable, so we compliment each other beautifully. Thanks for
your question, Michelle. Hope this helps. Susan
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twinkle garg October 31, 2015 at 4:51 AM
Yes, I have been looking for this all day better now than never!
deck flooring supplier in india
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Susan Hirneise Moore November 1, 2015 at 2:26 AM
You have been looking for . . . . this post? On my blog? Please explain. Thanks.
Susan
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David Ronaldo December 3, 2015 at 11:53 PM
Is wood stronger than steel and concrete?

wood flooring
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Susan Hirneise Moore December 12, 2015 at 3:18 AM
I've given this some thought: I think what people are looking for is . . . .
authenticity. So concrete flooring made to mimic wood flooring would not be an
authentic thing. Plus and you can see this in the second picture of this blog
entry the original concrete floor(ing) did not hold up to the test of time; it
cracked and sagged. The porch is covered, and I think water was a factor in the
demise of the concrete: Rain and snow did not readily dry and the concrete was
eventually compromised.
We were given the hardwood pallets (authenticity), and had to come up with a
design that would allow us to use these shorter pieces of wood to span the size
we needed (authenticity).
The porch is still dark most of the time, but the spaces between the boards
allow water to run off of the wood.
Will this pallet wood front porch stand the test of time? I have my doubts! But
unlike concrete, if it starts to deteriorate, we can easily pull it out of there and
burn it no big deal.
Thanks for your comments. It got me thinking. And thanks for the 'wood flooring'
link.
Susan
Reply
Kyle Hobart January 18, 2016 at 7:56 AM
You havent had any issues with the new porch shifting? I have the same concrete patio set
up as you with cracks and all and was told by a few contractors that any attempt to build on
top of it will result in warping and buckling as the slab shifts during winter/ freezing thawing.
Reply
Kyle Hobart January 18, 2016 at 7:56 AM
You havent had any issues with the new porch shifting? I have the same concrete patio set
up as you with cracks and all and was told by a few contractors that any attempt to build on
top of it will result in warping and buckling as the slab shifts during winter/ freezing thawing.
Reply
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Redo Redux - Revisiting Past Projects - Pallet Wood Front Porch

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Friday, April 13, 2012 Blog Archive

Bingo Ball Plant Holder

Things Aren't Always What They Seem

Bible Pages On the Wall

If Walls Could Talk: A Large Bank of

Barn Wood Basement

Boat Oar Trellising

Wood Counter Top: Kitchen

Pallet Wood Front Porch

Garden Foot Stools

Drapes ­ Revisited, and Revisited, and

Cassette Box Door Trim

Trellis Project: Magnetized Photo Display

When we bought our home at

We opted to finish the wood with a dark walnut stain.

Link to Pallet Wood in the Bathroom

Posted by Susan Hirneise Moore at 3:57 AM

+381 Recommend this on Google

Susan Hirneise Moore March 23, 2014 at 6:13 AM

Dinakar KR April 13, 2012 at 7:22 AM

Susan Hirneise Moore March 23, 2014 at 6:13 AM

cindy April 9, 2015 at 11:17 PM

faywray April 14, 2012 at 3:30 AM

Susan Hirneise Moore March 23, 2014 at 6:13 AM

faywray April 14, 2012 at 3:31 AM

Sweet Bee Cottage May 28, 2012 at 5:36 PM

Susan Hirneise Moore May 29, 2012 at 3:17 AM

stampmeup March 5, 2013 at 3:14 PM

Now the new PC buzz word is "reclaimed" or the fashionable word is

Susan Hirneise Moore March 6, 2013 at 7:41 AM

Michele Eskew June 1, 2012 at 8:25 AM

Susan Hirneise Moore March 23, 2014 at 6:14 AM

Susan Hirneise Moore June 1, 2012 at 6:13 PM

Tree Huggin Momma August 21, 2012 at 10:33 AM

Susan Hirneise Moore March 23, 2014 at 6:14 AM

Eremite August 21, 2012 at 10:41 AM

Susan Hirneise Moore March 23, 2014 at 6:14 AM

hgalwalk August 21, 2012 at 10:49 AM

Susan Hirneise Moore March 23, 2014 at 6:15 AM

DeDe August 21, 2012 at 11:38 AM

This is Great! Got me thinking about my back porch! ..hummmmm

Susan Hirneise Moore March 23, 2014 at 6:15 AM

Deb Kwek August 21, 2012 at 1:21 PM

Wow what a great ideal it looks so nice congrats :)

Susan Hirneise Moore March 23, 2014 at 6:15 AM

Susan Hirneise Moore August 22, 2012 at 3:51 AM

Susan Hirneise Moore August 22, 2012 at 3:56 AM

Susan Hirneise Moore August 22, 2012 at 4:03 AM

Susan Hirneise Moore August 22, 2012 at 4:05 AM

I need to add one more thing . . . because I can!!!!

George Bal August 28, 2012 at 9:39 AM

Pamela June 17, 2013 at 9:24 AM

Susan Hirneise Moore March 23, 2014 at 6:15 AM

Barb J. August 28, 2012 at 5:29 PM

Susan Hirneise Moore March 23, 2014 at 6:15 AM

Susan Hirneise Moore August 29, 2012 at 3:19 AM

Susan Hirneise Moore August 29, 2012 at 3:25 AM

fulldollar September 11, 2012 at 4:18 PM

Drapes Revisited, and Revisited, and

EmBeeMarie McDaniel May 30, 2013 at 6:59 AM