Pallet Wood Art

I love pallet wood, especially pallets that have been left out in the elements. It just weathers to such a lovely grey.

I keep a few pallets around in case I ever need weathered wood and today I needed some. I had a retirement party to go to for one of my very special friends. Jan was the administrative assistant at Pitt (GO Pitt!) when I first moved out here to start my grad school in Audiology. She helped me make the adjustment flawlessly and was always there to lend an ear or to just laugh with me at the crazy stuff I had gotten myself into. I call her my Pittsburgh Mama, I love you Jan if you are reading this!

I wanted to make her something special and this is what I came up with. Indoor/outdoor lighted pallet wood art


The flower represents how she helped me flower here in Pittsburgh and the lights are because her eyes light up when she sees me and that makes me feel extra special. I also think she will flower and blossom even more in her retirement and light more peoples world with her beauty.

Here is what you need to make this:
pallet wood cut to equal length
2" bass wood (I used 2  24"long pieces)
3/4 finishing nails
plug in LED mini lights (I used a string of 20)
chalk
wood burning tool and tip
drill and bits
sand paper
hammer
glue gun and glue
stain is optional

You should cut your bass wood so that the top and bottom pieces are exactly the length of the pallet wood and then the two side pieces should be the length of the pallet wood and the bass wood.  See the photo below to see what I mean.

Frame out your pallet wood using the finishing nails. I started the nails in the bass wood first and then lined it up against the pallet wood and finished nailing them in. I nailed the frame in this order: top, bottom, left, then right. Then nail the sides of the frame to the sides of the pallet pieces as well.

This shows how I nailed the sides and the frame.

This is what it will look like from the back. If you want to stain the bass wood, do it now. i liked the contrast so I did not.

Draw out your design on the pallet wood with your chalk. Using your wood burning tool, burn the design into the wood. 

This is just like writing so don't despair. Let the tip get nice and hot before starting however. Once I had the design outlined I brushed off most of the chalk and then went over the design again. I like the chalk left behind, adds dimension I think.

Now take a drill bit that is slightly larger than the led light and drill holes where you want the lights to be.

Use your glue gun to secure your led light in each hole. 

 Uh, plug these in before gluing to make sure they work! Whew. Lucky.

 I am making myself one tomorrow I think

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.  

2 Corinthians 4:6

Always being renewed,

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