Building a herb garden from pallets

Grab a pallet and create your own flower and herb garden with trellis.

Urban gardening, i.e. gardening in the town or city, is on everyone's lips – in the truest sense of the word. But even in the countryside many hobby gardeners are asking themselves: how can I build my own flower and herb garden? We'll show you how to turn an old pallet into a beautiful flower and herb garden in just a few steps – which also serves as a chic and durable screen.

Your own private green space: grow your own flowers, herbs and vegetables. The relaxing scent of lavender. The herbaceous scent of rosemary as you rub it between your fingers. Hearty chives and fresh basil for colourful salad creations or Italian flair alla Insalata Calabrese. Home-grown herbs, mixed with colourful flowers, make every gardener's heart beat a little faster. Throw a decorative privacy screen into the bargain and you can kill two birds with one stone.

We've all got that one corner of the garage, loft or shed that we keep promising to sort out. Pallets and scrap wood leftover from deliveries of larger goods or old DIY projects often end up gathering dust while they patiently wait to be “upcycled”. Are you the owner of one of these “dusty collections”? Do you enjoy cooking and love adding fresh herbs to your home-cooked food? If so, this is the perfect DIY project for you!

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You will need:

  • 1 paint spray system (e.g. W 100 from WAGNER)
  • Sander, e.g. WAGNER Studio Sander or sandpaper with sanding block
  • Cordless drill, jigsaw
  • Cloth for dusting, masking material, face mask
  • 1 Euro pallet 120 x 80 cm
  • Wooden boards in different sizes:
    2 x thicker boards for supports, dimensions: approx. 15 x 35 cm
    1 x thin board for the box bases, dimensions: 117 x 11 cm
    2 x thin boards for the box flaps, dimensions: 46 x 15 cm
    6 x thin boards for the panels, dimensions: 10 x 38 cm
  • 4 flower boxes suitable for the Euro pallet, dimensions 38 x 12 x 9 cm
  • 1 trellis, 120 cm wide (in our example 160 cm high)
  • 2 handles
  • Screws and 4 hinges
  • Paint in your desired colour, blackboard paint + chalk
  • Potting soil, herbs and flowers of your choice
Sketch 1

Step-by-step instructions to create a flower and herb garden with trellis

Step 1 of 9: Prepare the workplace

Prepare the workplace

To build your own herb bed from pallets and boards, an outdoor workstation is best, e.g. in the garden or on the patio. First, prepare the required materials. For example, cover the work area with a painter's dust sheet, leaving a wide border all around the pallet. This will make it easy to collect the sanding dust and protect the surface below from paint splashes.

Step 2 of 9: Sand down and dust the pallet

Sand down and dust the pallet

Sand the pallet and boards all over with a sander, e.g. the Studio Sander from WAGNER, and remove the dust with a microfibre cloth or a small broom after sanding.

Sand down and dust the pallet

Sand the pallet and boards all over with a sander, e.g. the Studio Sander from WAGNER, and remove the dust with a microfibre cloth or a small broom after sanding.

Step 3 of 9: Attach the foot supports, then cut the base for the boxes to size and attach it

Attach the foot supports, then cut the base for the boxes to size and attach it.

Next, stand the pallet on its side, i.e. rest the longer side of the pallet (120 cm) on the ground. There should now be three rows (pallet feet) with two recesses each. Fasten the two boards for the foot supports (approx. 15 x 35 cm) on the left and right side so that they point outwards perpendicular to the pallet, using two screws for each.
On the thin board (11 x 117 cm), measure the notches for the box bases (see diagram), mark them and cut them out with a jigsaw. Attach the board (as a base for the boxes) to the underside of the uppermost pallet foot – opposite the newly attached footrests.

Attach the foot supports, then cut the base for the boxes to size and attach it.

Next, stand the pallet on its side, i.e. rest the longer side of the pallet (120 cm) on the ground. There should now be three rows (pallet feet) with two recesses each. Fasten the two boards for the foot supports (approx. 15 x 35 cm) on the left and right side so that they point outwards perpendicular to the pallet, using two screws for each.
On the thin board (11 x 117 cm), measure the notches for the box bases (see diagram), mark them and cut them out with a jigsaw. Attach the board (as a base for the boxes) to the underside of the uppermost pallet foot – opposite the newly attached footrests.

Step 4 of 9: Build and attach the box flaps

Build and attach the box flaps

Now turn the pallet over so that the foot supports are resting on the floor. For each box, measure the screw holes for the hinges and the handle on the two boards (dimensions: 46 x 15 cm) for the box flaps and mark them. This will be the rear side of the flaps. Screw the hinges to the rear side on the left and right, as well as a handle to the front of the flap. Then attach the hinges to the upper recesses on the pallet.

Build and attach the box flaps

Now turn the pallet over so that the foot supports are resting on the floor. For each box, measure the screw holes for the hinges and the handle on the two boards (dimensions: 46 x 15 cm) for the box flaps and mark them. This will be the rear side of the flaps. Screw the hinges to the rear side on the left and right, as well as a handle to the front of the flap. Then attach the hinges to the upper recesses on the pallet.

These practical little boxes are perfect for storing gloves or secateurs, for example. They will also protect any delegate elements of your herb and flower bed against the elements.

Step 5 of 9: Attach the trellis

Attach the trellis

Saw the trellis to the desired height. In the example shown here, the trellis has been cut to a height of approx. 160 cm. Attach it to the back of the pallet with screws in several places.

Step 6 of 9: Prepare the paint

Prepare the paint

Stir the paint of your chosen colour thoroughly – in our example it is white – and dilute it if necessary. Pour the paint into the container of the W 100 paint sprayer from WAGNER and carry out a spray test with the unit, e.g. on an old cardboard box.

Prepare the paint

Stir the paint of your chosen colour thoroughly – in our example it is white – and dilute it if necessary. Pour the paint into the container of the W 100 paint sprayer from WAGNER and carry out a spray test with the unit, e.g. on an old cardboard box.

Step 7 of 9: Spray the pallet, boxes and trellis

Spray the pallet, boxes and trellis

Cover the hinges with masking tape. Spray the pallet with the boxes and the trellis from all sides at an even working speed and a distance of approx. 15 cm. Let the paint dry and repeat the process if the finish is not sufficiently opaque. Then allow the paint to dry completely.

Spray the pallet, boxes and trellis

Cover the hinges with masking tape. Spray the pallet with the boxes and the trellis from all sides at an even working speed and a distance of approx. 15 cm. Let the paint dry and repeat the process if the finish is not sufficiently opaque. Then allow the paint to dry completely.

Step 8 of 9: Preparing and attaching the signs

Preparing and attaching the signs

Sand the boards for the signs (dimensions: 10 x 38 cm) and dust them again with a microfibre cloth or a small broom. Stir the blackboard paint and dilute it if necessary. Fill the paint into a clean container that is compatible with your paint spray device. Perform another spray test before spraying the boards with the blackboard paint. If necessary, repeat the process as soon as the paint has dried slightly. Then allow the boards to dry completely. Screw the six signs to the pallet feet, in each case to one of the recesses. Don't forget: thoroughly clean the paint spray system and the containers after use to prolong the service life of your WAGNER paint spray device.

Preparing and attaching the signs

Sand the boards for the signs (dimensions: 10 x 38 cm) and dust them again with a microfibre cloth or a small broom. Stir the blackboard paint and dilute it if necessary. Fill the paint into a clean container that is compatible with your paint spray device. Perform another spray test before spraying the boards with the blackboard paint. If necessary, repeat the process as soon as the paint has dried slightly. Then allow the boards to dry completely. Screw the six signs to the pallet feet, in each case to one of the recesses. Don't forget: thoroughly clean the paint spray system and the containers after use to prolong the service life of your WAGNER paint spray device.

Tafelschilder vorbereiten und anbringen

Schleifen Sie die Bretter für die Tafelschilder (Maße: 10 x 38 cm) an und entstauben Sie diese wieder mit einem Mikrofasertuch oder einem kleinen Kehrbesen. Rühren Sie die Tafelfarbe auf und verdünnen Sie diese, wenn nötig. Füllen Sie die Farbe in einen zweiten oder den gereinigten Behälter des Farbsprühgeräts ein. Führen Sie auch hier wieder einen Sprühtest durch. Besprühen Sie die Bretter mit der Tafelfarbe. Wiederholen Sie den Vorgang, wenn nötig, sobald die Farbe leicht angetrocknet ist. Lassen Sie die Bretter nun vollständig trocknen. Schrauben Sie die sechs Tafelschilder an den Europalettenfüßen, jeweils an den Aussparungen an. Nicht vergessen: Reinigen Sie das Farbsprühsystem und die Behälter nach der Benutzung gründlich, damit Sie lange Freude an Ihrem WAGNER Farbsprühgerät haben.

The signboards are not only decorative, you can also write the name of the flowers or herbs on them with chalk. Or be creative and label the signboards with your current life motto or inspiring symbols.

Step 9 of 9: Planting herbs/flowers and inserting the flower boxes

Planting herbs/flowers and inserting the flower boxes

Fill the flower boxes with potting soil and plant the flowers and herbs as desired. Insert the flower boxes into the open recesses and, hey presto! Your very own herb and flower garden with privacy screen is finished.

Planting herbs/flowers and inserting the flower boxes

Fill the flower boxes with potting soil and plant the flowers and herbs as desired. Insert the flower boxes into the open recesses and, hey presto! Your very own herb and flower garden with privacy screen is finished.

Planting herbs/flowers and inserting the flower boxes

Fill the flower boxes with potting soil and plant the flowers and herbs as desired. Insert the flower boxes into the open recesses and, hey presto! Your very own herb and flower garden with privacy screen is finished.

The trellis can now be completed with additional hanging flower pots, fairy lights or other beautiful and useful accessories. Now all that remains is to find the perfect place for this useful outdoor feature. Whether on the balcony in the city, on the patio or in the garden, this flower and herb garden lets you give free rein to your gardening passion wherever you live – and also provides an extra dose of privacy.

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