How to: Pallet Bed

This was a free 3 hour project that even a nine months pregnant woman can do. :) 

It is a bed for Perpetua's room, so mommy can sleep and nurse our little one and then it will be her toddler bed. We never got a traditional baby bed, we have always used a pack-n-play for the first year plus, which has worked out really nice for both boys, it is great when you travel too because you can bring the comfort of home with them. 

The below is what you will need if you can't find pallets the size of your bed. Mine were too big so i had to cut them down. 

need: 

2 or more pallets depending on size you find - free everywhere downtown, big companies are throwing them away all the time. 

circular saw (i am sure someone you know has one) 

hammer (to get the nails out)

electric screw driver (because i am a wimp and can't hammer right)

sander or sand paper (i used it because i don't want any spliters in my little toddler's fingers in the future but probably not necessary for a big kid bed) 

screws

measuring tape

pencil

optional: one kid down for a nap

Measure and mark where you want to cut to make it the size of your mattress. I did the cut on the length because i knew i could make it sturdy by moving the end piece up and screwing it back in as shown below.

 Cut your pallet.

 Pry off nails and planks of wood on end piece with hammer (or just hammer them in). And wedge, with hammer, end piece back into the new end. 

Screw the new end in and do the same thing with the next pallet. Then just lay the pallets on top of each other as shown below. I also cut out an additional middle piece of wood on both pallets to slip in draw baskets as seen below. If you do that make sure you the side with the fewer planks of wood. 

Voila.... a great sturdy place for a mattress with storage below and a fun rustic look.. you could paint or spray paint yours as well i liked the rustic unfinished look.