Man Turns One Wood Pallet Into a Patio Grill Table With Storage
Small grills still need a surface that puts them at a comfortable working height. Setting one on a low patio table can take over space meant for meals while leaving the person cooking bent over the grill.
Dee from Our Clover House shared the table her husband built for their compact grill using one standard wood pallet and scrap lumber they already had. The pallet provided most of the structure, while scrap 2x4s became four 32-inch legs, allowing them to complete the build without buying more wood.
Rather than dismantling the pallet into individual boards, he kept sections intact and cut them into new parts. One became the work surface, another became storage across the front, and the finished stand can also serve as a potting table when the grill is not in use.
Removing one board saves wood for later
A circular saw removes the center board from underneath the pallet before the main cuts begin. Those pieces are set aside rather than discarded because they return later in the project.
Four 2×4 sections are cut to 32 inches for the legs. Using the available scraps determined the final height instead of buying longer boards to bring the table up to 36 inches.
Cutting the pallet creates two usable sections
The circular saw divides the pallet into two sections rather than reducing it to individual boards. One section becomes the work surface, while the other forms the shelf across the front.
Three boards remain across the top section and two remain on the shelf. Keeping those slats attached preserves much of the original pallet construction and reduces the amount of rebuilding required.
Four legs raise the work surface
Holes are pre-drilled near the top of each leg before assembly. Three holes in each piece provide attachment points for the screws connecting the 2x4s to the pallet sections.
Two-inch wood screws secure the legs. The rear pair goes on first, followed by the shelf, creating the basic shape before the remaining supports are installed.
Grill stand is ready for use
Once the legs, braces, and shelf are secured, the stand is set against the patio wall with the grill on top. At 32 inches high, it raises the small grill above the couple’s lower patio table, which was the reason for building the stand in the first place.
The wide top uses three of the pallet boards and leaves enough room for the grill without enclosing it inside a cabinet. No paint or stain was added at this stage, so marks from the original pallet remain visible across the wood.
Front shelf adds storage below the grill
Viewed from the side, the second pallet section forms a deep shelf across the front of the stand. Boards saved when the pallet was cut provide the shelf bottom, giving the open section a surface for holding patio or grilling supplies.
The four 2×4 legs support the top, while horizontal braces connect the front and rear legs. Those supports also keep the storage section below the work surface rather than taking space from the top.
One pallet becomes two working levels
The before-and-after view shows how much of the original pallet remains recognizable in the finished build. Instead of stripping it into individual boards, sections were cut and repositioned to create the upper work surface and lower storage area.
The grill was the reason for the project, but it does not have to stay there. When the top is clear, the couple can use the 32-inch-high surface for potting plants, while the shelf below can hold supplies.
We like that one pallet became both a work surface and storage. Would you use this setup for a grill, plants, or another patio project?
Image credits go to Our Clover House.