Es increíble lo que un hombre puede hacer con las paletas y algún tiempo en sus manos…A principios de año Ian conjunto a la creación de un gallinero hechas enteramente de plataforma de madera, this was in part to keep me quiet as I’d been making ‘I want chickens and fresh eggs’ noises and partly because he had accumulated vast numbers of pallets on his supermarket rounds. He started off looking for them for kindling but soon realised that they were far too good just to burn – that and the fact we had enough kindling to last for the next few years. We just couldn’t get over the sheer waste of wood as most of the pallets he’d rescued were destined to be burned in the supermarket’s delivery yards. Of course some were not good for much else but most were very strong and yealded plenty of wood after de-nailing. So now we have a delightfully different chicken coop sitting at the top of our land by the apple trees, hopefully to be occupied by charming chicks in spring.
Ian then turned his hand to creating a Wendy house for our younger guests, por supuesto esto no es una casa de juego ordinaria – que sería demasiado aburrido y simple, por lo que es en la forma de un granero Sussex – ¿qué otra cosa? It has to be seen to be believed, completo con ventanas abuhardilladas, shingle roof and double doors front and back and all made out of pallets. It’s not quite finished yet but I’m sure it will be long before our next seasons’ guests arrive. I think the next project is going to be a gazebo so watch this space….
13 Comentarios
I love the use of discarded wooden pallets! I will be using this idea for a chicken coop of my own. Thankyou!!
How many pallets did it take to make the chicken coop and have you used it for chickens yet?
Hi John, I’ll pass on your comment to Ian and I’m sure he’ll be delighted with your praise. He’s even more proud of his fantasy play house. Unfortunately as he kind of works his designs around what pallets and other supermarket cast offs are available it’s very difficult to tell you how many it took. I know that he found some wooden display units being thrown out and that became the foundation structure of the coop. Even more unfortunate is that he really made it as a challenge and doesn’t believe that it’s actually worth our while keeping hens for the amount of eggs we use. I had thought it would be nice to offer fresh eggs for sale to our guests but judging by how few were interested in home grown veg or home made jams & chutneys so it’s unlikely that we shall be spending any money fencing in the coop and buying chickens in the foreseeable future. However on a more positive note, he’s just putting the finishing touches to the greenhouse he’s made out of pallets and some old doors & windows we were given and that will be used extensively by me. Can’t wait to get some seeds in!
I love both of these projects. They are beautiful. How well does this roof keep out the water? It is essentially a shake roof I guess but a normal shake roof uses tapered wood. At least the ones I have worked with were tapered. I would be interested in using this on a shed to store tools if is is fairly dry.
Thanks Joshua,
I’ll pass your comments on to Ian. As far as keeping the rain out, it works ok – he’s also made a workshop for me but this time he lined and insulated the roof and walls and that’s 100% sound and dry. Next project is a round gazebo, however seems the supermarkets are getting wise as they are now selling pallets and freebees are getting increasing hard to find around these parts.
Hi Teresa, tell Ian to visit any buliding sites in your area as they get there goods delivered on 2-ways pallets, this means that a fork-lift can only pick it up from two sides and they are unusable to 90% of companys and the builder has to get rid of them himself [putting his hand in his pocket] so if you go and ask for them they will gladly give you them FREE rather than paying to take them away.
Thanks for the tip but there aren’t that many around here. However he has found a new source at Redon’s Bricomarché.
I am building a similar coop. I was wondering how he made the door so it would function with the siding. Thanks.
Hello Teresa and Ian, your chicken coop and playhouse are amazing. We have to pay to get rid of our companys pallettes, so I am always searching for ways to use them. (That’s how I came accross your site) We have so far made a playhouse and vegetable boxes for our children, but it has taken a long time, and for the roof I had had the idea of wooden tiles but didn’t think the palette wood would be thin enough….but that’s definately worth a go. Lovely to see the shape by the way, I’m from East Sussex living in France (Loiret) since 1999, but our playhouse is just square!
Thanks for your lovely comments, Ian loves such feedback and is always thinking up new things to make. His latest creations are about to be unveiled on our site so watch that space…. All the bits and pieces he doesn’t use make great kindling and in this ghastly weather still much needed.
I did run your question past Ian but he isn’t sure what you mean, he thinks that the photos show all the openings but if you could expand, I’ll have another go at getting an answer for you.
Teresa
I was wondering what technique he used to deconstruct the pallets?
An awful lot of nail pulling mostly. I don’t think there’s a hard and fast rule to dismantling pallets, I know if a nail is particularly obstinate he just cuts them off.