Rustic Pallet Wood Coffee Table With Drink Cooler

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A while back we featured the most amazing outdoor dining table with inset drink holders.   The idea was really genius and has been made hundreds of times.  So that got us thinking.  What about those of you that like to sit around and talk on a patio, but don’t necessarily have room for a huge dining table.  This really cool coffee sized table with a drink cooler was born.  

My wife and I sat down and started thinking about plans.  Chevrons are getting old and so we didn’t want to do a chevron, while we liked the idea of herringbone, we decided to try something different.  Still with some movement from section to section.  My wife drew up a cool looking top and as I drew it up in 3D I came up with water falling this table top design over the edge.  And the modern waterfall coffee table was born!

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The very best part about this design is it’s many options for how to use it.  You can use it for a cooler for drinks at a summer party, you can plant it with beautiful flowers or cool succulents or put it in your family room and fill it with Lego’s or craft supplies.  

We created a great video overview of how we made the table.  Please be sure to give us a thumbs up and subscribe to your channel!

We knew that we wanted to make if out of pallet wood.  (We literally have have a full pallet 4′ high of broken down pallets in our backyard that needs to be used up!!)

We designed the table around the center planter box, we bought off Amazon here.  The bin comes in different sizes as well, if you wanted to make your table bigger or smaller to fit your needs. 

VIDEO

Here are the materials, tools and construction steps for you to be able to make your very own.

Please note: The video was built a little different then the plans.  The plans have a small lip that the planter box will sit on, holding it just below the top layer of the table.

Rustic Pallet Wood Coffee Table With Drink Cooler

Materials:

• Pallet Wood (approximately 3-5 pallets worth of 40″ or longer boards)
• Pine 2×4’s (or pallet wood if they are big enough.)
• Plastic Flower Box Planter, White, 30-Inch Length
• Teak Oil

Tools Needed:

• Table Saw
• Miter Saw
• Drill
• Screws
• Hammer
• Nail Gun
• 1 1/4″ 18 ga Brad Nails
• Wood Glue
• Teak Oil (if building table for outside use)
• Biscuit Joiner (for legs and top) (or Kreg Jig)
• Biscuits
• Brush for Oil
• Rag
• Orbital Sander
• Sandpaper 150 Grit.
• Pencil
• Tape Measure.

Plan Dimensions:

Front View

Side View

Top View of Frame

Top View of Table

Cut List:

The dimensions of the plans are designed for boards that are all around 3 1/4″ wide and 5/8″ thick. Depending on the pallets you use, you might have to adjust the measurements of the boards to work with the design.

• Table Frame
  • (2) 30″ x 3 1/4″ x 5/8″- Long inner frame along the box.  (Keep it loose enough to be able to remove the planter box.)
  • (2) 22″ x 3 1/4″ x 5/8″ – Short inner frame around the box.
  • (2) 44″ x 3 1/4″ x 1 1/2″ – Long 2×4 outside frame
  • (2) 25″ x 3 1/4″ x 1 1/2″ – Short 2×4 outside frame
  • (6) 6 3/8″ x  x 5/8″ – Inside frame brackets boards
  • (2) 29 1/4″ x 1 1/2″ x 5/8″ – Long planter box support bracket
  • (2) 8″ x 1 1/2″ x 5/8″ – Short planter box support bracket
  • (2) 40″ x 3 1/2″ x 5/8″- Outside pallet wood trim
  • (2) 25 5/8″ x 3 1/2″ x 5/8″ – Outside pallet wood trim
  • (2) 25 5/8″ x 3 1/2″ x 5/8″ – Outside pallet wood trim
• Top Panels Boards
  • (6) 39 3/4″ x 3 1/4″ x 5/8″ – long boards
  • (6) 17 3/4″ x 3 1/4″ x 5/8″ – short boards

• Leg Panels Boards
  • (12) 18″ x 3 1/4″ x 5/8″ – Leg boards

Construction Steps:

When we finished up the plans we sent them over to Blaine at Frank Curtis Design to build the table because we just didn’t have the time!  He did a great job and is available for custom pieces.  

Step One

Gather the wood of approximately the same thickness.  Not all pallets are the same, but if you can find most the the same thickness the panels will work better.

Step Two

Trim both sides of each board to width with the table saw.  Then cut them to length according to the plans.

Step Three

Start building the inside of the table frame around the planter box and work your way out.  Be sure to keep everything nice and square.  Remember you want the center bin to be removable, so don’t nail it in place.

• (2) 30″ x 3 1/4″ x 5/8″- Long inner frame along the box.  (Keep it loose enough to be able to remove the planter box.)
• (2) 22″ x 3 1/4″ x 5/8″ – Short inner frame around the box.

Step Four

Built the outer frame out of 2×4’s and screw them to the inner frame, keeping it square as you go.

• (2) 44″ x 3 1/4″ x 1 1/2″ – Long 2×4 outside frame
• (2) 25″ x 3 1/4″ x 1 1/2″ – Short 2×4 outside frame

 

Step Five

Cut out and install the inside frame brackets.

• (6) 6 3/8″ x  x 5/8″ – Inside frame bracket boards

Step Six

Cut out and install the planter box support brackets.  This is where the planter box will sit.  Note that the video of this table was build different at this point.  It was just sitting on the frame.  We recommend building it with the small lip so that if you desire you can build a lid to sit just inside the table top and cover the opening.  You could build it either way just keep that in mind that there is a difference.

• (2) 29 1/4″ x 1 1/2″ x 5/8″ – Long planter box support bracket
• (2) 8″ x 1 1/2″ x 5/8″ – Short planter box support bracket

Step Seven

Cut out and install the outside trim.  Use rough pallet wood here.  Sand all the boards smooth enough to remove slivers, but still keeping the rough details.  I tried to design the placement of the seams under the legs to make  the finished table look nicer.

• (2) 40″ x 3 1/2″ x 5/8″- Outside pallet wood trim
• (2) 25 5/8″ x 3 1/2″ x 5/8″ – Outside pallet wood trim
• (2) 25 5/8″ x 3 1/2″ x 5/8″ – Outside pallet wood trim

Step Eight

Cut out the boards that make up the 4 top panels, making sure each board of each panel was exactly the same length.  Miter one end of the board at a 45 degree angle.  the mitered edge will be on the outside end and join up with the legs.  Below I show just one of the four panels.  

• (6) 39 3/4″ x 3 1/4″ x 5/8″ – long boards
• (6) 17 3/4″ x 3 1/4″ x 5/8″ – short boards

We decided to try the biscuit joiner here to keep the boards together, so that you cannot see holes where screws are.  But if you do not have a biscuit cutter you could also secure them together using a Kreg jig on the back of the panels.  

With the biscuit method,  first cut the biscuit holes, apply the glue in the holes, add one biscuit in each hole,  then clamp it all together to dry.  Be sure to wipe off any extra glue, with a wet rag before the glue dries.  It might be helpful to set up a back-stop or fence on your workbench so you have something to push against when using the biscuit joiner.

You’ll be building the legs in this same way.

Place the top panel onto the table frame.  Be sure to line up the bottom of the mitered edge on the end of the table frame, so that the legs will join on properly.  

Use construction adhesive and 18 ga nails to attach the panels to top of the frame.

Step Nine

Cut out and assemble the leg panels, then use construction adhesive and 18 ga nails to attach panels to the top of the frame.  

• (12) 18″ x 3 1/4″ x 5/8″ – Leg boards

 

It’s best to do this while the legs are hanging over the edge of a table. Use lots of glue and 18 ga nails to attach mitered legs to mitered edges of table top, as shown below.

To remove the sharp mitered edge, slide the curved portion of your hammer over the joint, which will round it off and seal the corner.  Wipe off any extra glue.

Step Ten

Once it’s all dry and all assembled it’s time for one final sand.  You can do a combination of hand and electric sanding with 150 grit sandpaper over all the boards.  Making sure to get rid of splinters without loosing all the character of the pallet wood.

Step Eleven

Now you’re ready for the finish.  We decided to use teak oil because we wanted it to be an outside table.

Use a nylon brush and a rag to apply the oil.  Start on the inside and work your way out.  Don’t forget to do underneath as well.  Repeat twice for the underside and 3 times for the outside legs and the top.  Wipe away any excess oil.

For the last coat of oil on the top I made sure the table was in its actual final position so that gravity would take the oil down into every nook and cranny where water and soda would possibly go.

Now check out how you can use this amazing table.

It’s great for ice and drinks when hosting a party or growing flowers!

What do you think of our pallet wood coffee table with drink cooler?

Be sure to also check out these other amazing Pallet Challenge projects

and if you have a pallet project you want to show off, come link up!

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