Garden Tool Storage made from free pallets

gtaus

Crossing the Road
Mar 29, 2019
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Just built a tool storage unit for the garden using free pallets I picked up from our local Harbor Freight. Thought I would share some pictures of the project.

First picture is the unit without any tools in it. I used one full pallet for the backside. That will hold my long handled tools. The shorter cut pallet in the front has right side at about 3/4 pallet high and I removed a board on the left side front at about 1/2 pallet high. That should allow me to store my tools of different handle lengths. I tied the front pallet and the back pallet together with some 2X4's from a pallet. There is enough room between the front and back pallets to store 5 gallon buckets and stuff.


IMG_20220706_201142.jpg


Second picture with some tools thrown into the pallets for storage. Better than leaving them on the ground.

IMG_20220706_201526.jpg


Backside of the pallet tool storage unit. I think it looks pretty good out in the garden. Total cost, $0.00 in lumber and just a handful of screws to tie the pallets together. Unit is light enough to move if I want. Strong and heavy enough not to fall over in the wind.

IMG_20220706_201740.jpg


Dear Wife wants me to build another one for her gardens. Any ideas or comments on possible improvements?
 
Beautiful!

Long term stability will be better with a diagonal piece of some sort on the ends and at least one of the wide sections. It looks very stable now but the wood will shrink, then shrink and expand.

Paint or stain or oil for longevity.

Blocking it off the ground, even just on bits of sacrifice wood will also make it last a lot longer and make it easier to move it later. Unless it is just built outside rather than meant to stay outside.
 
Thanks for all the positive feedback. Here are some of my responses....

I like that it accommodates tools of different lengths -- and I REALLY like the price!

You just can't beat the price! Free pallets from Harbor Freight.

When I started making the tool holder, I gathered up my garden tools and discovered that I had some handles that were 5 feet long, others 4 feet long, and some around 3 feet long. So, I modified my initial design to accommodate the various sizes instead of one size fits all approach.

Long term stability will be better with a diagonal piece of some sort on the ends and at least one of the wide sections. It looks very stable now but the wood will shrink, then shrink and expand.

Yes, it is very stable now, but it might get loose in the future. I used screws to hold the two pallet pieces together, so they could be tightened up if needed. I could easily add a diagonal piece of wood if the storage unit needs it. After I put the unit together, I tested out the stability in all directions and it did not need any diagonal bracing - at least at this time.

Paint or stain or oil for longevity.

Good idea. Might do that in the fall after I put the garden to sleep for the winter and don't need my tools out there anymore.

Blocking it off the ground, even just on bits of sacrifice wood will also make it last a lot longer and make it easier to move it later. Unless it is just built outside rather than meant to stay outside.

My idea is to leave the storage unit outside all the time. When I bring my tools inside for the winter, they all get packed tightly together to save space. This storage unit takes up more space than I am willing to lose in my indoor storage.

If I go the extra step and paint, stain, or oil the storage unit, I might throw another pallet under this storage unit to lift it up off the ground. That's a good idea.

Great idea and looks very aesthetically pleasing!! Great job!

I actually got the initial idea from the manager at Harbor Freight. When I thanked him for the free pallets, he told me he used to work at a nursery and that they used pallets, stood upright, to put in their long-handled tools. That was the seed idea for me. I modified that idea to also hold my shorter handle tools. Today, I will be looking at adding some hooks to the storage unit to hang my hand held tools. I think that will be a good addition.
 
Just built a tool storage unit for the garden using free pallets I picked up from our local Harbor Freight. Thought I would share some pictures of the project.

First picture is the unit without any tools in it. I used one full pallet for the backside. That will hold my long handled tools. The shorter cut pallet in the front has right side at about 3/4 pallet high and I removed a board on the left side front at about 1/2 pallet high. That should allow me to store my tools of different handle lengths. I tied the front pallet and the back pallet together with some 2X4's from a pallet. There is enough room between the front and back pallets to store 5 gallon buckets and stuff.


View attachment 3176573

Second picture with some tools thrown into the pallets for storage. Better than leaving them on the ground.

View attachment 3176574

Backside of the pallet tool storage unit. I think it looks pretty good out in the garden. Total cost, $0.00 in lumber and just a handful of screws to tie the pallets together. Unit is light enough to move if I want. Strong and heavy enough not to fall over in the wind.

View attachment 3176583

Dear Wife wants me to build another one for her gardens. Any ideas or comments on possible improvements?
You should post this as an article. I would give it five stars
 
Thanks for all the positive feedback. Here are some of my responses....



You just can't beat the price! Free pallets from Harbor Freight.

When I started making the tool holder, I gathered up my garden tools and discovered that I had some handles that were 5 feet long, others 4 feet long, and some around 3 feet long. So, I modified my initial design to accommodate the various sizes instead of one size fits all approach.



Yes, it is very stable now, but it might get loose in the future. I used screws to hold the two pallet pieces together, so they could be tightened up if needed. I could easily add a diagonal piece of wood if the storage unit needs it. After I put the unit together, I tested out the stability in all directions and it did not need any diagonal bracing - at least at this time.



Good idea. Might do that in the fall after I put the garden to sleep for the winter and don't need my tools out there anymore.



My idea is to leave the storage unit outside all the time. When I bring my tools inside for the winter, they all get packed tightly together to save space. This storage unit takes up more space than I am willing to lose in my indoor storage.

If I go the extra step and paint, stain, or oil the storage unit, I might throw another pallet under this storage unit to lift it up off the ground. That's a good idea.



I actually got the initial idea from the manager at Harbor Freight. When I thanked him for the free pallets, he told me he used to work at a nursery and that they used pallets, stood upright, to put in their long-handled tools. That was the seed idea for me. I modified that idea to also hold my shorter handle tools. Today, I will be looking at adding some hooks to the storage unit to hang my hand held tools. I think that will be a good addition.
Ahh, I see. Still a great idea though!😁
 
Just built a tool storage unit for the garden using free pallets I picked up from our local Harbor Freight. Thought I would share some pictures of the project.

First picture is the unit without any tools in it. I used one full pallet for the backside. That will hold my long handled tools. The shorter cut pallet in the front has right side at about 3/4 pallet high and I removed a board on the left side front at about 1/2 pallet high. That should allow me to store my tools of different handle lengths. I tied the front pallet and the back pallet together with some 2X4's from a pallet. There is enough room between the front and back pallets to store 5 gallon buckets and stuff.


View attachment 3176573

Second picture with some tools thrown into the pallets for storage. Better than leaving them on the ground.

View attachment 3176574

Backside of the pallet tool storage unit. I think it looks pretty good out in the garden. Total cost, $0.00 in lumber and just a handful of screws to tie the pallets together. Unit is light enough to move if I want. Strong and heavy enough not to fall over in the wind.

View attachment 3176583

Dear Wife wants me to build another one for her gardens. Any ideas or comments on possible improvements?
Paint it pretty of course!
 

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