Wine Bar Recycled from Wood Pallets

SUPPLIES
• One pallet with boards 40" long
• One large pallet (mine is 36" x 40"), with small enough spaces between pallet boards so that wine bottles will rest on them and not fall through (The boards on mine are approximately 2 1⁄4" apart.)
• Four 2" × 4" pallet support boards without notches, at least 40" long
• Two notched 2" × 4" pallet boards, at least 48" long
• Two 3 1⁄2"-wide pallet boards, 40" long
• Three 5 1⁄2"-wide pallet boards, at least 32" long
•Pallet boards in various widths but the same thickness, cut 16" long

• 8"-long piece of leather belt 

• 2" screws
• 1 5⁄8” screws
• 1 1⁄4" screws 

• 1 3⁄8" brad nails

• Stain

• Paintbrush

• 8"-long leather belt
 
TOOLS 

• Saw
• Palm sander
• Brad nailer
• Drill 

• Tape measure
• Pencil
 
TIME: 4 hours, plus dry time
 
LEVEL: Expert

 
Use the diagram below to help identify the different parts of the wine bar while building it:

To make the sections for the sides of the wine bar, saw the pallet with 40" long boards into two sections. Saw through the three 2" × 4" back support boards (two of the 2" × 4" boards run along the sides of the pallet and one runs down the middle). It does not matter on these side pieces if the 2" x 4"s are notched or not. The ones shown are notched.

These sections for the sides of the wine bar should be at least 16" wide. I cut mine so that each side has three pallet boards running lengthwise or vertically. The 2" × 4" support boards that hold the pallet together will become the wine shelf braces or brackets.

Using the large pallet with small spaces between the boards, measure 16" from each outside edge or outside 2" × 4" and draw a cutting line. You will be cutting each side off or away from the middle 2" × 4" support board.

Using a saw, cut the pallet boards on the line to make two wine shelves that are 16" wide and 40" long.

Cut two 2" × 4" un-notched pallet boards 42" long.

Attach the 2" × 4" boards to the wine shelves you created in step 4 with 1 1⁄4" screws, one per board, screwing through the bottom of each slat or board.

To temporarily connect the two sides of the wine bar, use the wine shelves by setting them in place on the 2" × 4" supports in the middle and at the bottom of the wine bar sides to get the sides properly spaced apart. Push the wine shelves forward 4" and place the 3 1⁄2" × 40" boards across the middle and bottom side 2" × 4" shelf brace boards (the same boards the wine shelves are on). Use 1 5⁄8" screws to attach the 3 1⁄2" boards to the supports. The back of the wine shelves will rest on top of the 3 1⁄2" boards and will create the tilt needed to keep the wine cork moist when the wine bottle is on the shelf.

Place the wine shelves with the 2" × 4" boards facing up on top of the 3 1⁄2" board. Use 1 5⁄8" screws to secure the shelves to the 2" × 4" boards on the sides of the wine bar. The shelves rest on the middle and bottom 2" × 4" pallet braces and on the 31⁄2" wide boards you added in step 7. Remember, because the shelves are resting on the 3 1⁄2" pallet boards, they will have a slight tilt. This is for proper wine storage—the wine bottle is tilted so the wine keeps the cork moist.

To stabilize the shelves, screw two 2" screws on each side through the shelf sides into the 2" × 4" boards on the wine shelves.

Place the two 48"-long notched 2" × 4" support boards across the top of the wine bar. Insert three 2" screws through these notched 2" × 4" boards into the top 2" × 4" brace on the wine bar sides to make the wine bar top apron.

To make the wine glass holders, cut the 5 1⁄2"-wide pallet boards into six 16"-long pieces and the straight 2" × 4" boards into five 16" long pieces. Sand the boards. At this point, you may want to stain or finish these boards as desired because it is easier to do it now than when the glass holders are assembled.

Turn the wine bar upside down to attach the wine glass holders to the underside of the notched 2" × 4" wine bar top braces. Place the 16" long 2" × 4" boards (cut in step 11) approximately 3 1⁄2" apart. One 2" × 4" board will end up right next to the 2" × 4" board on the side of the wine bar. This is where a towel holder will go. Center the 5 1⁄2" × 16" pallet boards on top of the 2" × 4" boards. Do not center the 5 1⁄2" boards on the two end 2" × 4" boards. These 5 1⁄2" boards will be flush on one side of each end 2" × 4" board because you are only making one side of a glass holder on each end.

Secure the wine glass holders or brackets to the notched 2" × 4" supports on the top of the wine bar with 2" screws, screwing through both the 5 1⁄2" board and the 2" x 4" board that creates the glass holder.

Arrange the pallet boards that are in a variety of widths but the same thickness and 16" long on the top of the wine bar. (I chose different types of wood so that they would stain different colors.) Use a brad nailer and 13⁄8" brad nails to attach the boards to the notched braces at the top of the wine bar.

Sand and finish the wine bar as desired.

Use an 8"-long piece of leather belt to create a towel holder. Attach it to the wine bar with 1 1⁄4" screws. You could use a metal utility handle or a coat hook instead, but I like the leather piece because it is soft and does poke anyone standing at the bar.

Adapted with permission from Crafting with Wood Pallets: Projects for Rustic Furniture, Decor, Art, Gifts and more