Cheap DIY Pallet Hose Storage & Pretty Planter

Have you ever seen that incredible shrinking hose on late night television commercials? We’ve got a news flash for you . . . they don’t work.  So instead of coming up with ways to get rid of our hose holder, we decided instead to build our own. Yes – we embraced the idea of a hose caddy. But we also decided we could make it prettier than a regular hose caddy, and that we could make it out of pallet wood.

It’s perfect for holding a hose, and when it’s not in use, it looks so pretty.

As with any project, the supplies and instructions might seem complicated, but they really aren’t. Do a quick read through before you begin.

Gather Your Supplies

• Pallets – 1 or 2 depending on wood quality from each pallet
• 2 x 2s – 16 feet, or two 8 foot pieces
• 16 – 1 5/8″ wood screws
• Titebond III Ultimate wood glue
• Thompson’s water seal
• Galvanized hinges
• Small door latch
• L-brackets brackets with screws – 4
• Right angle brackets with screws – 8
• Hardware cloth – 2′ x 5′ roll
• Landscaping fabric
• Wood screws, 1/2″ – 32
• Wood screws, 2″ – 24 to 30
• Metal handle
• Everbilt heavy-duty pads, 1″ – 4

Tools

• Miter saw
• Planer
• Kreg Jig
• Bostitch nail gun with 3/4″ nails
• Tin snips or wire cutters
• Drill with doorknob attachment and screw bits
• Staple gun
• Scissors

CUT LIST

Pallet Wood (all planed)

• 24 pieces (various widths x 17″L x .5″ thick)
• 8 pieces (1.25”W x 20”L x .5” thick)
• 8 pieces (1.25”W x 15.5”L x .5” thick)
• 1 piece (4”W x 18.25”L x .5” thick)
• 2 pieces (24”L x 2.5”W x .5” thick)
• 2 pieces (22”L x 2.5”W x .5” thick)

2x2s

• 4 pieces – 15″ long
• 4 pieces – 17.5″ long
• 4 pieces – 15.5” long

Gather your pallet wood. If you need to learn how to dismantle a pallet, check out this video. Using a planer, plane your pallet wood planks to a uniform thickness; approximately 1/2″.

IMPORTANT NOTE: after you plane the wood, we highly recommend letting it sit in a dry environment for a few weeks to dry. The wood WILL shrink!

Use a miter saw to cut your planed pallet planks to 17” lengths. Lay them out – they will be varying widths, which is fine.

The goal is to form four 17”x20” panels as you see above (you may have to cut the widths of some of your planks to accomplish this). Do not attach anything yet.

Now you’ll make cross pieces for the top and bottom. Use a miter saw to cut some of your remaining pallet wood into your top and bottom panel trim pieces (1.25”W x 20”L x .5”T). You’ll need eight pieces total.

Now you’ll finish out the frame for each panel with additional side trim pieces. Use a miter saw to cut additional pallet wood your side panel trim pieces (1.25”W x 15.5”L x .5”T) – you’ll need eight pieces.

You’ll attach everything in the next step.

Assemble all four frames with the wood pieces. Do this by laying out one frame face down as shown on the upper left. Add your wood glue around the exterior, then place the pallet wood pieces face down on top to secure. Complete one panel and then finish the other three.

Use a nail gun to reinforce the panels you just glued. We did this right away after gluing – no need to let dry. Use 3/4″ nails.

Let your external panel pieces dry. Now you’re going to work on the internal frame of the hose holder.

Now start cutting your internal frame pieces using 2x2s and a miter saw. Cut four pieces 15″ long, four pieces 17.5″ long, and four pieces 15.5″ long. Your hose holder is going to be deeper than it is wide!

Assemble the longer SIDES first . . . using a Kreg jig.

Grab two 15″ pieces and two 17.5″ pieces to start. Use a Kreg Jig to drill angled pilot holes on the inside back of the horizontal pieces for attaching screws. Use the instructions included with the Kreg Jig to screw your side frames together. This visual should help:

You’ll make two of these above. THEN you’ll use the four 15.5″ pieces to attach the two frames, repeating the Kreg Jig instructions. Your final frame will look like this:

This is your “skeleton” for the panels and the planter box on the top.

On the front side of the planter, there is a piece behind the door. You’ll see how it attaches later, but for now, use your miter saw to cut a piece of planed pallet wood to 4”Wx18.25”Lx.5”T.

Now cut the top frame that will go around the planter box area. Use a miter saw to cut four pieces of planed pallet wood: two pieces 24”L x 2.5”W x .5” thick and two pieces 22”L x 2.5”W x .5” thick. Cut a 45º angle at each end.

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