Patio furniture made from fruit pallets: an unbeatable duo

You need: pencil, Set square, fruit pallet

Your patio furniture set will eventually consist of a stool and side table, but of course you can expand it and add more pieces if you like. We’ll start by creating the side table, where we’ll saw out an attractive recess for you to display flowers or your favourite plant. To do this, you first need to mark up your fruit pallet so you know where to start sawing. Turn the pallet around so that the long edges are on top and the open side is facing forward, away from you. Now start drawing a line 10 cm from the edge of the top slat, continuing down to the two slats below. Do the same on the other side so that there is a line going down three slats on both the left and right.

You need: NanoBlade saw, Jigsaws, Accessories for jigsaws, screw clamps

Now it’s time to start sawing: to ensure the pallet remains firmly in place, secure it to your work surface using screw clamps. All sturdy? Then you can start sawing out the three slats along the lines you've marked up.

No true DIY enthusiast can avoid sanding. To create your patio furniture, you first need to sand down the edges you've sawn, and then the entire surface. This will ensure the paint takes better. Simply move your sander in the direction of the grain, evenly and without pressure – both on the outside and inside of the pallet. And don’t forget the corners and edges. Once you’re finished, use a dustpan and brush or a damp microfibre cloth to clear up the sawdust.

You need: Paint spray system, floor protector or cover sheets

To make your patio furniture a brilliant white, you need to paint it. First, lay down the protective film to ensure it’s only the pallet that gets a new lick of paint. Attach the round jet nozzle to the spray system and begin spraying the pallet both inside and out. After leaving it to dry for a short while, apply a second coat – and you're done. As an alternative to the fine spray system, you can use a simple paint roller and brush. Use the roller to paint the surfaces, and the brush to cover the corners and edges. You should also apply two coats here, leaving it to dry after each application.

You need: Cordless Tacker, carpet/utility knife, scissors, foam, fabric

While the side table is drying, you can start work on the stool. If the foam isn't the correct size (40 cm long and 30 cm wide), use the carpet knife to cut it. Use the scissors to cut the fabric so that it extends a further 16 cm on the long side of the foam and 5 cm on the short side. Now wrap the fabric around the foam, fold the ends of the fabric over one another and fasten them with the tacker. Then place your made-to-measure cushion on the short side of the other fruit pallet – and voilà, your stool is complete!

You need: NanoBlade saw, Jigsaws, Accessories for jigsaws, pencil, ruler, wooden planks

The finished tabletop will consist of six planks of wood – four to form the tabletop and two to hold it together. The first four planks must each be 50 cm long, with three 7 cm wide and one 14 cm wide. The other two planks (the ones which hold the table top together) are also 7 cm wide, but 37.5 cm long. Ideally you should buy the planks in the right width so that you simply have to saw them down to length. First measure and mark up the planks before clamping them down and sawing.

To prevent anything – or anyone – from getting caught on the table, sand down the edges of the planks. You know what to do.

You need: Cordless Drill, screws

Lay down the first four planks vertically on your work surface so that they have a combined width of 40 cm. Then position the two shorter planks horizontally (at a right angle) on top of the longer planks. Now use the screwdriver to insert one screw where each short and long plank meets – until there are four screws down each shorter plank. Simply place the finished table top on the open top of your painted fruit pallet and, hey presto, your side table is complete!