Building a House From Pallets. From Start to Finish

This 26-minute video teaches you how to build an inexpensive wood cabin using pallet wood. Depending on where you live you may even be able to find the pallets for free which serves as a great way to save money building the pallet wood cabin by using recycled wood pallets.

Building a House From Pallets. From Start to Finish

This is a great off-grid wilderness project as pallet wood is light and easy to carry into the forest. Pallot wood is also easy to work with using hand tools. Many people do not have the money, space, or time to build a wood cabin, but building a cabin building is achievable by using inexpensive or even free building materials, and that is why pallet wood works so well.

Building a House From Pallets. From Start to Finish

Although only small, this cabin building has a raised floor using 2 foot by 4-foot lumber, which is also used for the framing of the walls, and roof. The cozy wood cabin made from pallet wood is a great place for a hunting cabin or overnight cabin in the woods. You could fit it out with a wood stove to heat it through the winter months and install a pipe cooking oven and water tank to boil water and cook food on.

Building a House From Pallets. From Start to Finish

The stove would heat the wood cabin fast as the cabin building is small. This small pallet cabin in the woods has no electricity or power, but that isn't needed. For the cabin building, you will need an ax, saw, hammer, nails, pallet wood, and 2 by 4 foot, and 4 by 4-foot lumber to start.

Building a House From Pallets. From Start to Finish

You will also need a ruler or measuring tape, and a pencil for marking. You'll want to watch the full video to see the other building materials and building techniques that are used. To begin with, the pallets are broken down into useable timber to build the foundations and the frame of the cabin building.

Building a House From Pallets. From Start to Finish

The foundation framing is built using 2 foot by 4-foot lumber which is then covered by the broken-down pallet wood. Next, the framing for the cabin building is built using 4 by 4-foot lumber, which then uses the ancient Japanese technique of Shou Sugi Ban to preserve the wood by charring the surface with a hot flame. Shou Sugi Ban is also known as Yakisugi and was traditionally performed on Sugi wood, which is a Japanese cedar.

Building a House From Pallets. From Start to Finish

The process involved charring the wood, cooling it, cleaning off any soot or burnt debris on the surface, and finally finishing the boards with oil. Originally the Shou Sugi Ban technique was used on the exterior of Japanese cabin buildings and is now used in both exterior and interior design applications. Ironically it is the damage that is done by the charring that strengthens and makes Shou Sugi Ban a great choice for cabin buildings.

Building a House From Pallets. From Start to Finish

The Shou Sugi Ban process is environmentally friendly and doesn't contribute to harmful pollution. There are no chemicals present in the type of siding to potentially leach into the environment and it's entirely safe for homes with children. Shou Sugi Ban is a sustainable means of naturally protecting exterior siding and once its lifespan has been reached, the wood can be recycled or disposed of without any concern of harming the environment, like one might have when disposing of treated wood.