Building the Walls and Roof
Before adding siding or insulation be sure to bolt the pallets together. The stronger the connection between pallets the stronger your house will be. I would not trust nails or screws alone. I would use some bolts as the final connector. Also be sure your walls are strong before lifting the roof pieces into place.
Another step you might want to take (not illustrated) before raising the roof sections is to add a top plate on top of the walls to tie all the pallets together. This is usually done with long 2x4s.
If the tiny pallet house is free, where did you find free plywood panels for the floor, etc? And did you also have to buy the nails, screws, and bolts – or did you find a free source for them also?
The tiny pallet house isn’t the ‘free’ house. It’s an emergency shelter design.
The tiny free house is a house I’m building now. The screws and other items I’ll need to buy will be paid for by selling free things I find on craigslist.
http://www.tinyfreehouse.com
Great idea…both of them I like the selling free things from Craigs list very creative. I think I will use your pallet idea to build a boat house at the cabin. Hate someone has to take a good idea and gripe about it not being “free” instead of thanking someone for sharing a good idea, amazing how some people can find fault in anything. Sounds like that guy would get a free car and complain about the color.
“Sounds like that guy would get a free car and complain about the color.”
LOL. Thanks!
This is a great idea. There are pallets everywhere and nobody ever seems to have a use for them. I am thinking about using this idea to build a small shed or storage area. Awesome design and creativity.
Cliff
Thanks Cliff… yeah I think the best use for pallet construction will be for cheap backyard sheds… but you never know when the skill to build this way might come in handy.
I wasn’t griping, you guys. I was just wondering about free sources for materials, like plywood. I’ve discovered that sometimes landfill operators will let you salvage building materials from the edge of the dump. Also, some folks advertise for structures to be torn down where you can scavenge materials. Thanks Michael for sharing a good idea. I really like the resell idea for stuff found on craigslist. I’m thinking of combining the pallet walls with a thatched roof design using giant reed poles (Arundo Donax) that grow wild everywhere around here.
I am building an Earthship in Gorman TN and have decided on using pallets for the inside walls. I intend to use P.I.S.E. to fill the cavities after the plumbing and electrical are installed. Does anyone know where I can get the use of a gunite machine or of a free way to do this without all the manual labor involved putting the dirt in by hand although this worked very well for the Romans. LOL Thank you for your time. Big Al
Good question Allan. I’m not sure there is a faster way than packing by hand. You might want to check out this post and the World Hands Project website. They may have some good advice on this approach.
http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/2009/10/21/world-hands-project-pallet-houses-in-mexico/
man for the past few winters ive been cutting up pallets to heat the house, i told the guy there after spending so much time(days!)chopping pallet wood, “you could build a house otta this stuff”!i mean i was thinking about it, how my gonna get’em in the woods etc.etc.i just thoght i would google it and see what happens and BAM ! ! !al this stuff on pallet houses!thanks, but i must confess i am a lil jeleous it looks like you are the one who came up with the idea, you cetainly have put more work into it then i and for that i am thankful,hope to send some pix of mine someday!!!teyo
Thanks Teyo.
I can’t take credit for being the first… in my wanderings I’ve found many people building with pallets. So no worries there…. and… in a way you DID think of it first
As far as burning pallet wood… since you never know what scrap wood has been treated with it’s best to use caution when burning and cutting. I wear a respirator when sanding of am doing repetitive cutting. Personally speaking I think I might risk burning in a sealed wood stove but not a camp fire.
Thanks michael that was nice of you…i should use something next time i cut’em up.sorry i miss spelled so many words,…i was so excited to see the pallet houses!