How to make a DIY coffee table from old pallets (video)

Rustic chic home decor is just about everywhere you look these days. And why not? It's easy to put together, and when you use pallets, the materials are pretty much free. All you need are a few essential power tools and a basic knowledge of wood cuts, and you can make a gorgeous, custom coffee table for your home.
Be sure to wear safety gear and don't forget to protect your eyes throughout any project you do, especially when working with wood and saws. Particles can fly around and you want to be sure to keep yourself safe. Watch the video below for a step-by-step tutorial and everything you need to make a charming rustic chic coffee table your very own.
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How to build a coffee table out of pallet wood
Directions
1. Scope out pallets. Most can be found for free behind businesses near their trash receptacles. Try to find pallets that look more weathered for a more authentic look. They don't have to be perfect, there can be a few broken boards.
2. Break pallets apart using a power saw (if you have one already) to just slice right through the nails. Or you can go old-school and use a simple hammer and pry bar to rip the wood from the center bracket. Use the hammer to tap the bar between the wood pieces and pry them off.
3. Remove the nails by tapping them out and using either the claw end of your hammer or a tool called a nail setter if you cut the nails using your power saw. The nail setter can be used to tap the nail fragments out of the boards until you can grasp the heads with your hammer claw.
4. Clean out any metal, including staples and other pieces that may still be in the wood.
5. If you have a power planer, you can use it to take off a thin strip of the wood's surface. This process will help the wood look uniform and even. If you don't have a power planer, you can use heavy grit sandpaper to remove a layer of wood; either with a power sander or a whole lot of elbow grease.
6. Use a table saw to cut down your wood pieces if you'd like them to be a little thinner (2.5" each if you'd like to match these specs). Be sure to measure twice, cut once to be absolutely sure you're doing it properly and not wasting wood.
7. Cut a rectangular piece of plywood to 2' by 4' for your coffee table top and draw a line right down the center of it. The best tool for this is table saw, and ideally you'd have someone help you wield the wood.
8. Cut each board at a 45º angle and place them in a chevron pattern along the center line of the larger piece of plywood. Use wood glue to adhere them to the base of your table. Then, use an air nailer to permanently attach the boards. If you don't have this tool, you can use a hammer and nails and you'll also need a lot of patience.
9. Trim the excess wood from the edges with a circular saw once you've attached all the boards in the design you want. You can add an additional piece of trimmed pallet wood around the edges of the table top to hide the rough edges you just cut.
10. Use leftover pieces from the original pallets to make the base, along with some sturdy 4x4 pieces for the legs. To get a professional finish, use a Kreg Jig and wood screws to attach the base to the top.
Pro tip: Dry fit your wood pieces together before you start gluing so you can easily arrange your design and it looks the best it can look! You can never go wrong with sanding the pieces when you're finished using several sheets of sandpaper in varying grits. Start heavy and work your way up to fine grit for a professional look. Finish it off with a nice coat of Polyurethane to keep your table looking new for years to come.
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