I've been making my patio over to create a beautiful, relaxing spot where I can sit and visit with friends, eat dinner, read a book, etc.

This is part two of the makeover. Last weekend I stenciled the concrete with a fun Ikat pattern. If you missed that project, you can see it here: How to Stencil a Concrete Patio.

Now I'm moving on to creating cozy seating. Today's project is a pallet loveseat!

How to Build an Outdoor Couch From Pallets

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Supplies:

Pallets (you'll need two pallets to make a loveseat-size couch)
4" x 4" post
6 1/2" wood lag screws
2 - 2" medium L-angle brackets and screws
Fence boards (or scrap wood) for the couch arms
1 1/2" exterior wood screws
Canvas drop cloth
Upholstery foam (I used high-density 5" foam for the seat cushions and 2" medium-density for the back)
Safety pins or a sewing machine to sew the cushion covers

I wanted something comfy to sit on out here, but I also wanted to keep costs down so I decided to try making my own pallet loveseat!

I used a tutorial from the super-talented Donna at Funky Junk as a guide to make my new loveseat.

It may seem like an overwhelming project, but if you have just some basic skills using tools like a saw and a drill, it's SO simple.

All you need for the couch construction are two pallets, a 4x4 for the legs, and screws. The complete supply list with links to the products I used is above.

Be sure to check out Donna's tutorial but really, all you do is attach 4 chunks of 4x4 posts to the sides of your pallet for the legs and attach the pallet you'll use for the couch back with L-angle brackets (or you can leave it unattached like Donna did.)

I already had some scrap 4x4 post pieces and two pallets lying around. I'm starting with this one for the couch seat.

How to Build an Outdoor Couch From Pallets

I leaned it up against my work table so that I could attach the 4x4 legs. Use four 6 1/2 inch lag wood screws to attach each 4x4 piece to the pallet. I cut the 4x4 posts into 25" long pieces for the legs.

The screws need to be long enough to go all the way through the 4x4 posts and attach securely to the pallet so don't skimp on screw length.

Here is what it should look like at this point. Now you'll want to sand it paying special attention to parts that will be exposed and could cause splinters.

If you want to attach the pallet you're using for the back of the couch to the seating area, use 2-inch L-angle brackets.

Add fence boards for the arms with wood screws.

You can see I also added some 4x4 pieces to the center of the seat for extra stability.

That is the basic construction for a pallet loveseat. Next, we'll add cushions.

I tried to find ready-made cushions that would fit but didn't have any luck. I checked JoAnn's for foam to make my own cushions, but the foam they had was ridiculously priced... like $70 a yard ridiculous 😳

I found some on Amazon for a lot less money and have included the links in the supply list. I used high-density upholstery foam five inches thick, 24 inches wide, and 72 inches long for the seat.

You can probably find some even cheaper, but I went with high-density five-inch foam so it would be super comfy and my butt won't hit the boards underneath when I sit down.

I cut it in half so I had two 36" long pieces.

TIP: Use a serrated bread knife or an electric knife to cut foam easily.

Make sure you measure your pallet couch and get foam that will fit as yours may be a slightly different size depending on the pallets you use.

I used a canvas drop cloth that measures 6 feet by 9 feet to make covers for the seat cushions.

I chose to just wrap my cushions like a present and safety pin them closed so that I could easily take them off for washing and storing but you can sew actual covers if you want to.

For the back cushion, I used a foam that measured two inches thick, 24 inches wide, and 48 inches long. I chose thinner foam to save costs and I also knew I was going to layer on lots of pillows so this piece didn't need to be as thick as the seat.

I covered it the same way I did with the seat cushions.

I added 2 Euro pillows I already had and made simple envelope closure pillowcases from another drop cloth I already had.

It got washed with a blue rug and turned this pretty mint green color!

Then I added two standard-size bed pillows I already had next.

I bought Waterproof Pillow Covers and a set of two inexpensive pillowcases for these.

I wanted them to look more like throw pillows instead of bed pillows, so I added some Velcro to the pillowcases to keep them closed.

At this point, I think it's looking cozy, I just wanted to add a few more things!

I added a couple of blankets. I found this one at Walmart!

I found this cute Kelly Rae Roberts pillow at the thrift shop for only $3.49.

The Mexican blanket was a yard sale find for just $1.

I'm so happy with how the loveseat turned out, it's deep so you can curl up on it, and very comfortable!

The stenciled concrete floor and this DIY pallet couch are complete and the makeover is off to a good start!

As a reminder, here is what the patio looked like when I started. I never sat out here. The table and chairs were a Craigslist find but I only used them one time in the year that they were out here and the table just ended up being a place to pile things, so I sold them on Craigslist this year for $5 more than I paid for the set originally! 😃