18 Pallet Fence Ideas That Cost Next to Nothing to Build

Stacking upcycled wood pallets both vertically and horizontally in an alternating pattern adds interest and texture to this DIY fence. Painting the multi-directional fence in a single color—in this case, a bright, glowing shade of orange—lends it a cohesive look.

How to Build a Pallet Fence for Almost $0 (and 6 Pallet Fence Ideas)

MorningChores Staff is a team of writers and editors who collaborate to create articles. If the article you are reading is authored by MorningChores Staff, it means multiple people contributed on it.

Fencing is expensive no matter how you cut it. There are different options for fencing which can impact your cost.

However, when you are homesteading your main goals are to do it yourself, the fencing has to be functional, and you don’t want it to break your bank.

I present to you a fencing option that will satisfy all three criteria:

Pallets are your new fence! Pallets are durable and most importantly, you can actually get them for free!

Pros and Cons of a Pallet Fence

Pros:

• Super cheap!
• Easy and quick to build
• Quite sturdy than it may seem
• Can be easily moved and reconfigured

Cons:

• May be too low for some animals
• Not as beautiful as store-bought fence
• DIY (not really a con for some people)
• Vulnerable to termites and pests
• Won’t exclude small rodents like rabbits and mice

Considering the pros and cons, pallet fence is perfect for people who just starting out homesteading and don’t have big bucks to spend. It won’t be as good as store-bought fencing but can be really good for its price.

How to Build a Pallet Fence in 4 Steps

1. Collect Your Pallets

Building a fence from pallets obviously requires pallets. So where do you find them?

The best places to look are at small businesses. A lot of times, small businesses will give pallets away for free because they have to pay a recycling service to take them away otherwise.

Or simply go to this site to find out if there’s anyone nearby giving away pallets for free.

A standard pallet is 40″ x 48″, but you’ll find pallets with different sizes and shapes. If you want to build a neat fencing, make sure you’re getting pallets with similar dimensions. Also, make sure you know how many pallets you’ll need so you won’t have to do more trips than needed.

Next, you have to make sure the pallets you’re collected are safe to reuse. Read this guide from TreeHugger.

2. Put The Pallets Together

Building a pallet fence is so simple. All you must do is arrange the pallets so they line up as equally as possible.

Use either 3” bolts or the large roofing nails and put them together with a hammer or impact.

You may also choose to buy stakes and place them in the ground. Then you can simply slide the pallets over the stakes. This way would create more costs but is easier to assemble.

3. Create A Pallet Door

Once your pallet fence is complete take one additional pallet to use as a door for a walking space. If you are using your pallet fence for an area you would need to drive through this would not be an option.

Take the last pallet and place hinges and a latch on the pallet.

This will create a door for your fence.

If you are like me and your fence has a bigger gap that doesn’t allow you to simply attach a latch to another pallet to create a door, then place a pole in the ground and use it to attach your latch to.

4. Predator Proof Your Fence

If you decide to use your fence to keep your animals in their designated areas it is recommended to predator proof the fence.

You can do this by using chicken wire and stapling it to the inside of your pallet fence.

A slap stapler is best in this case if you have one.

A pallet fence is great for keeping the smallest of critters in while also keeping their predators out. A pallet fence can also be used as a perimeter fence. It can be painted for a more polished look or left as is for a more rustic approach. It is very versatile and the options are limitless.

5 Pallet Fence Ideas

As you read above, building a fence from pallets is easy. But a standard pallet fence may not suits your need. If so, here are some ideas if you want to build more interesting, useful, and beautiful fence from pallets.

1. Picket Fence

If you can only find old, rusty pallets, this is your best bet. The older it gets, the cooler your fence.

2. Pallet Top Garden

This is a brilliant idea from Loriel to convert normal looking pallets into a multi-functional fence and mini container garden for herbs and shallow rooted veggies.

3. Flower-Dressed Pallet Fence

The idea is similar with the one above, but instead of planting on the top of your pallets with herbs or veggies, you’ll plant flowers around the fence to make it look beautiful. Whichever floats your boat.

4. Double High Pallet Fence

If you need higher fencing for privacy, this one is for you.

5. Pallet Fence for Goats and Pigs

Goats and pigs are known to be hard on fence. Normal pallet fence wont be able to contain them. For those two animals, you need this higher, sturdier pallet fence.

6. Movable Pallet Wood Gate

Not just a fence, you can add wheels to your pallet and it’ll become a gate. This is perfect if you have a large fencing area that needs bigger gate.

18 Pallet Fence Ideas That Cost Next to Nothing to Build

Kristin Hohenadel has written on design for publications including the New York Times, Interior Design, Slate, Fast Company, and the international editions of Elle Decor.

Wood pallets can be used to make everything from furniture to decor. But if your backyard needs a bit more privacy, your vegetable patch needs protection from hungry critters, or you want to create a barrier between your front yard and the street, there are plenty of low-cost, simple DIY pallet fence ideas that can get the job done.

Check out these ideas for reworking free upcycled wood pallets into fencing that can be left natural for a rustic weathered look, decorated with flowers, or painted in any color of the rainbow depending on your style.

Built-In Pallet Planters

This pallet wood garden fence has alternating built-in planters along the top of the fence to add a decorative feel. You can use your pallet fence planters for small flowers or edible herbs.

Large Pallet Garden Fence

Two Bears Farm used wood pallets to build a large fence around the garden. This is a simple and cost-effective solution for those who are looking to plant a vegetable patch located on a larger piece of land, and can easily be expanded or adapted.

Wood Pallet-Effect Fence

If you want to create the look of a pallet wood fence using wood reclaimed from another source, like a broken down shed on your property, you can give it a wood pallet aesthetic using a stencil and some black paint to add some random markings that will lend it an authentic feel. Funky Junk Interiors built a reclaimed wood fence decorated with pallet markings applied at various angles to give it a pallet wood look, then decorated the fence wall with an assortment of antique tools.

Hanging Pallet Planters

Rather than incorporating built-in planters, you can also hang lightweight planters from the wood pallet planks themselves. Adding colorful wire planters like the one above softens the pallet wood fencing by adding dimension and a friendlier feel.

Boho-Style Pallet Fence

S.U.S.A.P added a pallet wood daybed topped with a futon mattress behind a vertical reclaimed wood privacy fence that is edged with horizontal pallet wood on the top and bottom to create a rustic, boho-style backyard hangout space. The private corner is decorated with patterned textiles, plants, and a straw hat to give it a breezy feel.

Multicolored Pallet Fence

If you’re looking to build a budget-friendly and casual privacy fence to protect your yard from the road, stacked wood pallets are an easy choice. To keep your privacy wall from feeling like a fortress, use leftover paint to create a randomized checkerboard effect in a range of colors that will put a smile on the faces of passersby.

English Country Pallet Fence

This English country cottage garden from Lobster and Swan is a study in upcycling, with reclaimed pallet wood used on both the DIY fencing and the raised garden bed planters.

Whitewashed Pallet Fence

If you want your wood pallet fence to look less rustic, a simple coat of white paint will do the trick. Use a skim coat for a whitewashed aesthetic, or a uniform double coat for a modern farmhouse effect.

Pallet Stamped Wood Fence

Adding faux wood pallet stamp markings to this rustic reclaimed wood fence from Funky Junk Interiors gives it an authentic pallet wood feel, a fun way to personalize a fence made from an assortment of reclaimed wood.

Stacked Wood Pallet Fence

This simple pallet wood fence adds an extra layer of privacy from neighbors for those who live in close quarters. The horizontally placed wood pallets are double-stacked in front of an existing vine-covered trellis. While they don’t exactly fit the width of the space, the trellis and a potted plant make up the difference, a solution that doesn’t involve cutting or additional tools.

Mini Pallet Fence Garden

A Beautiful Mess layered a mini pallet fence on top of existing wire fencing to create a small DIY vertical pallet garden. The pallet boards are strung with simple pots of flowers, creating a small privacy corner for relaxing outside without building a fence around the periphery.

Extra-Tall Pallet Fence

This extra-tall upcycled wood pallet fence is placed in front of an existing wall of ivy that is visible through the gaps in the wood pallets. The front of the fence is decorated with scattered terracotta flower pots that add color and dimension.

Garden Shed Pallet Fence

While many pallet wood fences include a hidden gate to allow access in and out, you can also use pallet wood to create a standalone gate. This garden shed wood pallet fence and matching pallet boardwalk from Funky Junk Interiors is attached to the side of the structure with a hinge. The weathered pallet wood complements the reclaimed wood of the garden shed exterior. The gate is styled with rusty lanterns and tools to complete the rustic feel.

Wood Pallet Herb Garden

Wood pallets can also be used to embellish existing fencing without spending a lot. This fence-mounted wood pallet herb garden is a simple DIY project, with small planters that are fronted by painted black boards decorated with handwritten labels for a homey effect.

White Pallet Fence

Rather than adding built-in planters, A Beautiful Mess dressed this white painted pallet wood fencing with hanging fabric planters that add contrasts and a touch of greenery but can be removed or replaced easily.

Vertical + Horizontal Fence

Stacking upcycled wood pallets both vertically and horizontally in an alternating pattern adds interest and texture to this DIY fence. Painting the multi-directional fence in a single color—in this case, a bright, glowing shade of orange—lends it a cohesive look.

Mismatched Pallet Fencing

Lobster and Swan used a mishmash of upcycled pallet wood to create simple and affordable fencing in this English country garden that is an ongoing work in progress, built from repurposed materials that are easy on the wallet and the environment. Various sections of the fencing have their own unique patina and tones based on how long they have been living outside in the elements.