Hi, I’m really new with wood working. I’m building a headboard made of pallet wood. I don’t have a nail gun and from reading around online I’ve seen that the best option is to use screws. I’m wondering if it’s ok to screw the front facing boards from behind, in other words screw from the frame to the board. That way the screws would be hidden. Would that be ok?
Thank you!
Replies
Yes. Size the screws to penetrate the boards you are supporting by enough to keep it safe if they get tugged on with any force.
I agree with MJ. I would add that pallet wood is often thin and the screws might not penetrate much, lessening the holding power of the screw. You could add some glue to the supporting back boards to achieve a "belt and suspender" effect.
Screwing from behind is preferred. Be careful of your design though. The boards in back should run in the same direction as those in front. If the grain runs in two different directions, you could end up with boards splitting if you don't screw them properly.
Don't forget glue.
Thank you, all! I've put the pieces together. I've used both screws and glue. It's not the most sophisticated job in the world but it turned out alright for a first project. I can see the glue was critical. Honestly, I underestimated the bends on the wood, even if they are ever so slightly warped it makes a huge difference. Also like @jfsksa mentioned, each piece of wood is a different thickness, it made it a challenge to put together the frame behind the boards. I'll share some pictures here. Let me know what you think! Thanks!
Looks good, congrats!
Well, Luis, like music, the keyword is "Practice". It looks great. An appearance evidently achieved with more difficulty than is apparent. That's the idea. The final product result of your efforts should look effortless. It's always up to the creator to make it so. (That's how we get better.) If you're looking to use pallets as a source of wood in the future, I can tell you as (amongst many other things) an old trucker that the oak 40" x 48", "4 way" [accessible by a forklift from both sides and ends] pallets used in reefer and dry freight work to haul certain kinds of quality loads are far superior to the normal junk available at used pallet yards. Ask for them. They may be a couple of dollars apiece more, but they're far superior.
Sometimes, the pallets that flooring comes on is the same species as the flooring. They make the pallets from the onsite scraps.
There was a fancy Japanese Fusion joint being built next door to my studio in Tribeca and the flooring they installed was labeled "Brazil Rosewood". I grabbed the pallets, made of the same stuff. It was beautiful except for the nail holes.
Short version: Check flooring dealers, you might find premium grade pallets.
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