How to build a Pallet climbing frame! It has always been my dream to learn to build or make something useful for my children. Recently I learned from my friend’s husband that he has been using pallets to build his own shed and chicken coop. So I decided to build my children a climbing frame using pallets. I went around and spoke to people for advice and looked through Pinterest for ideas. Then I drew out my plan!
After researching for pallets, I opportunistically found my local butcher had a pile of random pallets at the back of his shop and he was happy to sell it and deliver it at a cost. Of course, this project also came with the massive help from Ryobi Tools!
Ryobi is part of TTI, one of the fastest growing power tools manufacturers in the world. They are the number 1 DIY power tools brand in Australia and America. They are relatively new to Europe. In order to do this project, I used the Impact Driver R18ID3-0 (to drive screws into the wood), Brushless Percussion Drill R18PDBL-0 (drill holes into metal and wood), Circular Saw R18CS-0 (cutting up wood) and Corner Palm Sander R18PS-0 (sanding wood surfaces). All these tools are wireless which means you are required to buy the rechargeable batteries and charger to go with it. I have the Fast charger BCL1418H which fully charged the 2.5Ah and 5.0Ah Lithium batteries from 45 minutes to 2 hours.
To make this, you will require the following materials:
- 2 solid pallets
- 2 decking planks (around 3 metre long)
- Decking/outdoor screws
- Wood glue (outdoor)
- Shed paint & brush
- Rock climbing rocks (or use leftover decking)
Beside those materials listed above, you will need a measuring tape, metal ruler, marker pen, drill & screw bits, Allen keys, C-clamps, handheld saw and protective sheets.
Method:
- Place two pallets together to form an upward V shape. To make this secure, I decided to brush the wood glue to glue the top together. Then use a C-clamp to clamp the pallets.
- I measured the length of decking required to cut and attach to the top and sides for support. I marked six lengths for the side and three lengths for the top of the pallets. Once measured and marked on the decking, I used the circular saw to cut the decking to size. It didn’t take me long! I loved using it – it was so quick and easy! This saw comes with 18 teeth and it cuts wood very neatly. Then I used the leftover bits and pieces of the decking to make the climbing steps. As you can see from the end result, I have used the bigger pieces of decking as climbing steps as the smaller pieces will break into two if you try to screw it onto the pallet.
- Use the Impact Driver to screw the decking onto the pallets. This tool comes with cross screw bits and a bolt. Now I have created a frame for the pallets and it is very sturdy.
- Again use the Impact Driver to screw in the climbing steps onto the pallets.
- Sand the pallets using the Corner Palm Sander. This is such a quick and easy job using this power tool! This sander comes with six sanding sheets (2×60, 2×120 and 2×240 Grit). I used the 240 grit to sand the whole frame and also the corners.
- Lay down the protective sheet before painting the whole frame! I used leftover paint from ages ago to paint it.
- Once dried, I used the Brushless Percussion Drill to drill a few 11mm holes onto the pallets to install the bolts for the rock climbing stones.
- Finally, use the Impact Driver to screw in the screws.
This climbing frame took me 2 days to complete. I used roughly 5 hours to build and paint, then I waited for 24 hours for the paint to dry before I put in the climbing stones. It is a very solid build. I really enjoyed the whole experience, especially with using these tools. I love that they are wireless, lightweight and they all do their jobs well. I can’t fault them at all. It makes building effortless! Do look out for my next project!
Watch this video to find out more on how I made it!
I do find it weird that the tools do not come with instructions, especially the Circular Saw! I had to check out similar reviews from YouTube to look for clues to prepare the saw. Anyway, I have made this how-to-use video for the saw. In this video, I explained the different functions of the saw and how I prepared the saw. https://youtu.be/I-44b0m7_Gc
The Impact Driver comes with an impact bit and 5/8 inch socket adaptor. It also have Tri-Beam LED light which illuminates the work area and eliminates shadows on bits and fasteners. It comes with three speeds. This driver really delivers and makes it effortless to screw all the decking screws.
The Brushless Percussion Drill comes with 10 speeds, hammer and wood functions. It also comes with white LED light which illuminates the work area and one cross screw. I love the hammer function for this drill and it is easy to adjust the size of the drill bits.
Lastly, the Corner Palm Sander comes with six sanding sheets (2×60, 2×120 and 2×240 Grit). It sands sharp corners very well and is so easy and lightweight to use. I find it comfortable with the soft grip top to hold with my palm but I do find that I keep hitting the on/off button with my fingers. This sander is precise on the surface and each grit sheet didn’t last for long. So if you have lots of surfaces for sanding, do remember to get more sanding sheets.
Overall these tools are perfect for DIY. I love that they are lightweight, the striking colour, soft grip and they are easy to use!
Here are the links of the Ryobi tools from Amazon:
- Impact Driver R18ID3-0
- Brushless Percussion Drill R18PDBL-0
- Circular Saw R18CS-0
- Corner Palm Sander R18PS-0
- Fast charger BCL1418H
- 2.5Ah and 5.0Ah Lithium batteries
Disclosure: We received the samples for the purposes of writing this review and do the DIY, however all thoughts and opinions remain our own. We have included Amazon affiliate links to the products. If you click on this and buy, we may earn a small commission.