14 DIY Pallet Cabin Plans You Can Build Today (With Pictures)
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Codee Chessher
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Pallet cabins are quick and easy cabins that are made entirely (or almost entirely) from pallets. They are very similar to tiny homes in that they aren’t the size of the average family home today. However, they are fast and easy to build, making them the perfect options for those who want to be minimalistic.
They’re also suitable for quick houses out in the wilderness, where you need shelter but not many amenities. Many teens also take an interest in building these cabins, as they make reliable hangouts and are often easy enough to build without any previous experience.
In this article, we’ll teach you how to build a pallet cabin that you can get started on right away. Many of these are extremely simple, so anyone can build them. You will need an assortment of tools for many of these, as well as, of course, pallets.
The 14 DIY Pallet Cabin Plans
1. Simple DIY Cabin
This straightforward cabin is made out of pallets and a few other cuts of wood. While it isn’t technically a “pallet cabin,” most of the wood you need can be effectively taken from pallets. This small cabin is perfect as a tiny home or those that need extra shelter on undeveloped land.
There aren’t many amenities built into this cabin, and you will need to purchase a regular door and a window. Of course, you could adjust the plans slightly to completely remove the window, however. The plans do not call for this house to be painted anything in particular, so you can spruce it up as you see fit.
2. Modern DIY Cabin
This cabin was originally designed to be a storage shed. However, it can easily be used as a pallet cabin as well. This structure is made completely out of pallets, aside from the door and a few other extras. It is square and doesn’t actually look very much like a cabin. But it may be perfect for those who are looking for a more modern style cabin.
Overall, this is one of the cheaper plans we’ve included in this article. Since it is practically only made with pallets, it is much more financially feasible than some of the other plans you’ll find on the internet.
3. Tiny DIY House from Pallets
Love the idea of building a house from pallets, but not in love with the cabin décor? This plan lays out how to build a house using practically only pallets. However, the house is in a much more traditional style than most pallet cabins.
This tiny house is extremely cheap and is designed to be lived in – unlike some of the other pallet cabins we’ve looked at thus far. For this reason, it has a few more extras that other plans don’t have. With that said, that does not make it particularly more expensive or difficult to build than most other options. In fact, it is still fairly inexpensive to build, especially since most of your material will come from pallets.
4. Sustainable DIY Pallet House
These pallet houses are designed to be more sustainable and environmentally-friendly than other houses. They are also quite larger than most pallet houses, though many of them use other, natural materials as well. The homes in this resource come in many different styles, so you can choose which one you like the best.
Alternatively, you could mix and match design elements to make a pallet cabin that is most suitable for you.
We loved that these houses are earthquake safe, have multiple bedrooms, and include plenty of insulation. They are truly made to be lived in and feel a lot like your average house – only they are made almost completely out of pallets. If you get your pallets for free, you can expect to pay as little as $800 for this house.
5. DIY Hangout House
This is a perfect project for a teenager who wants somewhere to go with his friends and loves to build things. This small building is designed to be a hangout and is made almost completely out of rescued pallets.
This little pallet house would be a great addition to a garden or outdoor area. It is very small, even by tiny house standards. However, it is a great outdoor hangout and can be used to house a couple of people at a time.
6. Simple DIY Pallet Cabin
Learning how to build a pallet cabin like this one is extremely simple and made almost completely out of pallets. It has a very rustic, reclaimed look and was originally intended to be a shed. However, it looks and functions a lot like a house, so it would be very simple to convert it into a full-time residence if you so choose. One of the best parts about this house is that it is made out of only a few pallets. You won’t need to go track many down.
You will need some other pieces of wood as well. You will also need to purchase a door and windows unless you find other tutorials for making those by hand.
7. Easy-to-Follow DIY Pallet Cabin
If you don’t have much experience reading plans or anything of that sort, you may want to consider this pallet cabin plan. It is extremely easy to follow and requires only a few pallets. It is quite large and plenty enough for those looking to live in a tiny home. It is also more than suitable as a hangout space outside or a small shelter in the woods.
This “cabin” doesn’t actually look much like a cabin. However, it is made out of almost entirely pallets. It has a conventionally framed shed roof and is made to actually live in.
8. DIY Plywood and Pallet Cabin
This cabin is quite large and is made of approximately 150 pallets, along with some plywood. A concrete slab is recommended as well. However, it is quite large on the inside and made to be lived in. It looks similar to a modern house as well, so it is perfect for those that don’t particularly like the cabin vibe.
You can cut down on the cost of this house substantially by finding pallets for free.
9. DIY Pallet Cabin with Reclaimed Scrap Wood
This video tutorial shows you how to craft a small one-man cabin out of nothing more than pallet wood you can easily find for free. The goal was to create a one-man homestead that serves just as well as a hunting cabin or hangout spot. Put in a woodfired stove for warmth in cold weather and consider a bookshelf for something to pass the time.
A whole pallet works as the floor, or you could use several to make a larger foundation to upscale the plan’s dimensions.
10. DIY 140 Pallet Shed
Though it’s technically a shed, this large building made of 140 pallets could also moonlight as a cabin. Scrap wood or pallets can be transformed into a nicer floor by using a high-quality floor varnish as recommended by the plan. A cool optional addition is a bar inside with reclaimed glass, which you can just make out of plain wood.
Another add-on for a cozy touch is to add brick windows as seen in the plan’s photos. Top it all off with some framed photos or artwork if desired.
11. DIY 19 Pallet Teenager Cabin Hideaway with Porch
Try your hand at making a spiffy “teenager” cabin made of just 19 pallets. You can use reclaimed pallets as materials, but the plan calls for custom-built pallets. There’s plenty of space inside for a bench, table, or some chairs if you wish. A shelf would be really handy too, but it depends on your resources and skills.
The porch is a little small but still appreciated as an amenity, considering other plans typically don’t feature a porch. Finally, we suggest adding a concrete slab as a foundation if you want the structure to last.
12. DIY Nearly-Free Pallet Cabin
With enough pallets, you can make an awesome mini-cottage like the one this dad built for his son as a play fort. You’ll need some roofing materials too to keep the rain off, and the plan mentions you can often source cheap pallets from Tractor Supply Co. The siding is made of fence panels, and the whole building is raised on cinder blocks.
The flip-up windows featured in the plan are a fun little side project, but they’re optional if you want to save time or materials. The tiny porch is another place you can skimp on if needed.
13. DIY Pallet Shed
Upcycle used pallets or buy new pallets to make your very own pallet shed. We highly recommend using a few cinder blocks as a makeshift foundation or pouring a concrete slab as a long-term solution. This shed has farm-style sliding doors, but you could install swinging doors if you’d like.
Finishing the structure is optional, but definitely use quality roofing materials to make sure the shed doesn’t leak or rot over time.
14. DIY Firewood Pallet Shed
For organizing large amounts of firewood, consider making a wood pallet shed to organize it all neatly and keep it dry in wet winter weather. It’s not just for firewood, either. You can store tools or landscaping equipment in there if you want. It’s rather basic and doesn’t take a ton of work compared to some other plans, which makes it a great beginner DIY project.
Just change the dimensions if you want more floor space and maybe put the shed on cinder blocks to keep stuff dry.
- See Also: Are Log Homes Energy-Efficient?
Featured Image Credit: Sebastian Huxley, Unsplash
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