Recycled Lanterns from Block Pallets – Quick and Easy

Pallets come in all shapes and sizes and can be used for so many different things. We were given some block pallets by a friend of ours and the blocks (those square pieces of wood that separate the top and bottom boards) make the perfect base for these recycled lanterns from pallet blocks.

This is not the first time we’ve recycled lantern bits to make something gorgeous, and I do so love how this block lantern turned out. They’re rustic and fit right in with the farmhouse decor trend. Plus you can put them together in under 30 minutes.

Here’s an interesting bit of pallet trivia. You get two types of wooden pallets; stringer pallets and block pallets. Block pallets are common in Europe, Central, and South America and Africa, while stringer pallets dominate in the States. Some of the larger retailers like Walmart and Costco are moving towards block pallets as they are stronger and can be lifted from any side. Silly me, and I thought all pallets were created equal 🙂

RightyO, before we get to the tutorial be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram. And don’t forget to subscribe below so you’ll never miss a post!

What you need

Not only are these pallet block lanterns easy to make; you don’t need any special tools either, just an old oil lantern burner, sandpaper, paint or stain, and some pallet blocks.

How to make lanterns from recycled pallet blocks

Start by taking the lantern apart. We’ll be using the handle, that metal bit where the wick comes through, and the glass chimney (not pictured below).

Pallet blocks come in all shapes and sizes and they’re often made from chipboard which is a yucky wood to work with. But with a little elbow grease and lots of sanding, you can get them looking pretty good. Start with 60 grit and finished off with 120 grit sandpaper. I was really surprised by how beautiful the blocks look after sanding.

Measure the diameter of the base of the oil burner and used a hole saw to drill a hole in the block so that the burner fits snuggly inside.

We stained the pallet blocks a warm dark brown and added two coats of white chalk paint on top.

Once the last coat is dry to the touch we used 100 grit sandpaper to distress the block. Sand lightly in some areas and apply some elbow grease in others to get a naturally worn look. When you’re happy, glue the oil burner in the hole at the top.

As an optional extra, you can rubber-stamp a cute label on the front of the block.

Add a candle, the oil lantern handle, and the chimney and you’re done. 

Easy peasy, right??!!!

The pallet blocks are heavy enough to provide a stable base for the candle, and the handle on the side makes it easy to carry around too. What do you think?

If you like the idea of recycling pallet blocks into lanterns, don’t forget to pin the tutorial for later.

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Until next time, I hope you have a beautiful crafty week. Sending love as always and thank you for popping in for a visit.