PALLET-DEX

DIY deck plans · Freestanding · Plastic pallets only

DIY deck plans that use plastic pallets as part of the structure.

Plastic pallets in a 2x6 grid. A 2x4 through the forklift opening. Deck boards screw through the pallet into that 2x4. On dirt, on a pad, or on blocks. You do not see the pallets.

Build the cut list Get the $19 guide
  • Start with the pallet you actually bought
  • $5–$10 each on Facebook Marketplace
  • Dirt, pad, or blocks — blocks go at the grid crossings
Finished PALLET-DEX deck with wood decking, chairs and table. Pallets are under the boards.
You do not see the pallets. They are covered by the decking.
Finished PALLET-DEX backyard platform with shade sail and seating.
Same joint. A low platform. Furniture and shade. A normal deck.
Finished PALLET-DEX deck at dusk with steps, rails, and umbrella.
Steps and rails if you want them. The walking surface is still just decking.

Design ideas

Same platform. Trailer pad or pool yard.

A low freestanding deck beside a travel trailer, or next to an above-ground pool. Not attached to the trailer, the pool wall, or the house. Plastic pallets stay under the boards. These are concept images.

Concept image: finished wood deck with chairs beside a travel trailer, separate from the door.
Seasonal campsite patio. Separate from the door. Campsite ideas
Concept image: low wood deck beside a round above-ground pool, not attached to the pool.
Beside an above-ground pool. A gap stays between the deck and the wall.
Concept image: deck boards next to an above-ground pool wall, pallets hidden.
Boards on. Pallets covered. Not a pool-wall attachment.

Build the cut list

How it works

The 2x4 fills the forklift opening.

Every plastic shipping pallet already has a gap between its top deck and its bottom deck. That gap is where the forks of a forklift slide in. It is a standard industrial opening. A pressure-treated 2x4 is sized for it.

Cut the 2x4 to the exact width or length of the pallet — whichever way that opening runs. Flush with both sides. No tail hanging off. Two ¼ × 5 in structural screws (star/T30, washer head) through the 2x6 into the end of each 2x4.

Then the decking screw travels through three things: the board, the pallet top, the 2x4. That clamp is the structure. The pallet is the middle ply. You do not see the pallets. They are covered by the decking.

PALLET-DEX top view and end view of one bay at the same scale. Dashed 2x4s sit under the pallet top in the fork void.
Top view and end view, same scale. Dashed 2x4s sit under the pallet top. Red = deck screws. Black = frame screws into the 2x4 ends.

Field tips stay in the paid guide. Size the deck here first.

Build the cut list

Cut sheet

DIY deck plans calculator

Enter the deck you want and the pallet you actually have. Hit Build the cut list. Counts drop onto the screw and pedestal cards below. One click puts that list in an Amazon cart — same hardware used on the prototype.

Deck you want
Pallet you measured
How it sits

Next step is the shop — add the list, do not hunt SKUs.

The easy route

Skip the hardware hunt.

Run the calculator. It writes the counts on these cards. One Amazon click loads the frame screws, the deck screws you pick, and pedestals if you are on blocks. Same parts used on the original deck. We may earn a commission if you buy through these links.

Quantities fill in after you hit Build the cut list.

  • 6 inch black timber structural screws

    Need: run calculator

    6" black timber screws

    Frame. Through the 2x6 into each 2x4 end.

    Buy 6" frame screws
  • 3 inch black timber deck screws with large flat head

    Need: run calculator

    3" black timber screws

    Deck boards if you want the larger flat head. Same count as the bronze — pick one look.

    Buy 3" black (larger head)
  • 3 inch bronze number 9 deck screws with smaller head

    Need: run calculator

    3" bronze #9

    Same bite, smaller head in the board. Same count as the black — pick one look.

    Buy 3" bronze (smaller head)
  • Adjustable black plastic deck support pedestal

    Need: run calculator

    Deck pedestals

    Above grade only. One at every 2x6 crossing. 26-pack.

    Buy deck supports
  • Matte black 2-step outdoor stair handrail

    Optional — 1 kit for the step

    2-step handrail

    Optional, for the half-pallet landing. Check the city first.

    Buy 2-step rail kit

As an Amazon Associate, PALLET-DEX earns from qualifying purchases. Pallets and lumber stay at Marketplace and the yard.

The paid guide

The print guide. Tips you will not find on this page.

How to twist a tight 2x4 into the pocket. How to pull a pallet flush with the 2x6. The step. Cut sheet, materials, and what this is not. Print it. Take it to the saw.

$19 one-time download

Checkout opens from palletdex.com/guide. After payment the PDF arrives by email.

Get the $19 build guide

Freestanding only — on grade, on a pad, or on deck blocks at the grid crossings. Check your city before you add height, rails, stairs, or attach to the house.

Questions

DIY deck plans, answered.

Are these free DIY deck plans?

The method, the joint drawings, and the cut-list calculator are free on this page. The six-page print guide is $19 if you want it at the saw.

Will these plans attach to my house?

No. PALLET-DEX is freestanding — on grade, on a concrete pad, or on deck blocks at the 2x6 crossings. It is not a ledger deck.

Can I use wooden pallets?

No. The 2x4 is sized for the molded forklift opening on a plastic shipping pallet. Wood pallets rot and do not have that opening.

Contact

Questions about a build?

Pallet fit, layout, or whether this is the right method for your site — send a note. Include the pallet size if you have it.

Email info@palletdex.com

Field tips and the printed cut sheet stay in the $19 guide.