Pallet wood walkway all prettied up again
Do you remember this post where I originally built this pallet wood walkway HERE?
PART 1: How I built the pallet wood garden walkway HERE
This post shares how to upkeep the pallet wood pathway, and how it weathered 2 years later.
Well, after some time, this is what it started to look like…
As you can see, weeds were growing in between the wood planks. So let’s fix this!.
How to upkeep a pallet wood walkway
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1. Using a gardening kneepad, I lifted one wood plank at a time, and dug out the weeds.
2. Fluff up the soil before replacing the board.
3. Slightly wiggle the board into the soil so it stays put.
4. Fill some soil in between the planks for extra stability.
Working one at a time worked like a charm! There was no need to worry about where to reposition the boards.
However since I’ve had the walkway for a number of years now, some years I remove the entire thing, weed, then replace. Both ways work fine.
And then I got on a roll.
A good flowerbed weed was also in order!
I really loved how this plant just took over and ran over the walkway.
When I originally built this pallet wood garden path, I had lined up all the boards perfectly.
This round, I staggered the edges for a different look. I love both ways!
Adding garden art
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Rusty antiques were added amongst the flowers to act as garden art. Love my some rusty junk!
The pretty pallet garden path
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And I’m happy to report, this pallet wood garden path is back for business!
The little pallet walkway has been a trooper. No rotting wood, and is as pretty as ever!
My kitty cat’s drinking fountain even got a deep clean. All ready for you, Teddy!
She’s currently wearing her new lion cut for summer.
And with pretty flowers all in full bloom, this little pallet wood garden walkway will be thoroughly used and enjoyed to the hilt!
So if you have designs on making one too, just do it!
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More gardening posts:
PART 1: How I built the pallet wood garden walkway HERE
(includes lots of questions and answers on the build)
Visit many more pallet projects HERE
Read more gardening tips and ideas HERE
Check out more garden junk projects HERE
I have been wondering what to do with a certain walkway where the dogs have grounded down the grass and the dirt makes a mess during the Florida storms…now I wish I had picked up that pile of pallets that was by the road the other day…I wonder if they are still there? This is such a great solution to what has been an ongoing dilemma in our backyard. Thanks!
It looks even prettier than when you first created it! It just amazes me how things can get out of control in a garden in just a short time! It’s been way too hot & humid here to work in my gardens to the extent they require. Watering has been about it. Luckily, it’s been so dry that the bugs and the weeds have been kept to a minimum.
I am officially Jealous~! that looks terrific. I wonder if lowes will take back the 157.00 worth of stones I had put down 3 weeks ago and just let me have some pallets? oh well, I can try this on the other side of the sunroom I guess..
May I ask please- how you got such a perfectly cut line at your lawn edge. Mine is driving me NUTZ.. any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated.
Sonny, I’ll do a post on edging next. It’ll encourage me to… edge stuff! Ha! 🙂
your walk way and gardens look wonderful! I too take a section at a time Or I get over whemed.
Cathy
That looks fantastic and you have given me soem great ideas for my garden. The company I work for are trying to offload a lot of pallets for free so I’m now going to claim some and get digging! Far cheaper than buying slabs from the local DIY store 🙂
HiDonna!
That walkway looks fabulous!
I love the vine-looking plant…adds a nice touch to it.
I agree, a little at a time will get er done. I think thats often the best and only way when we’re busy working elsewhere.
Cute kitty too…and a lovely fountain.
I love pallets and the creative things you can do with them
Sigh…you are so inspiring 🙂
Deborah xo
I know what you mean- the garden unfortunately takes a back seat sometimes. Your cleanup looks beautiful!
Donna your walkway looks so pretty! I love your garden and kitty too 🙂
This is my first opportunity to visit this website. I found some interesting things and I will apply to the development of my blog. Thanks for sharing useful information.
Love your walkway and the creeping jenny plant! And, of course, kitty is adorable!
Looks fabulous!!
Hugs
SueAnn
LOVE your pallet path! Wow green grass.Ours is brown we really need rain.I would love to pallet my whole yard and not have to worry about grass.But that would be allot of pallets.Your sweet kitty does look like a lion.
Thank you for the photography trick.
((((Hugs)))
Anne
Hey Donna,
Just wanted to let you know that awesome plant that you saved is a Creeping Jenny, they are super hardy and really a great ground cover. Super easy to propagate and divide too. 🙂 thanks for sharing the awesome walkway, it is really really neat!
Still in love with your pallet path. Funny because I was going to email you and ask how it held up through the winter!
My problem is my garden time digs into my blogging time. But I live for summer and being able to get into the garden to play. My blog readers are having to put up with every new bloom and plant, they are in garden overload but it is what I love to do. I enjoy Creeping Jenny’s tenaciousness and use it wherever I want some ugly spot covered, it gets the job done. Tackling the garden a little at a time is how I have to do it too, but it is a successful way to manage it.
It feels so good to get rid of weeds! It drives me nuts when I let it go for too long (which is too often) beautiful work as usual girl! You’re landscaping skills are amazing…
♥ much love
Just discovered you whilst bloghopping. Love , love, love this fabulous idea. I have to try this on the weekend in our garden. This also means I have just become your newest follower.
Paul
That walkway is probably one of the simpler things you’ve done but for some reason it’s really my favourite project of yours. It just looks sooooo great!
this is a really interesting idea. We have a dirt path that we’ve been puzzled over how we should “pave” it but we don’t want to put in concrete or pavers and, since it’s on an incline, we can’t put crushed grantit or pebbles because they would wah away with the rain. I’ll have to show him your pallet path…
Kathy @ RetirementRainbow.blogspot.com
That is the secret in my garden too! Blog about it and you’ll keep a beautiful garden!
I think this pallet pathway is one of the coolest!
I haven’t found a place for this yet…but I’m keeping it in my head for future reference!
beautiful pictures! Pat
Gardening is so rewarding but so much work! Your walkway area is so inviting…makes me want to take a walk along it to see the rest of the garden!
pretty kitty 🙂 funny haircut notwithstanding. Love the way your board path resembles a footbridge. I guess it is sort of a bridge between two areas of the yard. Looks so serene!
That pallet walkway looks amazing…what a great and affordable idea. I’m all inspired now to get to work on something!
your garden and walkway look beautiful. the cat photo is great!
You pallet walkway is how I found your blog in the first place. I just love it.
I’m obsessive about gardening and can’t imagine life without it. In fact, that’s where I’m headed right now. With camera in tow for blog posts of course. :o)
Looking good. Love it all. Thanks for sharing. Here in Arizona it is HOT, hot, HOT….everything has mostly dried up. Stay cool.
Love it! Do you walk on it often or is it mainly for looks?
We walk on it constantly! It’s the best way from the driveway to the front yard.
So, so beautiful! That’s the thing with gardening … by the time I make it around to clean all of the beds I have to start again at the beginning. 🙂 Oh, and I wouldn’t have noticed your cats haircut with the nickname!! Cute.
Lovely, lovely, lovely. Great idea with the pallets, too. Thanks for sharing.
Love! Love! Love! Thanks for reposting this. Plan to make something like this between our yard and our neighbors. It will be so inviting!
Your garden looks pretty darned gorgeous to me. Alot more than ours. We have a drought here (western CO) so not supposed to water very much at all.We use irrigation water here (have to buy shares) but since nobody that owned our place before had had any installed we don’t have any but our neighbor is letting us use his (what an angel)
Loving how your pallet walk way was installed with alternating boards laid out. Gives it a natural look, rather than contrived. The flowers are so random and pretty. I’ll have to enjoy yours as it’s very hard to grow anything but blasted weeds in our soil, we have way too much alcali here in our soil. Drat and darn. Enjoy your gorgeous garden.
Soooooo Pretty! Love It! You do such good work! Thanks for sharing.
That is one of the prettiest, yet simplest ideas I’ve seen. Now I know what to do if someone’s giving away some wood like that!
Love,the yard,and love the natural look…me I am a rock girl…I have rock gardens all the way around. Your photo’s are marv,….and the horse blanket me too…I use to dream of growing up and having a horse ranch….Blog on
Lovely, many are not spending as much time blogging with all there is to do at home and in the yard. Me too….haven’t really gotten a hold on the yard, as we had such a late Spring.
Your yard looks beautiful and I love the walkway!
Weeding is instant gratification ~ love standing up and being able to see what you have just done! Cooper gets a lion cut every summer ~ he minds the heat and matts like crazy too. Love your new and improved walkway.
Love the pallet walkway. I like the casualness of it and who doesn’t love repurposed wood. Thanks for sharing.
What a stunning and lovely walkway! It may look simple how you all did it, but I wouldn’t know where to start. I’m glad hubby keeps up with our little back yard. 😉 But I love how you incorporate old items (or junk as you call it…lol) into the garden. Would love to see more of your gorgeous yard!!
All the best, Inge x
I love this project. Pallets are great and I love reusing them. I’ll have to do this one for sure.
Donna – You are amazing! Those steps look awesome!!!!
Enjoy your weekend.
-Trish
Beautiful! Is that just top soil underneath? How do you stop it from going to seed with grass or weeds? Oh no, you’re going to say you pull it aren’t you?! noooooooo! lol
I lift up the boards and weed. 🙂 It’s not that often I have to do it though.
LOVE THIS WALKWAY!!Do the pallets have some kind of sealer on them to help them last through the heat or winter? How often would they need to be replaced?
Hey hey! I finally did it! I copied you! Wanna see? (Yeah, I linked back too)
http://www.theshadesofpink.com/2012/07/sweet-path.html
Anyway, no where near as cool as yours, but I love it! Thanks for the idea!
What a beautiful pathway and garden. It looks fantastic. Great pictures, too!
did you stained the wood? looks beautiful and simple!
No stain Daniela, it was perfect natural. 🙂 If you wish for it to look a little more rich, a clear coat would help. The wood here is shown wet in some areas giving it a richer lustre for the photographs.
I think we have twin kitties! And last summer after my kitty was attacked by a dog, she had the same haircut and totally looked like a lion. Every winter she grows a thick silver main under her chin and around her neck…then she really looks like a lion. 🙂
I love your pallet walkway. We’re about to redo our backyard and will have some leftover deck wood. I’m going to use some for the top of the new pergola, but I think I’ll do a walkway with the rest…for the dog to get to her potty spot. Thanks for the inspiration!
ABSOLUTELY <3 your site, and style. I'm surprise you don't stain the pallet boards, seems like they would rot. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Wonderful idea! I love cheap chic! And I’m adding alyssiums too!
I love this idea, Im still just trying to adapt to my new dry Floridian garden after moving from the wet and soggy UK, im also wondering whether the bugs might eat it. Im going to give it a try 🙂
This looks great and I’m thinking it will work so well for all the paths I’m planning in my backyard. I am wondering if it gets slick at all when it is wet. Thanks, and great job!
Should I seal the wood if it’s from an old barn? And I mean oooold! I’m putting this in my front yard from the drive to our porch and want to work on cutting (sealing?) my boards before spring arrives.
Love, love this idea. I’ve been needing some type of path for my slope. We seem to slide on the grass everytime it rains. Does your pallet walkway get slippery when wet? If so, how do you manage it?
Love it!
You have inspired me! My problem is that my back yard is huge and empty and it is hard finding a starting point. I have lots of ideas…
What a great idea – I have a gravel yard and my oxygen delivery guy has problems hauling the tank over the gravel in a dolly! Thank you so much!!!
This is so beautiful..I want to do something like this for my mom in her yard.
I know this is an old post, but just wanted to say that I was wondering how to make in inexpensive pathway from my fence to my front porch, without hauling in paver stones or cement, and without making it permanent (I’m moving in two years and want the next owners to be able to make the yard their own). I found this pin on Pinterest and followed the pin to your blog. I already had old pallets I’d grabbed from work, and was originally going to make them into a patio table. I ended up with a fiberglass pallet to make the table instead, and was wondering, “Now what do I do with these pallets?” Well now I have a plan, thanks to you!
That is AWESOME, Stephanie! Attempt to look for deeper boards so they don’t bury themselves back into the ground when it rains. Maybe even stack/attach two or three if you can’t find deeper ones.
This old post is still making new rounds. Glad it inspired you!
Looking good!!!
Love your talent to write a post about anything.
Xxx Marianne
Thanks girl! Sometimes I think these easy projects are too easy to blog about! 🙂
Absolutely loving the junk ideas! Especially this pallet walk way. One thing though… I just spend 2 days in my perennial front yard, trying to get an innocent looking ground cover out.. or atleast it was innocent looking when I bought it years ago. It’s the ‘rambling plant’ you show in one of your pics. Beware of that thing. It looks all nice and innocent and pretty with the bright green leaves and the lovely yellow flowers. But turn around one second and it eats your yard, pallet path and all. It covers the ground allright.. and the other plants and anything else that’s in it’s way. (Can you tell I am just a tad frustrated? 🙂 .. anyway… just wanted to throw out this little tidbit. Keep an eye out for that one.
I have read about lots of people having their pets hair cut like that for the summer ,, seems they love it .. 🙂 Really like your walkway!! 🙂
Oh ,, and thanks for the easy to follow instructions on edging :p .. My dad always had the best edges just like that and mine has always been the grass and gardens blending …
Beware of wooden steps outside. I slipped on rained on railroad ties and it wasn’t fun. I have avoided them since.
Good point! I’ve read if you mix sand with some kind of sealer, that could be the ticket to a non slip wood surface.
did you secure the wood down someway? I love the natural look of this path and have a perfect spot but am worried as it is a spot that kids run on alot so just wondering about securing the wood down. Thanks!
Hey Barb! I fluffed up the soil a bit so the wood slats could slightly sink into it for stability. They never move. In fact, it takes a tiny bit of muscle to remove them in order to do a deep weeding. It truly works great!
Hi. LOVE your creations with old pallets, but how on earth do you manage to break them up? I just can’t pull the boards apart…
Hey Irena! My first attempt is to find loose boards. I frequent a firetruck manufacturer that yanks the crates apart so I pick those boards first. It sure helps!
If I yank any apart myself, I look for pallets with straight nails. Most are twisted which makes removal nearly impossible sometimes. If you do a test on a pallet, you’ll soon see if it’s worth your efforts or not.
Many use sawzalls to cut through the nails. That would be way easier than pounding things apart.
If you google for tools or how to dismantle a pallet, you’ll come up with tons of resources. Guess I should do my own tips and tricks on this one, as it’s one of my most asked questions I get. Will work on that!
Hi there! I stumbled upon your site sort of by accident, I was looking at photos for walk-way idea and saw your “Pallet Path” I love it! Did you really use pallet slats? Do they splinter? I would love something like this for the area between my pool and the ‘pool house’ (upper part of the garage!). It’s a bit of a slope and kind of rocky, so I thought a path would be a pretty and easy way to go. Of course cheap would be great too! And I happen to have a couple of pallets! 🙂 Thanks for any insight, and thanks for sharing your ideas, I love them!
Warmly,
Sharon in NH
Hi Sharon! On this particular pathway, these boards were thicker than a regular pallet board may traditionally be. They were found in a big pile of loose boards mixed in with ripped up pallet crates, so I don’t exactly know what these were off of. I love the depth of this wood, so if you wished to try something similar with pallet boards, maybe doubling them up may be the ticket. Or brace them together from underneath? Or better yet, use the entire pallet intact! I just find 101 different uses for any boards I find.
That’s awesome, you’re so creative, thanks for your ideas! If I decide to go this route I’ll send you a photo!
Sharon 🙂
Googled wood walkways and saw your pallet link. Just yesterday I wondered what to do with two pallets I had from a delivery. So, will be trying out your design in the area I am landscaping at our new house.
Awesome project! Looking forward to the edging posts!
Loved your site so much, you are my soul mate. You’ve been bookmarked. lol
about your pallet wood walkway. I really like it and want to make one so I have some questions. that wood looks like 2×4’s. the pallets that I have, have much thinner planks. Are those 2×4’s? Now did you just lay them on the ground? That would be great if I didn’t have to do anything other than level it all out so I am assuming that is treated lumber. I have a really long path to make (almost 200′) and have been trying to figure out what would be the best way to go with the least amount of manual labor and maintenance.
I love the pictures of the pallet walk way. Going to try it in my back yard. Would also love to see how an old lady could build or at least help build a covered area for table and chairs.
Where do you get the thicker pallet boards? The ones we get are all pretty thin – more like the seats of the pallet bench — your walkway boards look more like 2x4s.
Hi Brenda! I agree, most pallet boards are much thinner. I found these in a pallet dumpster so I don’t know where they came from or off of. I assumed it was pallet related. Regardless, this walkway is easy to copy with some treated 2x4s at the very least! Works awesome!
Love Ur Style 🙂 I know I am coming late to the party, however I have my pallets And now my project…TY4 all U have shared. M.E. in N.C. GOD Bless U girlfriend 🙂
I just love your gardening ideas…especially the pallet walkways. Keep those ideas coming. They are unique and fun.
Love the pallet path. But what did you use to protect the wood from rotting? Not sure British weather would allow non-treated wood? Ta
Hi Bex, I actually didn’t use anything. We have very rainy weather too. After 4 years, I just now see some rot, so it’s done well! 🙂 If you wanted to avoid that, I’d suggest to lay the wood on gravel and seal it well. Being that it was just pallet wood that I can replace for free, I didn’t bother.
Do the pallet boards need to be treated?
Thanks, Kathryn
Kathryn, I didn’t bother being that I can simply replace the wood with newer once it rots. But if you wanted it to last, it’s a very good idea to protect it with something.
First, I need to commend you on an amazing site design! Second, I love this walkway! I’ve seen it on Pinterest so many times and have to ooh and ahh at it every time. You are a genius!
You are so sweet Rebekah, thank-you!
I love the pallet walkway!!!! I might even want to stain mine and put some turtle wax on it.
Looks very nice but are these boards attached to each other? How do you prevent this from becoming a trip hazard? I did not see ant instructions.
Hi Dee!
The original post is linked at the bottom of this post. You can find it at / https://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/2011/09/my-pallet-garden-walkway.html
The boards are not attached, but slightly embedded into the soil, due to their thickness. They don’t move around. The trick is to find boards that are a little thicker so you can stabilize them.
Thank you so much fir taking the time to answer my query. I was looking for an idea for a backyard walkway that would not break the budget. I think this could be it. It looks realy great and blends with nature well. Thank again,
That’s just awesome. Thank you.
Love your post on the pallet wood pathway…looking forward to checking out your funky junk!
I have a pile of boards like this that I’ve been meaning to make a walkway with. This has given me new inspiration! 🙂
Thanks for posting this! I’ve been looking for a little project to start with my pallet collection! This is PERFECT! (Hubby not interested in path in backyard, but if he sees the results of this in my front yard, might have him convinced.
I’ve been looking for a way to make an affordable walk-path way to my door…right now is sand dirt and with rain MUD… Being handicapped in an electric chair Im totally locked inside….With these pallets being so sturdy it would work for me…plus you can find pallets all over the place….I would have to put down some underlying material to keep the mud from seeping out…Well I have strong sons but….
Thanks for the idea and pictures…
Rosie
I love, love, love it! Great idea!
Those boards are thicker than pallet boards by at least an extra inch. Im not sure pallet boards would actually work.
Hi
Just love this wood plank walkway but I am wondering how it is holding up?
I am a renter and want to find a cheap way to create a walkway…but need it to last at a least a year.
I would also like to know who you keep them in place? I have a dog that runs around like a maniac and would hate to get these all lined up and her zip through one time and destroy the whole look of it.
I look forward to your reply!
Thank you,
Coletta
Hi Coletta!
The walkway lasted about 4 years. It finally just now needs replacing, but I don’t mind, since it was free wood anyway.
It’s held in place by fluffing up the soil first, then slightly burying each plank into the soil.
The planks are thick, like a 2×4 sort of, so if there’s some depth to your boards, it should work.
I think this is an excellent idea for a temporary fix such as a year!
Forgive me if this has already been posted, but do you seal the pallet wood in case it has pesticide on it, and/or to protect it? Also do you put down landscape fabric underneath? I want a very low maintenance yard, have some pallets, and want to do this to walk into the back yard. 🙂
Hi Amy!
I don’t seal the wood myself. I allow the outdoor projects to rot over time, then just revamp the area. The pallet walkways last a year or two. You could certainly try and better protect the areas though to get more use out of your creations! I just reason I got the pallets for free, so I don’t mind rebuilding.
I would have placed the first board move level with the driveway as well as the last board with a better, more aesthetic transition to the turf. Since you placed the nice boulders, my next upgrade would be a “dry creek bed” along side the walkway and outer turf for channeling drainage.
Wow, I love this! Do you have a design for a very low fence to put around my garden, maybe 2 to 3 feet high?
I live in a senior independent living high rise building. The 3rd floor outdoor patio is hugh, very hugh, and I am in charge of a large garden area, but the dogs in our building are walked here on a leash and certain hours of the day allowed to run free. Beautiful and fun to watch them. But, I don’t want them in my garden. I now have a thin, low green fence around but it is quite tacky. ☺ just wondering if you have ideas of a fence?
I’m going to use your idea for my walk way…can’t wait for Spring!!!!
Hi Sandy! I don’t have a fence idea as yet, but I accept your challenge come spring! I’m visioning using pallet wood and round posts to tie it all in… visit your local hardware store, they look like giant closet dowels which I think would look super cool!