You will need

Tape measure

Large pallet – if you want a higher, chunkier table you could sandwich two pallets together using wood glue

Fabric – about 2m

2m sq sheet of 1cm-thick foam

Staple gun

4 large castors

Drill and 2.5mm drill bit

16 x 2.5cm screws

It doesn’t matter how tatty your pallet is as it will be covered, but make sure it is dry and that any loose dirt has been vacuumed off before you get to work. If you don’t already have a staple gun you can buy one very cheaply from any hardware store. They are perfectly good and will do the job.

The only downside to a cheap gun is that the staples don’t always go in firmly enough, so it sometimes requires a bit of firing, pulling out and firing again.

I used that sort for years before I finally bought a decent one (which is better to use, but is more expensive) from an upholstery shop, so do weigh up what you’re prepared to spend.

I would say that once you’re armed with one there’ll probably be no stopping you. I use my staple gun for quick repairs and cheeky upholstery jobs, going with my usual “minimum effort, maximum return” mantra.

To check the dimensions of the fabric, measure up one side of the pallet(s) along the top edge and down the opposite side, then add 20cm to allow extra fabric for the foam (which will go underneath the fabric) and for stapling the fabric to the underside of the pallet.

Do the same measurements the other way across the pallet. You should end up with a measurement approximately 165cm x 125cm. So 2m of fabric should be plenty and might give you enough left over to make a matching cushion cover or two.

1. Place the fabric on the floor with the right side facing down. Lay the foam sheet on top of the fabric and, finally, put the upturned pallet(s), centred, on top. Pull up one edge of the foam to prepare to staple it to the underside of the pallet. Now the fun part. Fire off a row of staples 2cm apart and about 4cm in from the edge. Do the same with the opposite edge of the foam. Lift the pallet up slightly and pull the foam before you staple to make sure it’s lying flat and snug across the wood, but not too tight so that you see the ridges of the planks beneath. Staple the foam in place as before. Repeat with the remaining two edges of the foam.

2. You will have folded flaps of foam on each corner. Carefully cut these away so that the foam lies flat with no overlap, but mind that there are no gaps either.

3. Staple the cut corners to the underside of the pallet.

4. Cut away the excess foam on the underside of the pallet, cutting a 1cm or 2cm away from the staples.

5. You use a very similar stapling trick with the fabric. Pull up one edge of the fabric and staple this to the underside of the pallet over the foam, ensuring you pull the fabric taut before stapling down the opposite edge. The only thing is, don’t staple along the full length of each side – leave a gap of about 15cm at each corner. This is to allow you to fold the fabric on the corner to make a nice, neat, professional-looking finish.

6. Once you’ve stapled down each edge and the fabric is taut, finish the corners with an inverse pleat. Pull the corner point of the fabric in towards the centre, then fold the sides neatly up against the corner of the pallet to make a smart pleat.

7. Staple the pleated corner to the pallet.

8. Finally, screw on the castors. You will need to drill through the fabric and foam to get them on, but it’s not difficult. Hold a castor in place on one corner of the underside and drill through one hole with a 2.5mm drill.

9. Fix a screw through the hole to keep the castor in place. Repeat with the three other holes, then with each castor.

Next week

Get creative with wine crates.