This weekend I completed my first beer shed project – the beer menu. The hardest part of this project was finding a pallet. In case anyone wants to try this out, here is a simple how to.

What you need:

wooden pallet – $0

can of chalkboard paint (I used spray paint) – $8

80 grit sandpaper – $10 for 8 sheets

if you need it – sandpaper block – $2

Instructions:

Get your hands on a wooden pallet. It is pretty simple to get one for free. I would first check craigslist’s free section. There are usually posts up offering pallets. If you aren’t successful there, call local garden supply stores, hardware stores, or pet supply stores. These local shops receive shipments on pallets but do not have the resources to recycle them, so they will usually give them away for free. Start sanding down the pallet. You want to get a pretty even and smooth face so that writing on it will be easy. You will also want to go over the sides and back of the pallet to get rid of any splinters. Most pallets are made from pine or ceder which are fairly easy to sand down. It only took me about 10 minutes to sand my pallet down. Here is an example of the before and after of sanding.

Optional step: You can paint or stain your pallet. The pallet I got was rather clean, so I chose to not stain or paint it other than the chalkboard paint. It’s up to you as to how you want it to look. If you have one, lay out an old tarp or paining drop cloth out in the yard. Place your pallet on it and start applying a generous coat of the chalkboard paint to the face boards. I would recommend using some gloves, as the paint was a little difficult removing from my finger nails. Let the paint dry. It took about 20 minutes in the sun for me. Apply a second coat to finish up. Again, let the paint dry. This time let it go over night.

And that’s it. You now have a unique beer menu for your beer cave! You can either list beers down both sides, or list beers down the left hand side and put details such as style, ABV, and brewer.

Tweet me any pictures if you decide to do this for your beer cave.