Pallet Gaps

Adam Carmichael from Santa Cruz Bible Church in Santa Cruz, CA brings us this cool use of pallets with gaps of light bulbs peeking through. 

They designed this pallet stage to accent their theater-style layout.

Materials:
– 20-30 pallets of various shapes and sizes, all carefully dismantled (Note: they went for the weathered look, so they chose pallets accordingly. None of these were stained/painted.). Pallets were free from a local lumber yard.
– Pile of recycled 2x4s for the skeletal wall behind
– Clear 100W bulbs with socket extension cords, recycled from previous stage design
– a nail gun and chop saw

After disassembling the pallets, they were separated into similar-width piles, to make the nailing process a bit quicker. As far as building it, there wasn’t much too it. Once they decided what the layout would be, they built skeletal walls, and started nailing the pallet wood piece by piece; carefully selecting each piece to make a pleasing width/height and color arrangement. As they nailed, they constantly checked to see if they were plumb, both by eye and with a level. They found it really easy to start drifting, as pallet wood is rarely perfect.

Once the main, long wall was built, they decided how low they wanted the hanging walls to be, built skeletal right triangle walls, and repeated the process, all on the floor. Then the hanging walls were hoisted up into the lighting grid, and attached via eye-bolts in the walls, and rope tied off to the lighting grid supports. (The accent walls on the front of the stage were actually left over from Christmas, and were super simple pallet wood nailed across 1′ lengths of 2×4 and screwed down to the stage.) No special lighting, just whatever the wash lights pick up.

Stage was completely recycled and cost them nothing.

Adapting a Pallet Backdrop with Gaps of Light

The appeal of this design is the contrast between irregular, weathered wood and small points of warm light. The gaps are part of the composition, not simply spaces to fill. When planning your own version, sketch the main wall and any smaller accents together so the wood grain, openings, and bulb positions feel connected across the platform. These adaptation ideas are planning suggestions rather than additional details from the original team’s build.

Start with a small sample made from the actual boards you have collected. Sort them by width, as the original team did, and lay several rows out before fastening anything. Try a few different gap sizes, then view the sample from the back row and through your main camera. A narrow opening may disappear at a distance, while a wider opening can reveal cords or backstage equipment you would prefer to hide. Adjust the arrangement before repeating it across a full wall.

Plan the Layout Before Building

Mark the proposed backdrop footprint on the stage and check it against musician positions, microphone stands, access routes, and screen sightlines. Allow room behind the scenery for inspection and maintenance. A ground-supported arrangement can preserve the visual idea without copying the original suspended walls; have a qualified scenic installer assess stability and attachment requirements for your particular room.

Reclaimed wood varies in condition as well as color. Set aside boards with questionable contamination, serious damage, or fasteners that cannot be safely removed. Prepare and handle the selected boards with appropriate tools and protective equipment. Keep the natural variation intentional by distributing lighter and darker pieces across the sample rather than clustering every similar board in one corner.

Balance Warm Bulbs with Your Stage Wash

Test the lighting with a person standing in the normal speaking position. You want the bulbs to provide depth without competing with faces or creating distracting bright spots in camera shots. Compare the look under rehearsal lighting and the actual service cues. If using dimmable LED alternatives, test the complete lamp and control combination for visible flicker and dimming behavior before purchasing enough for the whole set.

The original installation reused its supplies, which explains its reported zero cost. Your adaptation may still need a budget for framing, appropriate fasteners, lighting, installation review, and transport. Inventory what you already own, build one sample section, and price the remaining materials from that tested version rather than assuming donated pallets make the entire project free.

Pro Tips for a Pallet-and-Light Backdrop

Use a visual reference: Photograph your approved sample and keep it beside the build area so multiple volunteers can repeat the intended spacing and color balance.

Check alignment frequently: Use a level and consistent reference marks as the rows grow. Uneven reclaimed boards can make a wall drift even when individual pieces appear straight.

Make lighting serviceable: Plan access to bulbs and cords before closing the scenery. Have qualified venue personnel review electrical equipment, clearances, and cable routing rather than treating the photos as installation instructions.

Review anything overhead: Do not copy the original rope-and-eye-bolt approach from the description alone. Any suspended scenic element needs a qualified rigger’s assessment of the complete assembly and building attachment points.

Related Designs

• Clever Christmas Wreath Lamps – Explore reclaimed wood and warm lighting in a coordinated rustic Advent setting.
• I Beams – Compare layered industrial scenery and visible light sources for depth behind a worship team.
• Paint Can Lids – See another way pallets become a repeated scenic framework using repurposed materials.
• Pallet Canvas – Study a wood wall paired with changing lantern and Edison-bulb arrangements.
• Glowing Woods – Compare pallet-wood panels with concealed rope lighting around their edges.