I-Beam Pallet House

All of the available information for specifications can be found on I-Beam’s Humanitarian Projects page.

The majority of the walls, floor, stairs, mezzanines, interior partitions, ceiling and furnishings are made of standard flush 2-way hard wood shipping pallets measuring 48″ x 40″ x 5″. European and Asian pallets are similar (approximately 1200mm X 800mm) and also come in various standardized sizes. The pallets are connected and braced by a minimal number of 2×4, 2×6, and 2×8 wood members.

A 250 square foot Pallet House requires 100 recycled pallets nailed and lifted into place and takes about a week to assemble with 4-5 people using hand tools. With more basic non-power tools it would take a little longer to build, but is still doable.

Tarps draped over the basic structure or plastic corrugated sheets prevent water penetration until enough debris, stone, mud, earth, wood or any material from the immediate surroundings can be gathered to fill the wall cavities and cover the roof. By incorporating the additional materials the makeshift shelter can be transformed into a permanent home within a year or two.

No technical support is available beyond what is provided in the construction documents.

The original design was built to last 5 years, but the designers suggest that the shelter could be made more permanent with the addition of cladding and fill to the basic wood frame.

The prototype designs were assessed and had input from a structural engineer; however, since the design does not include a foundation and local conditions vary, I-Beam recommends that anyone building the design consult a local structural engineer. ^{Interview with designer}

Fire and security are both factors that the Pallet House does not address. Construction workers are subject to the general dangers of a construction site such as working from heights and with sharp tools.