Concrete slabs cost about $2 each, and any advice that says you have to dig down further is wrong if you are in a zone 8 climate. When you move you can put them on craigslist and maybe recoup at least part of your money. But it might also turn out nice enough to leave for a future tenant. What you are thinking with the pallets sounds like a confounded mess, to be honest, and doesn't sound like any avoidance of digging. Levelling beams in trenches is a nightmare (trust me, I've done it), especially if you're digging among tree roots. Adding plastic, or rock, will just escalate the cost, escalate the mess, and quadruple the work. And if you have to remove it before moving, you will have a disposal problem. If you must work with pallets (and I have done so, a lot), your best design option is a floating deck. The thread with pictures of one has fallen off the bottom of the forum, but basically it is a flat wood deck - 2x4 boards across 2x4s or 4x4s - levelled on concrete slabs. You can make one big deck, or use the idea of making several tiles. You are right to think about just taking the pallets apart and using them as lumber, for several reasons but also that their size may not be right for you. I doubt that the 1x4 boards from the pallets will not be strong enough to hold the point force of a chair or table leg. You'd maybe have to collect 2x4s or double up the surface. KarinL

I was going to say turquoise LOL but I agree with browny - since your siding is a muted gray-green, and it looks like you have black shutters and door, then maybe mix black and the brick (*your* brick not generic) red. I don't know that people usually put cushions on Ad. chairs, so how about painting the footrests (yes, turn them around) and table one color and the chairs the other? I'd like the chairs black and the smaller pieces brick. If that bothers you then paint the chairs and the footrests the same color and just paint the table the other color - your choice, brick chairs with black table b/t the black shutters would look nice too.

I am not sure of the brand that we purchased for $500 38 years ago. I have had the furniture restrapped and painted several times at a fraction of the cost to buy new furniture. We bought it in Florida where it spent 3 years in a screened in porch and then moved to Indiana where it over winters in our shed. So I am convinced you get what you pay for. If you want quality furniture that will last....take proper care of it and spend the money to get the best quality you can afford. Strapped furniture can always be restrapped. Canvas, woven and the like will eventually fail and can those be repaired??? I am not sure about wicker. Cushions can always be replaced. Our furniture does not need cushions. I think Craig's list might be a good place to start.

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