At this point, there’s a lot of people that are accustomed to working from home. Before the pandemic, I did a few video calls, and I never paid any attention to how my background looked. The more video calls I did, the more I realized my background needed a facelift. I noticed I was moving around a lot in videos to cover up the lacking background. It can be hard to find the right place to set up your home office, especially when space is already limited, or you have to share an “office” with others. That’s why I decided to build this Portable Pallet Wall, and of course, added my own DIY Creators flair with some LED lighting.
I know a lot of you are in the same situation that I was in, so follow these steps, and you’ll have your own great photo and video backdrop, or room divider, in no time!
Materials (affiliate links)
- Lots of pallets (see below for how to get them)
- (7) 2 by 3 by 8ft Lumber
- (4) Sheets of 1/4 by 4ft by 8ft Plywood
- (1) 2 by 4 by 8ft lumber
- (4) 2in Casters
- (32) 1/4in by 1in lag bolts
- (4) 10in corner brace
- Wood glue
- Danish oil
- Masking tape
- Paint
- (1) LED Strip per panel (RGB Color)
- (1) LED Strip per panel (white)
Tools (affiliate links)
Home Depot Labor Day Saving
Many people have taken on home improvement projects and other things on their to-do list to pat the time. Over the past few months, I’ve done my fair shares of updates and even expanded my to-do list. Whenever you can save, it’s always a win-win, Labor Day is coming up, for a limited of time The Home Depot is throwing a Labor Day savings event. Many items on the list you can certainly take advantage of. Visit The Home Depot website to see whats avaiable.
Step 1: Prepare the Cuts

Start by cutting the 2×4 lumber to size. Here as the measurements I used.
2X3 lumber (Frame)
(2) Top and bottom 2in X 3in X 96in
(5) Studs 2in X 3in X 72in
(4) Backing 2in X 3in X 22-1/8in
2X4 lumber
(2) Feet (2in X 4in X 27in
Plywood- Walls
(2) Top half 27in X 96in
(2) Bottom 48in X 96in
Note: The panels are the cut-offs from plywood used on the wall. You can find the measurements of the LED Panels below.

Step 2: Build the Frame

Layout the 2 by 3 lumber. To build the frame, I used pocket hole screws. Each stud was spaced 22-1/8in apart.
However, you can go about building your own frame in a couple of ways; it all depends on the look and your skill level!
Step 3: Attach the Plywood To the Frame

Although I used a quarter-inch sheet of plywood here because of the weight and its inexpensive cost, you can use drywall or even thicker plywood if you prefer.
The frame is designed to be the full length of the sheet of plywood. It’s important to keep track of the height of your doorways while planning your own pallet wall.
Most of the doorways at my house are between 80 and 81 inches, so I kept the height of this wall at 72 inches; that way, moving it around would be as simple as possible.
With the frame laying down, apply wood glue to the frame facing up.
Then, lay the first sheet of plywood on it, lining up to the frame. Use a brad nailer to secure the plywood.
Step 4: Making the Feet

The feet are made from 2×4 lumber cut to 26.5in.
Line up the casters on the 2×4 lumber and set them back 1 inch from the end.
Drill a pilot hole and install the lag bolts.
Attach the feet to the wall using brackets and lag bolts.

Step 5: Got Pallets?

Adding pallets is optional, but I think it gives an excellent solution for a backdrop.
You can find pallets just about anywhere; I often see them on the side of a road. You can also check on craigslist or even local stores that have a receiving dock. Don’t be afraid to ask! Home Depot is one major location that sells pallets, which is a great alternative if you’re worried about potential chemicals that would be in pallets you find elsewhere.
Before attaching the pallets, paint the plywood black. On occasion, the pallets do not butt up against each other entirely. The black will cover the most imperfection.
Step 6: Attach Pallets To the Plywood

After disassembling the pallets, you need to cut them to size. This is where you can add a preferred look to them, sand it, stain it, or leave it as is.
You will need a nail gun for this section.
Starting from the bottom, create the first row. If you are working in a garage, you may have a pitched floor. If this is the case, level the wall first. The last thing you want is to have slanted pallets when you are done. This does not have to be perfect, just not noticeably off. Work your way from the bottom up.

Step 7: Paint the Backdrop
The other side of the wall will require some additional prep work before painting.
Fill the nail heads and the plywood joint with wood filler or Bondo so your paint will go on smoothly.
Sand it down, apply paint, and primer.

Step 8: Build An LED Accent Panel

The idea of this panel is to give off a cool effect when it’s in the background. It’s not meant to be attached; it will just sit in position, which makes it movable so you can get it in the perfect viewing angle of the camera. The LED panel is made from the cut-offs from the plywood on the wall. Keep in mind you can go wider, but it would require additional plywood.
Cut list for the panel:
- Part A – (2) 76in X 2.5in X 3/4in
- Part B – (2) 4in X 2.5in X 3/4in
- Part C – (2) 5in X 2.5in X 1.5in
- Part D – (1) 76-1/4in 20-3/4in X 1/4in
- Part E – (1) 6-11/16in X 20-3/4in X 1/4in
- Part F – (1) 20 3/4in X 5-3/4in X 1/4in
- Cut part (A) to size.
- You can join the parts (A), (B), and (C) with pocket hole screws and wood glue.
- Now you can line up the two assembled hooks to the plywood part (D), (E), and (F). Create a one-inch setback for the two hooks. This will allow the LED to be hidden while giving off a nice glow. Now, it can be glued and nailed the parts.
- Fill in the nail holes, prime them, and paint them.

Adding the LED strip to the panel.
Keeping it simple, you start from one side and place the LED strip on the 2 by 3 lumber.
Start from the bottom, go up, pass through the notched section, and back down. The controller can be attached and to the LED panel. This way, you can shift the panel from left to right.
All you need to do is install a plugin to control it.

Using the DIY mobile background
This backdrop has many uses; it’s not only for doing video calls. You can now have a fantastic video background that is perfect for taking photos, a stylish wall to use as a divider in your home or office, and anything else you can think of! Not only is it mobile, but it’s also easy to build.
Here is a close-up of the wall; as you can see, you can set it up anywhere and maintain the illusion of having a stylish wall!
So the next time you need to find a quiet space to work or even take some time for yourself, be confident that as long as you have this Pallet Wall, you will look professional and have the best vibes you can build anywhere you go.


For more pallet builds and other home improvement ideas, check out our other articles as well as our YouTube channel! And don’t forget to tag us @morediycreators on Instagram to show off your own builds using our designs; we would love to see your own twists on them and hear from you!