How to build a garden chair

This step by step diy woodworking project is about how to build a garden chair. If you want to learn more about building a sturdy chair for your garden, we recommend you to pay attention to the instructions described in the article. There are so many chair plans and designs to choose from, so make sure you take a close look over the rest of the related woodworking projects that are featured on our website. This article features a basic chair made out of lumber, so every person with basic skills can get the job done with attention.

Before starting the actual construction project, we recommend you to plan everything, as to save money and to keep the costs under control. Adjust the size and the design of the patio chair to suit your needs. In addition, we recommend you to invest in high-quality materials, such as pine, redwood or cedar, as they have a nice finish and are highly durable, especially in a humid environment.

If you don’t have a rich expertise in woodworking field, you should ask a friend to give you a hand with the project. There are many things that you could go wrong, so make sure you plan everything and invest in quality materials. Select the lumber with attention, making sure the components are perfectly straight and in a very good condition. Use a carpentry square to check if the corners are right-angled. See all my Premium Plans in the Shop.

Made from this plan

Building a garden chair

Materials

A – 2 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 30″ long, 2 pieces of 2×2 lumber – 18″ long LEGS
B – 3 pieces of 1×3 lumber – 18″ long, 1 piece – 19 1/2″ long APRONS
C – 2 pieces of 2×2 lumber – 21″ long SUPPORTS
D – 6 pieces of 1×3 lumber – 19 1/2″ long, 6 pieces – 16″ long SLATS

1 piece of 2×4 lumber – 6 ft
1 piece of 2×2 lumber – 8 ft
3 pieces of 1×3 lumber – 8 ft
1 1/4″ screws
glue, stain
wood filler

Tools

Safety gloves, glasses
Miter saw, jigsaw
Chalk line, tape measure, spirit level, carpentry pencil
Drill machinery and drill bits

Tips

Apply several coats of wood stain to the wooden components
Fill the holes with wood filler and smooth the surface

Time

One Day

Outdoor Chair Plans

Building a garden chair

Building the back legs

The first step of the woodworking project is to build the back legs for the garden chair. As you can easily notice in the diagram, you need to mark the cut lines on the slats and to get the job done with a circular saw. Smooth the edges with fine-grit sandpaper and repeat the process for the other back leg.

Building the sides of the chair

Continue the project by assembling the sides for the garden chair. As you can notice in the free plans, we recommend you to build the front legs out of 2×2 lumber and the aprons out of 1×3 lumber. Drill pocket holes at one end of the aprons and secure them to the front leg. Secure the other side of the apron to the back leg using galvanized screws and waterproof glue. Make sure the corners are square and leave no gaps between the components.

Building the frame of the chair

Next, assemble the garden chair, as described in the diagram. Fit the front and the back aprons to the sides of the chair. Cut the aprons at the right size and secure them to the legs by using 1 1/4: screws, after drilling pocket holes. Add glue to the joints and remove the excess using a damp cloth.

Fitting the back support

Continue the project by fitting the backrest supports. Build the supports out of 2×2 lumber and drill pocket holes at both ends. Fit the supports between the back legs and secure them into place using 2 1/2″ screws. Add glue to the joints and remove the excess with a damp cloth.

Attaching the seat slats

Fit the 1×4 slats to the seat, as in the diagram. Fit the slats on the frame and leave no gaps between them. Add glue to enhance the bond of the components and secure the slats to the frame using 1 1/4″ screws. Pre-drill the components before inserting the screws, to prevent the wood from splitting.

Attaching the backrest

One of the last steps of the project is to attach the backrest to the garden chair. Build the components out of 1×4 lumber and smooth the edges with fine-grit sandpaper. Drill pilot holes through the slats and secure them to the supports by using 1 1/4″ screws. Add glue to the joints and clamp the components together.

How to build a garden chair

Last but not least, you need to take care of the final touches. Therefore, you need fill all the holes with a good filler and let the compound to dry out properly, before sanding the wooden surface with 120-grit sandpaper.

Thank you for reading our article about how to build a garden chair and we recommend you to check out the rest of our home improvement projects. Don’t forget to LIKE and SHARE this projects to your friends, using the social media widgets, if you’ve found it useful.

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