How to Build Outdoor Chairs

Building outdoor furniture is actually really easy and affordable; you don't need to use the very best of materials and if you have any concept of what the piece looks like it's simple. Outdoor furniture doesn't have to be extremely beautiful as long as it's somewhat comfortable and doesn't splinter people when the use it. These chairs are very simple and affordable to make. First, here is the material list you will need for this project: 17 linear feet of 2x4 pine and 30 linear feet of 1x4 pine, approximately 100 2-1/2" wood screws, 4 3-1/2" carriage bolts, 4 3-1/2" lag screws, and you will also need some bar clamps and a wood drill bit to pre-drill some holes.

First cut one seat front from 1x4 pine at a length of 20 inches, also cut two seat sides from 2x4 pine at a length of 19 inches each. Lay the two seat sides on edge parallel to one another and 17 inches apart, with the two sides down put the seat front over the ends of the sides. You are basically making a box that is missing a side. Once you have everything in place and you know it fits correctly put glue on the surfaces that are going to be connected then screw from the seat front into the seat sides. I would recommend pre drilling the holes before you put in the screws or you could split it out. Get a wood drill bit that is just slightly smaller than the screws you are using and that should work perfectly. Next you need to cut five seat slats (this is what you would actually sit on) from 1x4 pine that are each 20 inches long. Place the attached seat front and sides down on a flat surface and position the five slats down on the assembly, do not start screwing these in right away. The fist slat needs to be positioned so it sits back ½" from the seat front. Place the first slat in place and pre-drill four holes, two on each end so the screws go into the seat sides. Pre-drilling in this step is important because you will split the 1x material pretty easily.

Making the back of the chair is very similar to making the seat. Cut two back supports from 2x4 pine that are 14-1/2 inches long and cut five back slats (back rest) from 1x4 pine that are 20 inches long. Put the two back supports on a flat surface and parallel from each other, put them 13 inches apart from each other. The back supports will be lying flat, not on their sides. Place the first back slat over the two back supports and make sure it has a 1" overhang off the back supports. Put glue on the parts that connect and begin screwing in the screws. Make sure you pre-drill and you should end up with two screws on each end of the back slats making a total of four screws in each slat.

Now for the sides, cut two arms from 1x4 pine that are both 21 inches long. Once you have the arms cut take one and do the following: lay it flat on a flat surface and measure up from the bottom 1-1/2 inches and measure from the bottom edge inward 1-1/2 inches. Draw a diagonal line between each point and cut them off. This will create a bevel look shown (roughly) below. Once you do one arm don't bother with the measurement on the second, just use the first one as a template so they match exactly.

Cut four arm supports from 2x4 pine that are each 24 inches long. Put two arm supports face down on a flat surface parallel to each other and 12 inches apart. Put one of your arms with the bevel side up in the air and place it over the ends of the two arm supports, the two arm supports should be set inward 1 inch from the outside. Put glue on the parts that are being attached and then screw them together with two screws going through the arm and into the arm support. Don't forget to pre-drill the holes first. Obviously repeat the step to create the other arm.

Assembly is the hardest part, not because it is mentally tough, rather it is hard to do with only one person, I would recommend getting someone to help with this step. First draw a line 18 inches up from the arm supports to create an attachment line. Also you want to make a mark on the seat sides 2 inches in from the seat front. The easiest way is to have someone hold the seat while place the arm supports at the proper position, with a clamp tighten the arm supports to the seat and you will then be ready to bolt them together. Drill a hole slightly larger then the size of the 3-1/2 inch carriage bolts through the center of each of the arm supports and into the seat sides. Insert the carriage bolt through each of the holes and tighten them.

Adding the back is next step, insert the back assembly between the two sides. Obviously the back slats should face the front of the chair and also make sure that the end of the back slats that overlap the supports is up, in other words the back slats should be 1 inch over the supports at the top of the back. Tilt the back at a slight angle making it somewhat reclined. When the back is where you want to attach it with the bar clamps and screw the arm supports into the back supports with your wood screws. With your four lag screws attach them from the arm supports into the back supports.

Once you have your chair completed you will want to fill the cracks and holes with a wood putty or plugs. You want to sand you chair thoroughly and seal it with either a natural stain or a color stain. You can also paint it. This is a pretty easy project and you don't have to deal with a bunch of different materials. Good luck.