Make your own garden chair

This modular garden chair is easy to make using either reclaimed pallet wood or pine that can be sourced at your local Builders or timber merchant.

22/01/2018

 

 

 

 

 

If you need extra seating in the garden, this garden chair can be made using reclaimed pallet wood or pine that can be bought at your local Builders.The secret behind this easy garden chair from www.buildsomething.com is the Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig joinery. By using a pocket-hole jig, all the joints are hidden out of sight.

 

 

 

 

YOU WILL NEED:

2 of 19 x 140 x 400mm pine - Front Leg

4 of 19 x 140 x 370mm pine - Side Rail | Back Leg

2 of 19 x 140 x 590mm pine - Back Support

2 of 19 x 120 x 230mm pine - Cleat

11 of 19 x 140 x 600mm pine - Top Cap | Slats | Front Rail | Back Filler

Wood glue, exterior grade

Kreg 32 and 50mm coarse-thread pocket-hole screws

Woodoc 30, 35 or Woodoc 50, 55 exterior sealer and paintbrush

 

 

TOOLS:

Drill / Driver plus assorted bits

Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig

Kreg Clamp

Jigsaw, mitre saw or table saw

Orbital sander plus 120- and 240-grit sanding pads

Carpenter's square

Tape measure and pencil

Straightedge or steel rule

Buy everything you need for this project at Builders Warehouse.

 

 

HERE'S HOW:

 

 

Preparation

Sand all the individual pieces before assembly.

 

 

 

 

1. Cut the [2] Front Legs with angles as shown above.

 

 

2. Cut the [2] Side Rails and set your Kreg Jig for 19mm-thick material. Drill pocket-holes as shown below.

 

 

 

 

3. Place the Front Leg against the Side Rail to form a 90-degree angle, ensuring the Leg is oriented correctly. Join together using exterior wood glue and 50mm screws. Repeat for the other side Leg and Rail.

 

 

 

 

4. Cut the angle on the Back Legs as shown below.

 

 

GOOD TO KNOW

The Back Legs don’t get cut to final length yet and are trimmed later to ensure that they match angle of the Front Legs.

 

 

 

 

5. Place the uncut Leg (see above) against the Side Rail. Do not attach. Use a straightedge or steel rule and extend it over the Back Leg as shown below.

 

 

6. Mark the length with a pencil and use this mark to cut the Back Leg to length. Be sure to cut at the angle that matches the line you drew. Place the Leg back in position and secure to the Side Rail with wood glue and 50mm screws. Repeat for the other side.

 

 

 

 

7. Cut the angles on the two back supports and then drill pocket-holes as shown below.

 

 

 

 

8. Position the Back Support with the edge flush with the back edge of the Back Leg. Join with wood glue and 50mm screws. Repeat for the other side.

 

 

 

 

9. Cut [2] Cleats, as shown. Mark the pilot hole locations, and then drill each one using a 3mm drill bit.

 

 

 

 

10. Apply wood glue to the face of a Cleat and clamp in place as shown. Clamp the Cleat in place and secure it with glue and 32mm screws. Repeat for the other side.

 

 

 

 

11. Drill [3] pocket-holes at the ends of the Top Cap as above, and align the pocket-holes as shown below. Secure with wood glue and 32mm screws. 

 

 

 

 

12. In the First Slat drill pocket-holes as shown below. In the remaining [6] Slats, drill an extra pocket-hole at each end.

 

 

 

 

13. Position the First Slat 6mm in from the front edge of the Front Leg, making sure the top face is flush with the top edge of the Front Leg. Join with wood glue and 32mm screws.

 

 

 

 

14. Attach the remaining Slats with wood glue and 32mm, spacing them evenly.

 

 

 

 

15. Drill pocket-holes in the Front Rail as shown below. Secure to  the Front Leg and First Slat with wood glue and 32mm screws.

 

 

 

 

BELOW: Front Rail Detail

 

 

 

 

16. Drill [2] pocket-holes at the ends of the Back Fillers and secure in place with wood glue and 32mm screws. Place the chair assembly on its side to access the screws from inside the back (invisible from the outside).

 

 

GOOD TO KNOW

The upper Filler will need to be squeezed in place and offsetting the pocket-holes helps provide clearance.

 

 

 

 

17. Lay the chair side on a flat work surface with the Cleat facing up. Apply wood glue to the ends of each Slat and Rail and Flip the chair assembly over to position the second side. Position each part, starting with the Top Cap and working down to the Front Rail, and then glue and screw them to the second side assembly.

 

 

Finishing

Do final sanding, wipe clean and then apply a quality exterior finish such as Woodoc 30, 35 or Woodoc 50, 55.