2 Piece Wooden Chair Plans and DIY Instructions

Building a 2-piece wooden chair is a fantastic DIY project that can be completed with minimal tools and expertise. The total cost can be as low as $50, depending on the type of wood and hardware used.

The chair's frame is made up of two main pieces: the seat and the backrest. These pieces are designed to fit together seamlessly, creating a sturdy and comfortable seating solution.

To start, you'll need to cut the wood for the seat and backrest. The seat piece requires a rectangular cut, measuring 18 inches wide and 16 inches deep. The backrest piece, on the other hand, requires a slightly larger cut, measuring 20 inches wide and 18 inches deep.

With your wood cut to size, you can begin assembling the chair. The process is relatively straightforward, requiring only a few screws and some basic woodworking skills.

Broaden your view: What Piece of Furniture Are You?

For this project, you'll need some specific materials to get started. Titebond III glue is a good choice because it's waterproof, making it perfect for outdoor projects that might get rained on.

To prepare your materials, start by selecting a hardwood like oak or maple. Avoid softwoods like pine or cedar, as they won't hold up well to outdoor use.

When choosing your wood, look for a board that's 1" thick and 11" wide. This will give you enough material to work with and ensure your chair is sturdy.

To get the most out of your board, cut a section that's 48 1/2" long. This will give you some extra material to account for kerf loss during cutting.

Summer is a great time to enjoy the outdoors, and for me, that means spending time at our little river-washed beach spot with the kids. I'm tired of buying camp chairs that break after a year or two.

The problem is that these chairs often end up in landfills because they're not repairable, reusable, or biodegradable. My kids and I deserve better.

I've been making wood outdoor chairs in our yard, but what about a chair that's portable enough to travel? This was the challenge I set out to solve.

The goal was to create a chair that's comfortable, durable, portable, and easy to build. After many prototypes, I finally achieved the perfect balance.

I've worked with various types of wood, but the 1" thick solid ash wood used in the flat-pack wooden chairs is particularly durable.

The thickness of the wood is essential for creating a sturdy chair that can support a person's weight.

To ensure the wood is smooth and even, I've found that using a table saw and band saw is a must.

A router and sanders are also necessary for achieving a professional finish.

For this project, you'll need a suitable wood for your chair. Hardwoods like oak or maple are good choices.

The board I purchased was 1" thick and 11" wide, and was chosen because it was especially flat and straight, and wide enough to allow me to squeeze one full chair from a four-foot section of the board.

You'll want to select a board that's at least 1" thick to ensure stability and durability.

Breaking down the board is a crucial step in creating your flat-pack wooden chair. You'll need a 4-foot board that's 1" thick and 11" wide, preferably with a flat and straight edge.

The board I purchased was chosen because it was especially flat and straight, and wide enough to allow me to squeeze one full chair from a four-foot section of the board.

To start, cut a section from the full board that's 48 1/2" long, leaving a little extra to compensate for kerf loss. You can joint one edge or mark a straight line right along the edge and cut it freehand with a band saw or circular saw.

The 4-foot board was broken down at the table saw in the following order:

The 3" piece was then taken to the band saw and split in half, marked down the middle of one edge with a sharpie, and carefully cut freehand with a 1/2" 3 teeth-per-inch blade.

You'll need five 2x4" lumber - 27" lengths for each frame to build the side frames of the wooden chair. Mark correctly all the union points of the four lumber that will make the sides of our chair.

Be patient and double check your measurements, a wrong cut could ruin your final project or debalance your chair. Use a drill with a bit of 2 1/2 " screws to reinforce the union of the two parts and greatly support your chair.

The frames will be on the sides of our chairs, and it's essential to use a guide to establish a good space in between each piece of wood. This will ensure your chair looks aesthetically appealing.

For another approach, see: 2 Person Saunas

These chairs were QUICK to build, and so easy, I hope this becomes a youth project favorite.

To ensure the chairs nest together, it's essential to use some techniques to help you build them square. You can watch the quick build video to get a better understanding of the process.

The chairs can be made in 3 steps with just a few tools, including a hand saw or electric saw, a drill, and screws. You'll also need 2x4” lumber with different lengths and a measuring tape.

Be patient and double-check your measurements, a wrong cut could ruin your final project or debalance your chair. It's also crucial to use a drill with a bit of 2 1/2 " screws to reinforce the union of the two parts.

Using a guide to establish a good space in between each piece of wood will greatly support your chair and make it look aesthetically appealing.

For more insights, see: 2 Hours

Angles and Curves are a crucial part of building a chair. To achieve the desired shape, the angles at the leg bottoms need to be marked and cut with a band saw, as per the plan's measurements.

A quarter can be used to mark curves at all the pointy ends of the legs, as it's just for aesthetic purposes and any coin will do.

The pointy bits need to be cut off carefully, and the pieces should be sanded up to the marked lines to smooth out the edges.

Assembling the seat is a crucial part of building the chair.

The seat/leg section is assembled with glue and screws that are fastened into pilot holes.

It's essential to put the E cross piece in place before doing the seat slats.

The seat slats (F pieces) should be fastened beginning with the back slat flush with the back ends of the G shims.

I used a pair of quarters to act as spacing shims between each pair of slats, which helped maintain even spacing.

Clamps are a must-have tool when assembling the seat, as they allow for precise measurements and adjustments.

The seat slat overhang on either side was measured to be precisely 1 inch.

Be sure to wipe up any glue squeeze-out with a wet rag before it dries, to avoid any mess or damage.

Once the seat pads are completed, they are strapped onto the wooden seats.

The seat back requires careful drilling and screw installation, with specific locations for each screw.

Assembling the wooden chair can be a bit tricky, but with the right tools and a little patience, you'll be done in no time. Be extra careful with the back of the chair, as it's a crucial part of the frame.

You'll need to add the back of the chair to the frame, and mark out the points where your 2x4" lumber 27" length will be placed. This will help you align the back lumber evenly with the wood of the side frames.

Use Titebond III glue, which is waterproof and suitable for projects that will be exposed to rain. All joints should be glued and joined with treated deck screws fastened into tapered countersunk pilot holes.

The seat/leg section was assembled with glue and screws fastened into pilot holes. The pieces come together fairly logically if you've cut them as indicated in the plan.

Use a clamp to hold the B leg pieces at precisely 15 7/8" apart, and the seat slat overhang on either side was measured to be precisely 1 inch. Be sure to wipe up any glue squeeze-out with a wet rag before it dries.

You'll need to assemble the back portion with screws and glue in the same manner as the seat. The plugged holes as well as any bits of visible glue were sanded smooth at this point with 150 grit paper on an orbital sander.