Easy DIY Outdoor Patio Chairs
Seeking to craft durable, user-friendly patio furniture? This step-by-step guide outlines the construction process for our customized patio furniture, based on modified plans from Ana-White.com, tailored to our comfort and preferences.
Designing our forever home included envisioning a relaxing patio with scenic views of pastures, cows, and our children playing. However, upon scouting for a suitable patio set, the exorbitant prices astounded me. Yet, after showing my husband the desired set, his response was a confident ‘I can do that.’ So, we scoured and found this exceptional set.
Crafted from 2x4s and 2x6s, this furniture is beginner-friendly—ideal for those with limited woodworking expertise like us. Starting from scratch meant acquiring various woodworking tools as novices in this craft.
I’ll detail the steps and modifications we made for our patio chairs below, and we’d love to hear your feedback!
Patio Chair:
Following the initial plans, we found the back too short, resulting in uncomfortable seating and pillows slipping off. To enhance comfort, we raised the back. (Image of the initial chair included.)
Let’s delve into the directions:
Preparation: Cut all the pieces listed in the cut list. Refer to the shopping list and cut list provided for the chair.
Step 1: Arm Rails (do this step twice)
Attach four 2x6s (28 1/2”) to the 30” 2×4 legs. Apply a thin line of glue before screwing the pieces together, using 1-inch spacer blocks for accuracy.
Step 2: Top of Arm Rails (do this step twice)
Glue and screw the top rails (2 x 4 x 31 1/2”) on each Arm Rail.
Step 3: Adding the Back and Front
Add four 2 x 6s to the chair’s back and one 2 x 6 along with one 2×4 to the front.
Step 4: Back Rail
Affix a 2 x 4 x 25” piece to the back.
Step 5: Inner Seat Rails (do this step twice)
Attach 2 x 2 x 25 1/2” pieces to the Arm Rail sides to hold the seat slats.
Step 6: Seat Slats
Place the 2 x 4 x 25 seat slats on top of side rails. Number of slat you use is a personal choice. We ended up going from front to back with no gap. We liked this option just in case someone decided to sit down while the cushions were not on the chair it would still be a comfortable seat.
Next, I sanded down all the sides and made sure it was smooth to the touch. Then, I spray painted (I hate brush painting) our chair white. I used Rust-Oleum Satin White. After the white dried I spray a coat of Clear Gloss over it, to add protection.
We found our cushions at Big Lots. They were the perfect size for our chair.
Below are some pictures of our finished products and the Shopping List and Cut List.
Shopping List:
- 3″ deck screws (100 per chair)
- 4- 2×6 @ 10 feet long
- 4- 2×4 @ 10 feet long
- 1- 2×2 @ 6 feet long
- Finishing paint
- Paint
- Exterior Glue
- 25″ x 25″ seat cushion (if smaller cushion, adjust plans to fit)
Cut List:
- 2 – 2×2 @ 25-1/2″ – Inside Cleat
- 8 – 2×6 @ 28-1/2″ – Side Slats
- 5 – 2×6 @ 25″ – Front and Back Slats
- 2 – 2×4 @ 25″ – Front Top Slat and Back Top
- 5 – 2×4 @ 25″ – Seat Slats (can get away with just 4)
- 2 – 2×4 @ 31-1/2″ – Arm Rests
- 4 – 2×4 @ 30″ – Legs
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