How to Build an Outdoor Chair EASY | With Building Plans

Hey friends, remember that outdoor sofa I shared? Let's build the matching outdoor chairs!
This build will probably look pretty familiar--at least for the first part. Since these chairs and the sofa are a matching set, they're built very similarly. But these chairs are an even quicker and easier build ;)
I hope you enjoy watching them come together and if you want the plans to build your own, grab them below.
Grab the printable building plans here: woodshop-diaries.myshopify.co...
Check out additional project details here: www.woodshopdiaries.com/diy-c...
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Helpful resources for this project:
How to use a pocket hole jig: www.woodshopdiaries.com/how-t...
How to shop for and buy lumber: www.woodshopdiaries.com/how-t...
Tools & Materials:
*Affiliate links below
Tools:
Miter Saw: homedepot.sjv.io/b3DkDx
Drill/Driver: homedepot.sjv.io/Aoo6Ya
Standard Pocket Hole Jig: amzn.to/32eoPBY
Kreg XL Pocket Hole Jig: amzn.to/3MR78fq
Sander
Materials:
(2) 4x4x8 posts
(1) 1x2x8 board
(3) 2x4x8 boards
4″ XL exterior pocket hole screws: amzn.to/43PH9vR
2 ½” exterior wood screws
2 ½” exterior pocket hole screws: amzn.to/3N2hsSd
4 ½” long timber screws or lag screws: amzn.to/3WY63qR
Wood Glue (exterior rated)
(1) 24″ x 24″ seat & back cushion set (optional): amzn.to/3MWRoI8
Exterior Wood Finish: amzn.to/3CkvGbX
Levelers: amzn.to/46tdjzr
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:04 Building Outdoor Chair Side Frames
03:12 Attaching Back Frame Posts
03:47 Installing Back Slat Supports
05:19 Applying Outdoor Sealer
05:45 Installing Seat Slats and Supports
07:06 Installing Back Slats
08:26 Installing Levelers
10:36 FINAL REVEAL Outdoor Chairs

[@user-bn6hd8kb4q]

Woooow!! They look sooo good ! Congrats 🎉

[@MrMisterr]

These chairs look fantastic. I was looking for a simple and nice looking chair and these appeal to me so much more than the other ones on youtube. I really love the thickness of them, all the other ones look like skeletons when compared.

[@jimrosson6702]

They turned out great

[@PhillipTopical]

This is such a fantastic project! The end results are beautiful and it doesn't seem too intimidating to tackle. This video is super clear, to the point, not full of high end tools you likely don't have or don't have access too. Love it! Super easy to follow along to. You could stain these chairs so many different colors. Make yourself some custom patio furniture that is both stylish and will last you beyond your life time.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thank you so much! My goal is always to keep things as simple and approachable as possible 🙌 I’m glad you find it helpful and I appreciate you watching! Have a great weekend!

[@yazr1712]

Fantastic as always! May have to build these!

[@fiercegirldesign1]

Nice work, as always!

[@PeterKNoone]

Awesome chairs!

[@cindykiefnerthecoppertorch7789]

Lucky Mom and Dad! The chairs are beautiful and look very sturdy ❤

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thank you! They’re super comfy. Now I want to build a set of my own 😅

[@bernardobarrientos1956]

Simplemente hermoso 👍👍

[@sillydaisy11017]

Ahh they look so cute!! Seriously love the arms - this whole seating set is just so aesthetically pleasing! 😻Thanks so much for the videos + the plans!!! Will be starting with the sofa first, good call on sealing all the pieces separately first!

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thank you so much! I’m so happy with how they turned out and I’m glad you enjoyed the videos! Happy building! 🙌 and have a great weekend!

[@Joshua.zero29]

Simply amazing! 10/10, as usual. 👍

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thank you so much! I hope you have a great weekend!

[@hospitaladministrator3359]

You are a genius. This is really great work!

[@Lutzboater]

Those chairs certainly finish a beautiful set for your patio. This has been an enjoyable build to watch. Enjoy your new patio set.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thank you so much! I am so happy with how they turned out! I hope you have a great weekend and thanks for watching!

[@LondonCalling43]

Just found your videos. You are extremely talented. I like how you explain what you are doing and why. Looking forward to watching more of your videos.

[@johnkelley9877]

They look great! This has been a great series and it is Bubby approved too. I like the finish and the design is neat. Thanks for sharing this.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed the videos on this matching set 🙌 I appreciate you watching and hope you have a great weekend!

[@lesusan3338]

Love the build.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thank you! I’m so happy with how they turned out!

[@jimgreenhouse214]

Fantastic. Happy 4th of July

[@lovejones7545]

"Perfect or not perfect and that's the point" Awesome!! Great video Shara, and the chairs are sharp just like the sofa. You have skills my friend. Thank you and enjoy the rest of your weekend.🤙🏾💯

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thanks so much for watching and following along! I’m glad you enjoyed it and appreciate your kind words. I hope you have a great rest of your weekend as well 🙌

[@chetnash5991]

A great addition! Now I have to get the large Kreg jig!

[@WoodshopDiaries]

I actually didn’t realize how handy it was to have until I used it on the matching sofa. Thanks so much for watching and I hope you have a great weekend!

[@stuglover1526]

Very cool design. Love it 👌🏻

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thanks so much. I appreciate you watching!

[@pteddie6965]

The sofa and chairs are outstanding and you and the cat looked great in the pictures at the end. Thanks for sharing this build with us.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thank you so much! I love that bubby always wants to get involved in the photo shoots. He makes things more fun 😎🤣 have a great weekend!

[@harkiratsinghbhullar]

👍🏼 beautiful chair and easy way of create this

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thank you! So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@nobuckle40]

More seating means more family and friends. More family and friends means more wonderful memories. 😁

[@WoodshopDiaries]

So true!! I hope you have a great weekend and thanks so much for watching!

[@MCsCreations]

Really beautiful work, Shara! Stunning looking chairs!!! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Hi! Thank you so much! I appreciate you watching and hope you have a wonderful weekend!

[@DMAG-3200]

Good morning Shara, thanks for the video. Perfect match and bubby approved! Love it😅. Mom and dad must be proud of thier baby girl (lol just teasing). Awesome job. Have a wonderful day. Be safe this 4th weekend.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Bubby almost always approves of anything he can sit on 🤣 he always makes me laugh. I’m happy to be able to give something back to my parents after they had to put up with me all these years haha. I hope you have a wonderful July 4th weekend as well!

[@stevedockery3534]

Great job on the build and video. It's always pleasant watching your videos. You make everything look simple. Have a great day Shara.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoy the videos 😊 I hope you have a great weekend 🙌

[@SawdustmakerLori]

Love how the chairs turned out and know your parents will as well. They will look great with the matching sofa! Looks like Bubby approves of how they turned out too. Have a happy 4th of July!!!

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thank you friend! Bubby definitely approves haha. I’m going to have to build him his own chair now! I hope you have a happy fourth as well! Happy building!

[@brunnie]

Super job, Bubby approved. (grin) Thanks for another fun project.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Bubby approves of just about everything he can sit in haha. If I sit, he’s in my lap within a minute 🤣 I’m glad you enjoyed watching. I hope you have a wonderful weekend! 🙌

[@jeanloreaud9282]

Sympa ces fauteuils,et la conception est bien pensée,joli travail bravo à bientôt salut Jeannot ⚒😉

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thank you so much! I appreciate you watching and hope you have a great weekend!

[@marcosvieirafernandes6051]

Muito lindo amei

[@WillysPerformanceCycleCtr]

This is a very nice project Shara! The matching chairs and sofa are beautiful! I like the levelers you added, they will work great. Plus, it’s Bubby Approved!! Lol…. Lucy is the silent judge in the background. Have a great weekend! Keep on building!

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thank you so much! Bubby definitely approved. I got him and Lucy on a brainstorming team to design some new chairs for me (and mostly them) to enjoy on our porch since these were going to my parents house. I think they’ve got some good ideas brewing 😉🤣 hopefully I’ll share those soon. Have a great weekend as well and thanks so much for watching!

[@leonardohard9604]

y como siempre....construyendo feliz.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@brewster3987]

These surely are a nice complement to the sofa build. The small construction adjustments to accommodate the different sizing worked out very well too. Bubby clearly believes that you made those for him, so he will be flooffed when they go to your parents' back yard. I think you could get some more mileage out of this concept - how about some sort of matching table(s)? P.S. loving the new opening style and the playful little sawdust blows and grins - it's nice to see some more of your personality coming through!

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Bubby and Lucy have been tasked to design a new set of chairs and loveseat for our porch that they can enjoy. We will see what they come up with 😉🤣 also, a matching coffee table and side table are on my to do list (just got to get to a few other things first 😅) stay tuned! So glad you enjoy the new opening…I’ve been trying to play around with some new ideas for the videos. Every video I try something a little different to see what works (and what people actually notice haha). I’m not a great video person, but I’m trying to get better 🙈 I appreciate you following along!

[@trevsalmon]

@@WoodshopDiaries I second a matching coffee table! I would love to see those designs.

[@irawardmusic]

That was an excellent build!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Don't forget to give a shot of the whole set at your parents house :). Keep up the good work!💯

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed it! I appreciate you watching and hope you have a great weekend!

[@irawardmusic]

@@WoodshopDiaries You are so welcome! It's a pleasure watching! You too!😇🙏💪

[@djdren]

nice...

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thanks so much!

[@fountainabani6326]

Thanks for sharing this wonderful video. I live in the Middle East and it is hard to get cedars for outdoor furniture. Can you share alternative equivalent wood I could use? Also, what seal did you use on the wood?

[@nicholem4831]

Curious about lumber prices in different areas. I’m in Washington State, about an hour south of Seattle and a single cedar 4”x4”x8’ post is $50-$55 at your Lowes/Home Depot type of store, which are essentially the only non contractor/wholesale options for sourcing lumber. A cedar 2x4x8 ranges from $18-$25 depending on how rough it is and how green. I found a notebook of mine recently with the project sketch, cut list, and supply/shopping list for something I made in mid 2019- so about 4 years ago. It was for a family member, so I was gifting my labor and he was paying for any materials (mostly lumber) that I didnt already have. Because of this, I had taken detailed notes regarding the pricing of my lumber materials and it honestly makes me want to cry and/have a small tantrum. Prices have gone up 100%+ on the lumber, and nearly 50% on some of the specialty fasteners and lag bolts I used. Incredibly frustrating.

[@andrewskitoyukak48]

😍😍😍

[@craiggoodwin9704]

Shara, if Bubby approves the chairs then what can the rest of us say? I think they came out great! The weather here is great so I'm looking forward to flinging the garage doors open and letting some sawdust fly myself. Hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for Sharing! 🙃🙂

[@WoodshopDiaries]

That’s true! Bubs is a tough client 🤣 but he usually approves of anything he can sit on haha. I’m glad you’re having some nice weather. Enjoy it before it gets too hot! Nice weather always makes building more enjoyable. Enjoy flinging sawdust 🙌 happy building and have a great weekend!

[@twanhengst]

Hi nice chair, i bought a night stand. Do you also have your plans in Centimeters in stead of inches?

[@trevsalmon]

Hi Shara, great builds on these chairs and sofa! I've ordered some materials and will be attempting these shortly. Question regarding the back slat supports, could you have added pocket holes on the back slats as well and screwed them directly into the back posts? The supports look nice, I was just wondering if they were structurally important or more just for the aesthetic. Thanks!

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Hi! Pocket holes would work just fine! I actually did that the first time on the sofa, but didn’t like seeing the pocket holes, so I removed them and used these supports instead so there were no visible pocket holes.

[@scottmorris4914]

I like the chairs, makes a perfect set with the couch. it doesn’t sit flat, with use it will eventually shift at the joints a bit to where it will sit flat.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thank you! I want to build a set of my own now haha! Maybe one of these days I’ll get around to it. Thanks so much for watching!

[@espnmk]

Very nice! The chairs look amazing, what finish did you use? it just gave it a very beautiful color pop. keep up the great work thanks for sharing...

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Hi! Thank you! I linked it in the materials list in the description 😊

[@davemckinney6471]

Looks great! I only have the Kreg XL jig, can I still use it for the 2x4 parts?? I'll use the appropriate 2x4 length screw.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Yes the XL jig works with both 2x4 and 4x4 and you’ll want to use the XL screws with both 👍

[@mariamartinez9877]

🥰

[@michaelleo5620]

Great video. I want to build my own. 1 question, though. Would it be better if the arms were longer and sat on top of the legs? Love to hear your thoughts.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thanks so much for watching. Putting the arms on top would work just as well 👍

[@michaelleo5620]

@WoodshopDiaries Wow, that was a fast response. Lol. Yesterday I saw your nesting Christmas tree. Might be doing that one as well. Thank you for all of your videos.

[@13sl0th13]

These look great, only thing id question is you did all the work to drill pocket holes to hide screws and then screwed the slats in from the front, why not screw them in from the back, then you wouldn't have to worry about missing the small piece. I get they'll be covered by cushions but just curious.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Hi! Because the screws are barely noticeable (they’re the same color as the wood) and I’d rather them be hidden by the cushions than seen from the back side.

[@BadAppleWoodwerx]

Bubby rules, just saying. 🐈😎

[@paulbenipal6299]

Hey, could you let me know how much the sofa, chair and cushions cost you? I am debating either should I build one or buy one from the store.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Sure! It’s detailed here: www.woodshopdiaries.com/diy-chunky-outdoor-chair/

[@jessek-9scentdetectiontrai10]

👍🏼❤

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@jessek-9scentdetectiontrai10]

@@WoodshopDiaries Your welcome

[@senjos4805]

Not that they look so amazing, they are so easy to make. no fancy joinery like other do.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Thank you! I always love to keep things simple 🙌😊

[@nicholem4831]

I have a question! While you were assembling the chair back, you spoke about the 1x2’s you ripped down and attached to the inside of the vertical seat back. You then mounted the horizontal back slats to the 1x2’s from the front where the screws will be visible if no cushion is used. I’m not saying this was a bad choice or a wrong choice, but I wouldn’t have thought to do it that way. I’m simply curious why you chose to do this as opposed to say- attaching the horizontal 2x4 slats directly to the 4x4’s using pocket holes in the rear of the chair. If the 1x2 was still desired for aesthetic purposes, it could be added after the horizontal slats. I haven’t seen the sofa build video so it sounds as though the technique was similar there, except using 2x2 instead of 1x2. I understand choices made for continuity’s sake between pieces in a set, but I’m still unclear of the benefit(?) of this specific application overall. Thank you in advance!

[@WoodshopDiaries]

In the sofa build, I used pocket holes and screws on the back slats, first, to attach directly to the 4x4 posts. I didn’t like how it looked. I thought they’d be covered by the cushions, but you could still see the pocket holes peeking out from behind them. So I took the sofa apart and rebuilt it with the 2x2 braces in the back. The small screw heads to attach them this way are much less noticeable than the large pocket holes. Structurally either way works fine, but I didn’t want to see the pocket holes so I did this instead. Also, yes the pocket holes could be placed on the back side, but these were going to be used on an open patio, not against anything, so the pocket holes would have been visible whether they were in the front or back.

[@timmoriarty133]

Where do you source your wood? My Home Depot does not have wood like this.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

I ordered this cedar from my local building supplier.

[@crippledcrippled]

Where do you get your cushions?

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Hi! They’re linked in the video description 😊

[@robertevans6481]

🐱 approved....he has claimed them,i guess you are going to build another set for your parents....😻😽😻

[@romanmalkov8076]

Will there be a coffee table?

[@brianh1345]

Exactly what I was thinking!

[@mattpalermo1482]

2 timber screws per side strong enough to support back?

[@WoodshopDiaries]

They have been for the sofa, chair, and matching loveseat. We use them daily.

[@mattpalermo1482]

@@WoodshopDiaries awesome. Thanks so much!

[@btrswt35]

What kind of sander was that? I checked description and it wasn't listed

[@WoodshopDiaries]

It’s a surfprep sander

[@mattpalermo1482]

Are these true 4x4 or (3.5x3.5)?

[@WoodshopDiaries]

They’re nominal 4x4s. So 3 1/2” square

[@michaelpopoko4649]

How come we can’t just drill the back slats directly into the side post using pocket holes as opposed to the 1x2’s?

[@WoodshopDiaries]

You can. I didn’t want to see the pocket holes so I didn’t want to do it that way.

[@tisdale36]

How long did it take before the cat started clawing it?

[@WoodshopDiaries]

He and the dog lay in it all the time. Has never clawed it.

[@jackmartin5635]

Why did she add the slats via a 1x2 strap vs pocket hole screws into the side beams for the back rest.

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Because I didn’t want to see the pocket holes. Even with the pillow they are noticeable. But if you didn’t mind seeing them, you can do that instead.

[@jillianwindebank6645]

makes sense!

[@timothycreasy2161]

If it wasn't for your parents, who would you build all this furniture for ?!! Lol The hole you had to drill for the shaft of the t nut to go in, did you put any kind of sealer in there to protect from water ? Just asking

[@timothycreasy2161]

Great job as always

[@WoodshopDiaries]

Haha I do enjoy building them things and I’m glad it’s a good outlet for my projects 🤣 I didn’t seal the hole for the foot levelers. It’s unlikely that any water would get up into the hole and if somehow water flowed vertically up into it, it would just drain right back out.

[@nancyherrmann2491]

I wish in high school I'll date myself I would have taken shop instead of home economics lol

[@WoodshopDiaries]

I wish they even offered a shop class when I was in high school haha. They had done away with them where I was 😩

[@nancyherrmann2491]

@@WoodshopDiaries you are extremely talented female when it comes to woodworking projects. I'm lucky if I can create a hole and put in a screw or a nail haha. I've been procrastinating for the longest time like 2 years to make an Oreo bird feeder. I know what I have to do but I don't know it's procrastination and? ❣️

[@lapingadeldifunto2798]

@@WoodshopDiaries am impressed by the strength you have, how to lift those chairs that look heavy as if nothing had happe

[@monstrousgaara]

is this beginner friendly? I have the tools but not sure if I can do it

[@bearsstuff]

*cough* ottoman *cough*

[@WoodshopDiaries]

It’s on my (eventual) to do list! 🙌

[@polgartibor1958]

Amazing Woman & Amazing Work !!!