Beach Chair

To me, the beach chair we’re featuring today, says ‘vacation’, ‘relaxation’, ‘joy’, and ‘fresh air’ besides shouting ‘BEACHHHH!!!’
  And so, NOW is the time, to be brave and go to the lumberman (or your own shed), pick up some wood and make one!

OK, girls n guys, let’s get handy with tools… We are in urgent need of beach chairs and deck chairs, so I’m featuring a rather easy beach chair DIY tutorial today, and next week Friday, a tutorial how to make an Adirondack chair (*) or love seat, all out of wood.

Mental Preparation

I would classify both these chairs more intermediate level DIY PROJECTS, however, sometimes it’s merely a matter of just beginning…

Just started considering that

you personally

would be able to make a chair.

What a thought is that!

Today’s Beach Chair Howto

Calling this a ‘how to’, I mean not to merely re-line a beach chair with a piece of new fabric and put then to it on the deck. No. I mean making our own comfy beach chairs from start to finish, including the wooden beams!  

Now I’m lucky enough to have and today, to share with you, the complete step-by-step chair making instruction on how to make both an adult and child version of this chair.

Consider Using Reclaimed Wood

The instructions talk about new wood , however, I really encourage/challenge you to use recycled materials for this project, for as far as possible. I have personally recycled nails, but I have to say that I won’t do it again ~ too challenging, and perhaps not as advantageous as recycling the major parts of the chair.

Chair Materials Needed

• Cutting and Assembly diagrams (Canadian Living)
• Four (three) 8-foot lengths of 2- x 1-inch clear hardwood, such as birch or maple
• Four slip washers
• Four 3/8-inch lock washers
• Four 5/16-inch carriage bolts, 1-1/2-inches long, with four corresponding nuts
• Ten 1-1/2-inch wood screws
• Saw
• Hammer
• Chisel
• Plane
• Drill with assorted bits
• Screwdriver
• Pliers
• Set square
• Tape measure
• Sandpaper in various grades
• Varnish or wax
• Piece of sturdy fabric such as canvas, duck or denim OR drapery chintz fused to both sides of sturdy fabric with Stitch Witchery or similar bonding web, 52- x 18-inches (40-3/4- x 12-1/2-inches)
• Matching thread

Adult and Child Beach Chair

Instructions, measurements & material needs are given for both adult + child deck chairs, like so:  adult chair (child’s chair) . If there’s only one measurement, it applies to both.

BEACH CHAIR MAKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fabric seat: Press under 1/4-inch, then 1/4-inch again, along long edges of fabric. Edge-stitch along both folds. Press under 1/2-inch, then 2-3/4-inches, along short edges to form sleeves for wood. Edge-stitch along first fold then 1/4-inch from this. Machine-zigzag ends of stitching lines to reinforce.

2. Mark and cut wood as follows:

• A – 2 pieces 22-inches (16-1/2-inches) long
• B – 2 pieces 48-inches (36-inches) long
• C – 2 pieces 18-inches (13-1/2-inches) long
• D – 1 piece 23-1/2-inches (18-inches) long
• E – 2 pieces 33-inches (24-3/4-inches) long
• F – 2 pieces 20-1/2-inches (15-inches) long

TIP: With pencil, label each piece.

3. Cut notches, 3/8-inch deep, in A, D and F, as shown in Cutting Diagram (cut sides of notch with saw, then chisel out flat bottom). Cut check-mark shaped grooves, 3/4-inch deep, in E pieces, as shown in Cutting Diagram. With plane, round off one long, unnotched (top) edge on one A piece and one F piece. Sand all pieces smooth. Wax or varnish as desired.

 

4. With a 3/8-inch bit, drill holes for bolts, right through and at right angles to broad sides of B, C and E, in positions shown in Assembly Diagram. With a larger bit, countersink appropriate side of each hole to accommodate bolt heads and nuts.

 

5. Slip rounded A piece through sleeve at top of fabric seat, having round edge facing up at top. Slip rounded F piece through sleeve at bottom of fabric seat, having round edge facing up at bottom.

 

6. On a flat surface, assemble pieces E and F into a rectangle, fitting notches in place as shown in Assembly Diagram. Drill holes (to fit screws), 1-1/2-inches deep through top ends of F pieces centered over notches. With a larger bit, countersink holes to accommodate screw heads. Screw together.

 

(Note: It is important that each assembled unit lies flat, or finished chair frame will be warped. If unit does not lie flat, adjust tightness of screws to correct tension).

Assemble pieces A and B into a rectangle, fitting notches in place as shown in Assembly Diagram, being careful that fabric is not twisted and that rounded A piece is in correct position. Drill holes (to fit screws), 1-1/2-inches deep through top ends of A pieces, centered over notches.

Countersink holes as before. Screw together. Assemble pieces C and piece D into a U-shape, fitting notches in place as shown in Assembly Diagram. Drill holes (to fit screws), 1-1/2-inches deep through top ends of piece D centered over notches. Countersink as before. Screw together.

 

7. Bolt units together as shown in Assembly Diagram detail, leaving bolted joints slightly loose so chair may be folded up.

Chair Designer: Jo Calvert

Source of instructions/pictures: Canadian Living

Linky Party

Invitation to join in !! If you make art, craft or do DIY projects and you write tutorials for your projects, than let our readers be able to find you. Get yourself a link back from our site by adding YOUR equally great craft or DIY TUTORIAL into our craft / DIY tutorial party

This DIY Beach Chair tutorial is featured in a number of craft parties. Click link to learn about them.

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