A rustic chair looks great in any type of environment.
Building a rustic chair requires around six to eight hours. Green wood is wood harvested from live trees. This type of wood is the best to use for this project because when attached with nails it will not split. But if the project cannot be started as soon as the wood is cut, simply place the wood in a bucket of water. If a bark free chair is desired harvest the wood in the spring. The bark will come off easier during this time. If a keeping the bark on is important to the style of the chair then only harvest the wood during the fall. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Place goggles and leather gloves on before starting the project. Gather the two 1 1/2-inch-by-35-inch and the two 1 1/2-inch-by-27-inch pieces. Bevel or round off one end of each branch with the pocket knife. Do this by whittling down the end until it is curved in shape.
2. Gather the remaining branches and bevel both ends of the branches using a pocket knife.
3. Lay out one back leg and one front leg on a work surface with the beveled end on the top. Space the two pieces of wood 17 inches apart. Measure each piece 3 1/2 inches from the bottom and mark. Place one of the 1 1/2-inch-by-25-inch pieces across this mark and secure with nails. Measure from the bottom of the front leg 14 1/2 inches, and 13 inches on the back leg. Mark the area and secure another 1 1/2-inch-by-25-inch branch to the marked location. Measure from the bottom of the back leg 24 inches and mark. Secure a 1 1/2-inch-by-27-inch branch to the front leg and marked area on the back leg with nails. Repeat process with the other front and back legs.
4. Lay one of the 1 1/2-inch-by-25-inch branches diagonal from the upper corner on the back leg down to the lower corner of the front leg. Hammer one paneling nail into each end by do not go through the legs. Use the nail going through to mark the legs. Remove this branch and drill one 1 5/8-inch hole in the area that is marked by the nail. Place the 1 1/2-inch by 25-inch branch back on the front and back leg. Make sure the nail is lined up with the pre-drilled holes and hammer the branch onto the front and back leg. Repeat with other frame.
5. Create a "T" support by attaching the 1-by-4-by-30-inch board and attaching it to the middle of the 2-by-4-by-30-inch board in the shape of a "T". Secure with a nail. This structure is solely designed to help support the chair while it is being built.
6. Move "T" to a workbench and place on the ground. Place both frames with the front legs on the workbench with the arms of the chair being supported by the "T". Attach one of the 1 1/2-inch by 25-inch pieces flush with the front of the front legs. Secure with nails.
7. Lay the chair frame on its back on the workbench. Measure down 1 inch from the top of each back leg and attach another 1 1/2-inch-by-25-inch branch to the marked location on the back legs. Secure with nails. Attach another 1 1/2-inch-by-25-inch branch on top of the middle brace that is secured to the back of the chair. Nail this branch into the back legs not the brace. Turn chair over so that it is resting on the front legs. Attach the other 1 1/2-inch-by-25-inch branch on top of the middle brace and nail to the front legs. The middle brace will be sandwiched between two 1 1/2-inch-by-25-inch pieces of branch.
8. Lay chair on side and dry fit the 1 1/2-inch-by-27-inch armrest on the outside of the armrest. Pre-drill a 1 5/8-inch hole into the front leg and attach the branch for the armrest with paneling nails. Repeat with the other side.
9. Set chair upright and test to make sure it is level. Once level run one of the 3/4-inch by 29-inch branches from the top corner of the middle brace down to the lower corner of the lowest brace. Repeat with other 3/4-inch by 29-inch branch. This support will look like an "X" in the front of the chair. Secure with nails.
10. Attach the 1-by-4-by-30-inch board under the middle brace on the back of the chair. Attach the 3/4-inch by 25-inch branch under the middle brace on the front of the chair.
11. Place one 1/2-inch or larger branch vertical on the inside of the back of the chair. Level the branch by resting the branch on the 1-by-4-by-30-inch brace. Secure with one nail on the top of the back of the chair and one on the bottom of the seat area. Place another 1/2-inch or larger branch on the seat in a horizontal fashion and secure with a nail to the back brace and the front brace. Continue to fill in the seat alternating between placing a branch on the back and then on the front until the seat is filled in. Once the seat is filled in, trim the excess twig material with pruning shears. Remove the 1-by-4-by-30-inch bracket from chair.
Tags: middle brace, with nails, 2-inch-by-25-inch branch, back chair, front legs, with other, another 2-inch-by-25-inch