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About Project
This extremely sturdy storage chair is not just easy to build and highly functional, it's also super cute! I made this chair for my daughter quite a while ago, and it's the go-to chair for her room. I find myself often sitting at it, because the chair is so sturdy. The storage compartment is perfect for books or crayons or even playdoh. Hope you paint yours a bright color.
Dimensions
Materials and Tools
1 - 2x2 @ 8 feet long
1 - 1x4 @ 6 feet long
1 - 1x10 @ 1 foot long
1 - 1x12 @ 14" long
Cut List
2 – 2×2 @ 26 1/4″ (Legs, you can choose to taper the tops as shown in the plans)
2 – 1×4 @ 11″ (Back Rails)
1 – 2×2 @ 11″ (Back Joint Piece)
2- 1×2 @ 11″ (Back and Front of Seat Apron)
2 – 1×2 @ 9 1/2″ (Sides of Seat Apron)
2 – 2×2 @ 13 1/4″ (Front Legs)
1 – 1×10 @ 11″ (Bottom of Storage Compartment)
2 – 1×4 @ 11″ (Front and Back of Storage Compartment)
2 – 1×4 @ 9 1/2″ (Sides of Storage Compartment)
1 – 1×2 @ 11″ (Back, Seat Top)
1 – 1×12 @ 14″ (Seat Top)
General Instructions
Always predrill with a coutnersink bit and use screws. Make sure you use glue for all of your joints. Check for square after each step (see the HOW-TO section). Cut all your boards first to make assembly faster.
Step 1
Back Legs. If you choose to taper your back legs, A, measure and mark in a straight line as shown above. Then cut using either a jigsaw or a round saw. Please note the chair that I made, I skipped this step (and it looks fine!)
Step 2
Chair Back. Screw the first of your chair back pieces, B, to the legs as shown above. Keep top and back edges flush. Also note, you can cut out an arch in the back, as done by Land of Nod in the first photo.
Step 3
Chair Back. Repeat step 2 for the second chair back piece. Use the measurements above to guide you.
Step 4
Joint Piece. Add the Chair joint piece, C, as shown above. Keep side edges flush. Make sure you use 2 screws per side.
Step 5
A view of the finished chair back. That was the easy part!
Step 6
Chair Apron and Legs. Construct the above chair legs and apron piece, as shown above, using pieces D, E and F. You will only need to use 1 screw to screw from each of the legs into each of the aprons, for a total of 2 screws per leg. However, make sure you add 2 screws from the side apron into the end edges of the back apron.
Step 7
Putting the Chair Together. Here’s my secret trick. Place the two chair pieces together, as shown above. Adjust the chair so the back apron is flush on all outside edges with the Joint Piece. Then fasten with 1 screw near the center of the back apron, as shown above. Allow the chair to “self level” by wiggling it until the chair rests flat. Then finish screwing the chair together by adding a screw on either end of the back apron into the Joint Piece.
Step 8
Building the Storage Box. If you have your nailer handy, build the storage box as shown above. You will only be able to nail through the bottom of the storage box sides into the edges of the bottom of the storage box. The corners will be free. If you do not have a nailer, go ahead and use screws. You can use shorter screws here, like 1 1/2″ screws.
Step 9
Attaching the Storage Box. Position the storage box on the legs, as shown above. Then screw through the legs into the storage box sides. You will only need 2 screws per leg. Remember to glue and use the longer screws (2 1/2″).
Step 10
Top Back Piece. Screw or nail the back top piece in place, using either 2″ nails or the 1 1/2″ screws. Keep the edges flush with the back legs.
Step 11
Chair Seat. You may wish to paint the storage compartment before attaching the seat. When you do attach the seat you can either just nail through the top of the seat into the apron, or you can flip the chair over and predrill and screw through the aprons into the the bottom of the seat. If you are painting the chair, nailing is easier. If you are staining, screwing from underneath would hide your screw holes here.
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Ana, I posted my post about
Ana, I posted my post about you! You are amazing and talented and I want the whole world to know!! :)
http://www.normaleegood.com/2010/01/diyknock-off-wood.html
Your chair looks EXACTLY like
Your chair looks EXACTLY like the one from the store! Perfect!
This is such a cute chair and
This is such a cute chair and I can't wait to make it, but I'm wondering.. is this too advanced for a first time project?
Oh my goodness! I am so
Oh my goodness! I am so making these! I cannot believe how amazing your blog is!! You are seriously talented and I have no doubt that in a month you will have a couple THOUSAND followers!!
holy holy holy! just found
holy holy holy! just found you and you are a genius! my jaw has been hanging open through 5 pages of your posts. Now to just get my husband on board with helping me make some of this stuff. I can't believe you just offer these plans up for free! !!!! thought I should add a few more because I'm just that excited :)
also, your post on the jeans in your dryer? loved it.
Thank you all so much for
Thank you all so much for reading my blog! Thank you Norma Lee for posting about me on my blog. Your support means so much to me!
I just want to let everyone know that this is not a beginner project. I know that I wrote that I built this chair the night after eating Thanksgiving Dinner, but this was not my first project. The reason I did not post this plan for so long is because it is a little trickier to build than say a bookcase or something else that is square. With the chair, it is very easy to get "off." Also, this piece is going to take some kiddo abuse, so you want to make sure you build it sturdy.
I would say try building the kids table or bookcases first, then come back and try the chairs.
Thanks again for reading my blog!
Ana
I wonder how hard it would be
I wonder how hard it would be to convert this plan into a bar stool? Our homeschool area is in need of taller seating for our children and I really like the look of these chairs. We made their desks using kitchen cupboards that are the same height as top cupbpards with a countertop on top.
My only concern in doing that is making sure it is stable with the added height. I had also thought of adding a foot rest.
Would this work?
I love this chair! Would you
I love this chair! Would you be able to give me some tips on how I might modify it to have the storage part enclosed and have the seat hinged? I am not a carpentar by any means, but I think that I might be able to attempt this.
You are such a mind reader!
You are such a mind reader! That is exactly what I was thinking as I was building this chair . . . the seat should be hinged and the storage compartment enclosed Just use a larger board width for the apron pieces, probably a 1x6 or 1x8(you don't want the chair to become too heavy) instead of the 1x2. Forget about the existing storage compartment. Then use a 1x10 for the bottom of the compartment. Then put hinges on the 1x12 where it meets the 1x2 back top piece, so the 1x12 folds up.
I could work up some plans, but it will be a while . . . very backlogged with requests.
Mandy, of course you can
Mandy, of course you can make barstools, but the higher you go, the more you have to worry about structure. I would like to try to build a barstool myself before posting plans. Chairs look easy, but the only thing easy about build them is cutting the boards.
That said, I'm looking at our cheap barstools that I bought years before I became a carpenter, and they are esentially the same design, without backs, and they are still working fine.
I'm so happy and pleased to
I'm so happy and pleased to see these chairs and most of all, the instructions for measures and process of making it :)
I hope one day I'll make these chairs come true, they're incredible.
Imaginative, practical and don't look complicated :)
Thank you!
Marija (Zagreb,Croatia)
I love your blog. I know
I love your blog. I know this is a relatively old post but i was wondering... what is the name of the paint you used on the pink chair? Its perfect! Did you put a finish on top of the paint or just paint it and let it dry?
thank you!
jay
Thank you so much for this!!
Thank you so much for this!! I've been searching everywhere for chairs to go with our PBK Cameron craft table but wasn't willing to pay $70. This was a great project for my husband and me to do together on a Sunday afternoon. I can't wait to get them painted and in our playroom :)
We built this chair yesterday
We built this chair yesterday and gave it a little added flair. We chamfered the top of the back legs, and the tops and bottoms of the back rails and the edges of the seat (cut it at a 45 degree). We thought that it made it more kid friendly, saved lots of sanding time and gives it a very cute, different look. We still have to fill holes, sand and paint, but will be sure to send pics.
I love your site. I was in
I love your site. I was in the middle of making my own plans for a PB Cameron cubby when I found your site. This will save me lots of time!! Do you have plans for the rectangle kids table I see in one of the pictures?
I love your site. I was in
I love your site. I was in the middle of making my own plans for a PB Cameron cubby when I found your site. This will save me lots of time!! Do you have plans for the rectangle kids table I see in one of the pictures?
I love love love this site -
I love love love this site - Ive been looking through it for hours - choosing the projects for my new (first) house.
I really really need bar stools - and because this is my first project - I would to be able to work off a plan - I know you havnt done these yet - so Ill hold off until you do! Im searching the rest of the net for something similar - with no luck. I just want it to be plain wooden square stools with no backs so when pushed together -they could make a bench.
Any ideas??
Your newest fan!!
Kristen
so I may be blind, but I
so I may be blind, but I could only see a "cut list" and not a "buy list" did I some how miss it?? I'm starting a preschool and am building these and one of the table on here....I'm soooo excited!!
I too am wondering if you
I too am wondering if you have the plans for a kids table to go with the chairs. Also some advice on painting. Do you put a top coat on it or just staight paint....glossy paint? This is an AWESOME blog!
I love your website! And I
I love your website! And I love this chair! I wonder how hard it would be to make it into a one piece school desk?!
Now that would be cute
Now that would be cute Melanie! It's definitely doable!
[...] So easy to build, yet
[...] So easy to build, yet so cute! Plans here. [...]
Ana, I built this chair
Ana,
I built this chair for my daughter for her birthday. It was a hit! She insisted on painting it brown (her favorite color), so I added some color by painting a sun on the seat. Some suggestions:
1) Do not get all the wood pre-cut, particularly not at a big-box store. The measurements are too precise and interdependent -- if you get a careless cutter, you will wind up with pieces that are the wrong size.
2) Don't use hardwood -- it gets heavy, particularly with the storage section at the bottom.
Wow! Ana! I know many people
Wow! Ana! I know many people told you how great you are. I just stumbled on your website and I am absolutely inspired! Thank you so much for sharing. I will try to make a chair for my 1 year old daughter. I am stay at home mom also! Oh, Ana! You are really genius!
[...] I used Ana White’s
[...] I used Ana White’s plans for the Four-dollar Stacking Kids’ Chair. Since I built the chairs in my living room and needed to transport them to my parents’ house, I thought the stacking chairs were the way to go. I also love the storage chairs! [...]
The chairs went together very easy!
I did a pair of these chairs and am so happy they went together so easily. N ow if I can figure out how to attach pics I'll be 100% finished! One of them I did a chalkboard paint on the seat. The kids will write all over the chair anyway.
trying to build the chair
I am trying to build this chair and notice that in the cut list 1x2 is mentioned. It is not included in the shopping list. Am I missing something? Please help. TIA
After finishing cut list, I
After finishing cut list, I realized that the actual size of x10 piece is 9-1/4 in. In order to make this chair all pieces of 9-1/2in length should be cut down to 9-1/4in.
Author should make changes to plan & tutorial accordingly so that others would not make the same mistake.
Thanks for sharing this.
Error in plan
Ana, I'm not trying to knock you because what you've done here is great. However, there appears to be a small error in this particular plan. The "Cutting List" and "General Instructions" refer to a few pieces of 1"x2" stock, but this is not included in the "Materials & Tools" section.
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