DIY Your Own Wooden Outdoor Chair That Will Rival Anything From A Big Box

Whether you just purchased a home with a big backyard, moved to an apartment with a balcony, or upgraded your outdoor area to a gorgeous patio, you're probably feeling eager to decorate and enjoy it. In the effort to soak up some sunshine as soon as possible, you might find yourself shopping for cheap wood patio furniture from a big-box store — but don't click that "add to cart" button just yet! With a few basic tools, you can build your own outdoor furniture to get more bang for your buck. Plus, a DIY chair can be customized to fit your style and may be more durable in the long run. To build a beautiful outdoor chair, all you'll need is a miter saw, a drill, screws, and the wood material of your choice. Seat and back cushions are optional — but very helpful — items to have, too. 

Cedar is an excellent wood choice because it's naturally weather- and insect-resistant. Of course, DIY outdoor chairs can vary widely in their design, but for an easy yet beautiful and durable build, pick up a few cedar 4-by-4s and cedar 2-by-4s. Here's how to get started building your own patio chair, along with tips for customizing and improving your design.

It may sound backward, but choosing your cushions first can help you determine the right measurements for your chair seat and backrest. Plus, this will ensure that standard cushions fit your chair. Otherwise, you may end up with an atypical chair that requires custom cushions. Measure the length and width of your seat cushion to get the seat dimensions, then stack the back cushion on top of the seat cushion to measure your backrest height. The chair leg height is totally up to you. If you're building chairs to fit around a table, a good rule of thumb is to allow about 10 to 12 inches between the tabletop and the seat of the chair, including the cushion.

Once you've sketched out the measurements, use a miter saw to cut all the chair pieces. A basic cedar chair requires two side frames and slats for the seat and backrest. The side frames consist of one 4-by-4 front leg, one 4-by-4 back leg, and a 4-by-4 "armrest" piece that connects the two legs. A 2-by-4 seat support bar will also be needed and will attach to the legs directly below the armrest. You'll also need to cut seat slats and back slats that will span between the side frames. For an angled chair design like YouTuber Shara McCuiston's, cut the armrest so the back legs sit at a 20-degree angle, and cut the ends of the seat support bar so the seat will slope slightly backwards. A gentle slope can make the chair more comfortable and prevent rain from pooling.

Before assembling, you may wish to sand the pieces and even add a sealing coat; doing this after the chair is built can be challenging. Start by assembling the two side frames. For more secure and seamless-looking results, drill 3.5-inch pocket holes through the 4-by-4 cedar pieces and insert 4-inch pocket screws. Regular 2.5-inch pocket hole screws can be used for the thinner seat support pieces. 

Once finished, stand up your side frames and begin adding the seat slats and back slats at evenly spaced intervals. Of course, you could also opt for a solid plywood back if you prefer. For the back and seat slats, which don't need pocket holes, it's still wise to pre-drill the holes before screwing. Wood splitting is an especially common issue when working with red cedar. In addition to pre-drilling, you can try dipping your screws in paste wax, a genius TikTok tip to avoid splitting wood on home improvement projects. If your chair is slightly unbalanced when finished, use a product like Tahikem Adjustable Leveling Feet to even it out. 

After all is sawed and done, you should have a beautiful cedar patio chair that's ready to move outside. The sheer satisfaction of building a DIY furniture piece can be enough to make it worthwhile, but how does this chair really stack up compared to the big-box versions? Is it more affordable or long-lasting? To break it down, a 4-by-4-by-8 cedar post from Lowe's is about $41, and a 2-by-4-by-8 cedar board from Lowe's is about $17. To build a chair that is 32 inches tall, 32 inches deep, and 32 inches wide with eight 24-inch slats for the back and seat, you'd need to purchase about two 4-by-4s and three 2-by-4s. The total cost would be around $131, not including other materials like screws or sealer. For comparison, this similar-looking solid cedar chair from Wayfair could cost around $233. 

Of course, more affordable furniture exists, such as the SoliWood Oversize Wooden Folding Adirondack, but if you want something that's going to last, DIY is sometimes the way to go. This DIY wooden outdoor chair offers a more luxurious look than your typical big-box furniture that is made from cheaper, thinner wood. When you opt for a DIY build, you can also change the dimensions for a more comfortable or accessible fit. By simply widening the seat and backrest by a few feet, you can even build a matching sofa. Ditch the backrest, and you've got a table or bench to complete your custom furniture set. Now you just need a screened-in patio build for a DIY dream come true.