A DIY Seat Stool

Build your own fold-up seating.

Whether you love roughing it outdoors or you need extra seating for your patio, folding stools are a practical choice. Properly made stools add rustic charm to your décor when they’re out, and they fold away when you don't need them. Since they fold, they don’t take up much storage space. These folding stools are nearly free to build. You can probably find the legs in nature, so the seat material is all you have to purchase.

Things You'll Need

• 1 1/2-inch diameter branches (very straight)
• Pruning snips
• Branch cutters
• Utility knife
• Polyurethane sealer
• Measuring tape
• Electric hand drill
• 1/4-inch diameter drill bit
• 2 1/2-inch long, 3/8-inch diameter bolt
• 2 1/2-inch long, 3/8-inch diameter eye bolt
• 1/4-inch diameter washer
• Acorn screw nuts
• Canvas
• Scissors
• Fray stop glue
• Three finishing washers
• Three 1-inch wood screws

Instructions

1. Remove all the twigs and leaves from your branches with pruning snips. Cut each branch down to 2 feet long with branch cutters, making sure both ends of each branch are very level and flat as you cut.

2. Scrap off as much of the bark as you can with your fingers, using a utility knife to help with stubborn pieces. Paint all of the 2 foot branches with polyurethane sealer and let them dry overnight.

3. Choose one end of each branch to be the top and drill a 1/4-inch diameter hole straight down into that end. Measure 10 inches from the top of each branch and drill a 1/4-inch hole horizontally through each branch.

4. Lay two branches parallel to each other so the horizontal holes face each other. Slip a 2-inch long, 3/8-inch diameter bolt through the hole in the left branch, slide the eye of an eye bolt over the end of the first bolt, and slide the end of the first bolt through the second branch.

5. Leave about 1/4-inch of space between the branches so they and the eye bolt between them can move easily. Slip a 1/4-inch diameter washer and an acorn screw nut onto the end of the first bolt. Screw the nut on tightly.

6. Turn the eye bolt so it sticks straight up in the air and slide the third branch onto it. Add a washer and acorn screw nut to the end of the eye bolt.

7. Cut a triangle of canvas with 18 inch sides and rounded corners. Paint the edges of the canvas with fray-stop glue and let the glue dry overnight.

8. Poke a hole in each corner of the canvas with an awl. Center a finishing washer over each hole and slip a 1-inch wood screw through the hole and the washer. Screw each wood screw into one of the holes in the tops of the three branch legs.

References

• Bosch Do It: Oak Bench
• Design Sponge: DIY Tripod Camping Stool