How to Make Leather Chairs

Leather chairs, which are often featured in upscale home decor magazines, are a beautiful addition to any home. Leather furniture, in general, has an impressive, regal look---one that may seem intimidating for the wood-working do-it-yourselfer to replicate. Making a leather chair, however, is not all that difficult.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• 2 by 4-inch beam of oak or other durable wood
• One 4 by 8-foot by 1/2-inch piece of plywood
• Table saw, handsaw or jigsaw
• 1 to 2 yards leather
• Batting
• Drill, bits and screws or hammer and nails
• Fiberfill or batting
• Foam
• Staple gun
• Industrial staples
• Wood stain
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Leather sewing machine needles

Instructions

1. Cut two 16-inch legs out of the 2 by 4-inch beam.

2. Cut two 36-inch legs out of the 2 by 4-inch beam.

3. Cut the rest of the beam in half lengthwise; cut five 13-inch pieces out of that beam. This will serve as the base for your chair.

4. 

   Hammer or screw the leg and base pieces together. See Figure 1.

5. Cut a 17 by 17-inch square out of your plywood. This will serve as your seat.

6. Place a thick layer of batting or fiberfill over the square piece of plywood.

7. Cover your batting-covered plywood with leather; staple the leather down from the underside of the plywood to create your seat.

8. Stain the bottom half your chair. Set it to dry.

9. 

   Cut out a 17 by 22-inch piece of plywood; nail it to the back of your chair. See Figure 2.

10. Cut two 5-inch-wide by 22-inch-long pieces of leather.

11. Cut out a 5-inch-wide by 14-inch-long piece of leather.

12. Cut out an 18-inch-wide by 26-inch-tall piece of leather.

13. Cut out another 22-inch-wide by 26-inch-tall piece of leather.

14. Sew the three 5-inch-wide pieces together into one long strip, keeping the shorter piece in the middle and leaving a 1/2-inch seam allowance.

15. Sew the two panels onto the long strip, creating a box. Slip the leather box over the back of your chair.

16. Stuff the boxed area tightly with fiberfill or foam.

17. Fold the bottom edges by 1/2 inch and slide the leftover edges of the 26-inch panels under the seat. Staple the edges in place.

18. Place the 17 by 17-inch seat on your chair. You may now sit in the chair.

Tips & Warnings

• Carve legs in the chair for a more elegant effect.

References

• Chair Making Simplified at Fine Woodworking