How to Build a Wood Beach Chair

A beach chair requires portability and simplicity of form. This cross-brace design, constructed in two pieces, breaks down for easy transport to and from the beach. To assemble at the beach, simply slip the seat piece through the bracing slats at the bottom of the back piece. Take it apart and slip the seat piece inside the back piece for transport and storage. Wood choice varies, depending upon your budget. Once completed, you may finish or paint the chair or leave it unfinished.

Things You'll Need

• Circular saw
• 3 boards, 8 feet by 2 inches by 1/2 inch
• Small electric finishing sander
• Sandpaper to fit
• Drill with 5/64-inch drill bit
• 2 boards, 4 feet by 3 inches by 1 inch
• T-square measure
• Water-resistant wood glue
• 76 No. 6 stainless steel screws, 1-inch
• Power screwdriver
• 2 boards, 3 feet by 3 inches by 1 inch
• 12 inches of 1-inch wood dowel of similar wood

Instructions

Seat Back and Front Chair Legs

1. Use a circular saw to cut the three 8-foot lengths of 2-by-1/2-inch wood into six equal lengths each, for a total of 18 slats measuring 16 inches long.

2. Sand all edges of the wood smooth to your satisfaction.

3. Drill two holes on the wide side of each end of 12 of the 16-inch wood slats, uniformly situating the holes 1/2 inch from the end of the wood slats, 1/2 inch from the edges, and 1 inch apart from each other.

4. Line up the two 4-foot lengths of wood (from here on out referred to as the back planks) with one of the pre-drilled 16-inch slats, starting at what will be the top of the seat back. The top edge of the slat should be flush with the end of the 1-inch side of the plank, and the end of the slat should be flush with the wider 3-inch side of the plank. Use a T-square to line up the slat and the plank in a perfect 90-degree angle.

5. Place the drill bit through the holes when you are satisfied that the slat is perfectly lined up and drill about 1/4 inch into the side of the back planks.

6. Apply a dab of wood glue between and around the holes on one of the back planks and spread evenly.

7. Line up the slat once again over the back plank edge, with the drilled holes perfectly matched, and screw in two screws.

8. Repeat Steps 5 through 8, attaching the same slat to the other back plank on the other end.

9. Leave a precise 1 inch gap between each slat and continue to attach nine more slats down the side edges of the back planks, using the same procedures described in Steps 5 through 9. When you have finished attaching all 10 slats, there should be exactly 19 inches remaining on the back planks where slats have not been attached.

10. Attach one more slat 8 inches from the last slat, using the same procedures as you used for the previous 10 slats.

11. Turn over the entire seat back/front legs section of the chair. Measuring carefully, attach one more slat exactly between the last two slats on the opposite edge of the back planks, using the same steps as before. When you are done, there should be two 3-inch gaps between the final three slats. When you have completed the next section and have constructed the seating surface and back legs, that section will fit through the final two slats that you just added to the back planks. These two slats provide the cross-brace for the other part of the chair.

Seat Surface and Back Legs Piece

1. Drill two holes into the wide side of each end of the remaining six 16-inch slats, uniformly situating the holes 1 1/2 inches from the ends of the wood slats, 1/2 inch from the sides and 1 inch apart from each other.

2. Line up one of the two 3-foot lengths of wood (from here on out referred to as the seat planks) with one of the six pre-drilled 16-inch slats, starting at what will be the front of the seat surface. The front edge of the slat should be flush with the end of the 1-inch side of the plank, and the end of the slat should overhang the sides of the seat planks by exactly 1 inch on each side. Measure this carefully, erring a small fraction of an inch on ever-so-slightly more overhang, as the planks of the finished seat surface piece will have to fit inside the 14-inch gap between the side planks of the seat back piece. Use a T-square to make certain the slat is lined up on the seat plank in a perfect 90-degree angle.

3. Line up the slat and drill holes perfectly. Place the drill bit through the holes and drill about 1/4 inch into the side of the seat planks.

4. Apply a dab of wood glue between and around the holes on one of the seat planks and spread evenly.

5. Line up the slat once again over the seat plank edge, with the drilled holes perfectly matched, and screw in two screws. Fasten the screws completely so that the screw heads don't sit above the seating surface and scratch bare legs.

6. Repeat Steps 2 through 5 for the remaining five slats. When all six of the slats have been attached to the seat planks, there should be exactly 19 inches remaining on the seat planks where slats have not been attached.

7. Drill a hole through each seat plank 4 inches from the remaining end and exactly centered between both edges.

8. Sand both ends of the 1-foot dowel rod to shorten it just a hair.

9. Drill a hole in the center of each end of the dowel rod.

10. Apply a dab of glue to the ends of the dowel rod and spread the glue over the entire end.

11. Situate the dowel rod between the two seat planks, lining up the holes on the rod ends with the holes in the seat planks. Use the power screwdriver to secure the rod in place with the remaining two 1-inch stainless steel screws.

Tips & Warnings

• Careful measurement will make the all the difference in this project.

• Between uses, the seat section can be slipped inside the back section for easy storage.

References

• Words n Wood: Beach Chairs
• Canadian Home Workshop: Beach Chair

Resources

• "Woodworking Basics"; Peter Korn; 2003
• "Woodworking for Dummies"; Jeff Strong; 2003