DIY plywood chair
Plywood is one of the most widespread materials used in the manufacture of various furniture. During the Soviet era, such furniture was used in every home, due to its cheapness.
In our time, there is a second wave of popularity of this material. It is used both in furniture factories and craftsmen who make custom-made furniture. He is often advised by novice craftsmen. And such a piece of furniture as a hand-made plywood chair will decorate your room, bringing originality and individuality to its style.
Types and features of models
Plywood is easy to work with even at home. By its characteristics, it is a durable and relatively light material. Therefore, a chair made of it is suitable for both adults and children. Such a product will organically look in the kitchen, in the country, or in a workshop or garage. Often this material is used in the manufacture of compact camping chairs for fishing, picnics and other outdoor activities.
The most popular among consumers are the following models, created from plywood with their own hands or to order:
- An ordinary stool. It will organically look in the interior of any apartment or country house. Such a model consists of a small number of elements, and many parts have straight lines, which allows you to create such household items using a small number of tools;
- Folding chair. This is an irreplaceable thing when going out into nature. Due to its small size, when assembled, it takes up a minimum of space in the trunk of a car or in a storage room. Although this is a more complicated option compared to a stool, its manufacture can still be done even for beginners;
- Chairs-transformers. Their difference is the performance of several functions at once, that is, they can replace several pieces of furniture. There are prefabricated or folding structures. A striking example of such models is a children's feeding chair, which transforms into a small table and high chair;
- Designer pieces of furniture. Such models usually have complex forms, so it is better for a beginner without experience to take on such projects. Examples of such items are a recliner chair, chair chair, plywood bar stool.
How to make a plywood chair with your own hands
A hand-made plywood chair will add fresh notes to the decor of the room, and will also save your money. In addition, you will gain the experience needed to create more sophisticated furniture.
Let's consider the manufacturing process in more detail.
Drawing up a drawing
Making any piece of furniture, be it a chair, or a whole furniture wall, begins with creating a drawing.You can find a suitable drawing of a plywood chair on the Internet, or draw it yourself. In this case, the first thing to do is draw a sketch, respecting the proportions and dimensions. You can draw the main details separately.
Check that all dimensions are correct, especially at the connection points of the parts. Any discrepancy will lead either to a distortion of the structure, or to the complete impossibility of assembly. Consider the location of the necessary parts on the plywood sheet, this step will reduce the amount of material required.
Material selection
When choosing and buying materials, follow a few rules:
- for the main frame parts, plywood sheets with a thickness of at least 18 mm are used, and sheets with a thickness of 12-16 mm are used for the seat and backrest. Thickness shown is for adult models. For children's furniture, the thickness can be reduced by 1-3 mm;
- chair height should be 42-48 cm for adults, 25-35 cm for children;
- outdoor furniture requires moisture resistant plywood;
- a beautiful appearance of furniture is obtained only when using plywood of the first or second grade.
Manufacturing steps
After purchasing the materials, you can start working. To do this, using paper templates, transfer the image of the parts from the drawing to the plywood. Cut out the necessary elements.
When working with plywood, it is best to use a circular saw or jigsaw to make the edges smoother. The edges of the resulting parts must be sanded or sanded. Use colored impregnations to paint the elements.
Simple stool
This is the easiest option. To make it, you need 3 identical plywood plates that will act as legs, and a separate piece of plywood for the seat. The legs will be connected to each other using grooves that need to be cut out on them. Next, using self-tapping screws and an embedded part, attach the seat. The edge of the seat can be covered with special tape.
Folding chair
To make a folding chair, you will need to cut 3 parts out of plywood: the first serves as a front support and backrest, the second as a rear support, and the third as a seat. After that, mark with a pencil the places for fastening the hinges and drill the holes.
Important! If you screw self-tapping screws without holes directly into plywood, then it can delaminate.
Connect the parts with hinges and the plywood folding chair is ready.
High chair
A highchair is already a much more sophisticated product. To connect parts to each other, it is better to use confirmations instead of ordinary self-tapping screws, which will give additional reliability. Saw out the necessary parts from the plywood and drill the holes for the fasteners, accurately observing the dimensions. Sand the edges and surfaces of the parts themselves. Assemble the product.
Important! When tightening the confirmations, do not overtighten them.
Small fishing chair
A chair for fishing or for picnics is the simplest product with which it is recommended to start making homemade furniture for a person with no experience. It is necessary to cut two supports according to the diagram. Connect them together using the existing grooves. Attach a sturdy fabric to the top edges of the supports.
What else can you make a chair
In addition to plywood, you can use wood, metal or plastic to make chairs. Each of these materials has its own pros and cons. For example, wood is easy to handle, but it is massive and prone to decay. The metal is durable, but its use is impossible without special tools. Plastic is a lightweight and durable material, but not resistant to mechanical stress.
A homemade chair is the most suitable item to try your hand at making furniture with your own hands. But the time and effort spent will be rewarded in the end with a practical and beautiful product.
Video: modern plywood stool