Easy Wooden Outdoor Chairs and Benches You Can DIY

These amazing wooden lawn chairs and benches may look difficult to build, but they're actually really easy—even for a beginner! We've got the step-by-step plans for each DIY wooden chair or bench, so all you need to do is decide which one(s) will look best in your backyard; then get started!

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Build a Foldable Patio Chair
Family Handyman

Simple Outdoor Folding Chair

This folding wooden lawn chair is the perfect project for a beginner. It boasts a simple design, with a carrying handle cutout in the back for easy portability and a neat interlocking look. This DIY wooden chair requires mainly basic woodworking tools, although you’ll need a table saw and a belt sander for best results.

It costs $20 to $100 to make, depending on the wood. The chair shown is cedar, but you could also use Cypress fir or pressure-treated wood. Best of all, you can easily build a chair like this in a day.

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classic adirondack chair

Classic Adirondack Chair

Plop down on this DIY Adirondack chair, and you’ll appreciate the comfort of the classic design. If you want a set, you can also build an Adirondack style love seat too. It’s a pretty simple project, requiring basic woodworking and DIY tools.  You can choose almost any kind of wood, and if you’re looking to save money, go with an inexpensive, durable lumber that will look great with a coat of paint or wood stain.

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how to build a chair bench from wood
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Garden Bench

With a simple design and elegant lines, this beautiful garden bench is the perfect place to sit and enjoy your backyard. The design is strong and stable, and the curved seat adds a touch of originality to the look.

This DIY outdoor furniture project requires moderate skills, for example making biscuit joints with a biscuit joiner. A router is a good alternative if you don’t have a biscuit joiner. This bench can be completed in a weekend for as little as hundred bucks, depending on your choice of wood. By the way, this patio egg chair is worth a look, too.

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Wood bench
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Simple Wooden Bench

Need outdoor seating in a hurry? Based on author and ecologist Aldo Leopold’s classic design, this bench can be constructed in a couple of hours, even if you are a novice woodworker. All it takes is a couple of 2×8 boards, 18 screws, a circular saw and a drill.

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Perfect Patio Chairs

Perfect Patio Chairs

If you're looking for outdoor chairs that are lightweight and easy to move around, look no further than these DIY patio chairs. These smartly cushioned chairs are extremely comfortable, and the arms are wide enough to rest your drink or a small snack plate. If you choose pine, this project will cost around $60, while cedar will increase the cost to $90. Suitable for a beginner, this DIY outdoor furniture project only requires a little experience and basic tools. The instructions are detailed and include skills such as how to use a speed square to ensure that the legs are plumb.
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Trail Bench

Trail Bench

Chances are that your cabin has its own set of trails and walkways surrounding it, either public or of your own making. And building a bench as a rest spot or at a particularly nice lookout spot can give hikers on the trails a chance to catch their breath and enjoy the view. A bench can be pre-assembled or be built in sections, ready to be secured on-site. And the bench featured here is portable and can be easily relocated, but if you want a more solid, permanent solution, check out these plans for a campfire bench.
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Patio Combo With Built-In End Table
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Patio Combo With Built-In End Table

Relax and enjoy your outdoor space with this DIY patio furniture consisting of a sofa and chair. You can adjust the size to make them fit perfectly onto your patio or deck, and the sofa and chair feature arms that double as trays for al fresco dining. Make your cushions to fit, or buy store-bought ones and learn how to add ties to outdoor cushions! Deceptively simple to build, this DIY furniture project is made from pressure-treated wood, so remember to lay your timber flat while it dries thoroughly to avoid warping. This project can be completed over a weekend and will cost between $100 and $500.
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easy timber bench

Easy Timber Bench

If you have some experience with power tools, you’ll have this timber bench built in just a few hours, though staining it may add a couple hours more. All materials are readily available at home centers.

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Arbor with Built-In Benches and Planters
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Arbor with Built-In Benches and Planters

Combining comfort, privacy and practicality, this arbor with built-in benches is small enough to fit onto almost any deck or patio. The corner design features integral seating and built-in planters so you can enjoy your fragrant blooms. A trellis screen is there to protect you from prying eyes or the sun's rays. This arbor is built from pressure-treated wood, and you can customize it with your choice of paint or stain to finish it off. It's a multi-day process, but can be done over one weekend if you decide not to stain it. This DIY outdoor furniture project is simple to build, although you will need to know how to drive toe screws perfectly, and will cost around $250 to make.