So, I finally got around to making that outdoor reading chair I’ve been talking about for ages. My old plastic one, bless its heart, finally gave up the ghost – cracked right down the middle when I plopped into it with a book and a cuppa. Honestly, I was kind of glad. Gave me an excuse to build something proper.
Figuring Out What I Wanted
First things first, I had to figure out what this thing was even going to look like. I didn’t want anything too fancy, you know? Just something sturdy, comfortable enough to sit in for a couple of hours with a good book. I doodled a few ideas on the back of an envelope – real high-tech stuff. Thought about looking up plans online, but then I figured, how hard can it be? It’s basically a box with a back and legs. I decided on a pretty simple, chunky design. Something that wouldn’t blow over in a stiff breeze.
I decided to use some basic pine for it. Nothing exotic. I knew it would need treating for the outdoors, but I figured I’d cross that bridge when I came to it. The main thing was getting the basic structure sorted.
Getting The Bits and Pieces
Off to the hardware store I went. Man, lumber prices these days! Still, I got what I needed: a few decent lengths of 2x4s, some 1x6s for the seat and back. Grabbed a big box of screws, some wood glue. Of course, I got home and realized I’d forgotten to pick up any new sanding discs for my sander. Typical. So, that meant another trip back later. You always forget something, don’t you?
The Actual Build – Measure Once, Curse Twice
Okay, so then came the cutting. I laid out all my pieces, measured them up. My old mantra is “measure twice, cut once,” but sometimes it feels more like “measure once, cut, then stare at it and wonder where you went wrong.” Got the main frame pieces cut for the seat base and the back support. My cuts weren’t exactly laser-straight, if I’m being honest. But hey, it’s an outdoor chair, not a piece of fine furniture for the living room. Good enough, I reckoned.
Then came the assembly. This is where you really find out if your measurements were any good. I started by building the main seat frame. Lots of glue, lots of screws. It was a bit like wrestling an octopus for a while, trying to hold pieces steady while drilling and screwing. I definitely could have used an extra pair of hands. My kid offered to help, but after five minutes of holding a piece of wood at the wrong angle, they got bored and wandered off. Kids, eh?
Once the seat frame was done, I attached the legs. This was a bit fiddly. Getting them all square and making sure the chair wouldn’t wobble like a drunken sailor took some patience. I had to re-do one leg because it was a bit off. Then the backrest. I sort of guessed the angle. Leaned a board against the wall, sat on the floor, and tried to figure out what felt comfy. Very scientific, I know.
After the main structure was together, I started attaching the slats for the seat and the back. More cutting, more screwing. This part was pretty repetitive. By this point, my workshop – okay, my garage – was covered in sawdust. It gets everywhere, that stuff.
Sanding and Finishing – The Never-Ending Story
Then came my least favorite part: sanding. Ugh, I hate sanding. But it has to be done, otherwise you end up with splinters in your backside, and nobody wants that. So, I sanded everything. And then I sanded it some more. It felt like it took forever. My arms were aching by the end of it.
For the finish, I just slapped on a couple of coats of some outdoor wood sealer I had leftover from when I did the fence last year. Nothing fancy. I figured it’s an outdoor chair, it’s going to get weathered. No point making it too precious.
So, How Did It Turn Out?
Well, it’s done. It’s definitely a chair. It’s sturdy, I’ll give it that. You could probably park a small car on it. Is it the most comfortable chair in the world? Probably not. The back angle might be a tad too upright for some. And if you look closely, you can see where some of my cuts weren’t perfectly square. It’s got character, let’s say.
It’s a bit like this old shed I tried to “fix up” a few years back. I had grand plans, insulation, proper windows, the works. Ended up just patching the holes in the roof and calling it a day. Sometimes “good enough” really is good enough. This chair is definitely in the “good enough” category. It does the job. I can sit in it, I can read in it. The dog seems to like sleeping under it, so that’s a bonus, I guess.
The funny thing is, my neighbor, old Mrs. Higgins, watched me build most of it from her kitchen window. Every now and then she’d shout over, “You sure that’s strong enough, dear?” or “Don’t forget to treat the wood!” Bless her. It’s like having a running commentary on your life. But, at the end of the day, I built it. With my own two hands. And there’s something satisfying about that, even if it’s not perfect.
