Muskoka Chair Plans
Materials
In order to complete this chair you will need:
15 Feet of 1x8
One 58" Piece
One 65" Piece
One 54" Piece
8.5 Feet of 1x12
One 37.5"Piece
Two 32" Pieces
Figure 1. on the Drawing shows how the parts can be laid out on the wood.
The Muskoka Chair is most commonly made from pine, Knotty Pine is often used because it's relatively inexpensive and the knots produce a chair with lots of character. Cedar is another popular material for this chair. It has a warm color, pleasant scent and a natural resistance to rotting.
Parts List
Armrest
x2
Back Slats
x7
x2
Arm Brace
Seat Slats
x8
Arm Support
x2
Front Seat Slat
x1
x2
Upper Back Support
x1
Front Leg
Back Leg
x1
x2
Lower Back Support
Side Supports
#8 1.25"Wood Screws
x100
x2
Instructions For Fashioning Parts
1. Patterns
Using the Pattern Sheet as a guide, sketch the parts patterns on 1" grid paper to bring the patterns to full size. To save time and money you can purchase full size patterns from
Woodies.com.
With scissors, cut out all patterns for the contoured parts.
2. Seat Slats
From the 58" long 1x8 stock, rip (cut along the grain) 3 pieces 2.25" wide.
Then cut each piece into three 19" pieces. This will yield 9 seat slats.
To make the front seat slat, tack its pattern on one of the pieces and trace the contour. Continue to Cutting Contours.
3. Legs and Arm Supports
From the 65" long 1x8 stock, rip 2 pieces 3.5 wide.
Then cut three 19 "in length, two 26" and two 5" for the arm supports.
Cut the 26" pieces off at a 56� angle to form the back legs.
4. Armrests
From the 54" long 1x8 stock, layout and trace the patterns for the armrests as shown on Figure 1 of the drawings, then proceed to Cutting contours.
5. Back Slats
From the 32" long 1x12 stock, rip 6 pieces 2.25" wide.
On these pieces tack on the appropriate pattern and trace out the contours, including the taper. The back slats have a taper over there length. It is helpful to use a Taper Jig to cut these on your table saw. Alternatively you can use a jigsaw and smooth off the edge with a belt sander.
6. Upper Back Support and Arm Braces
From the left over of the 32" piece of stock, rip 4.25". Then cut off at 17.5" for the Upper back Support. Apply the patterns for the upper back support, trace and proceed to Cutting contours. With the left over 4.25" piece, apply the Arm brace pattern and complete as before.
7. Side Supports
From the 37.5" 1x12 Stock, rip 2 pieces 5" wide. Apply the side support patterns and complete as before.
8. Cutting Contours
Using a Jigsaw or Band Saw cut the wood to within 1/16th of an inch from the traced line. This will allow for the ruff edges that will be sanded off later.
9. Round Over and Sanding
With the pieces roughly cut out, using a sander smooth out the contours to the traced line, producing an edge that is smooth and square (up & down). (An oscillating belt sander or spindle sander will achieve this result. A drill press with a drum sanding attachment will give you a similar result but you have to work more slowly).
The top corners of the seat slats, back slats and the arms of the chair should be rounded over with a router and a round over bit.
At this point all the parts can be sanded with 120-150 grit sandpaper in preparation for assembly. Remember that any flaws that you leave at this point will be seen through the finish for many years to come.
Assembly Instructions
Note: All screw holes should be pre-drilled with a #8 counter-sinking bit to help prevent the wood from splitting.
Taking a SIDE SUPPORT mark 4.5 inches from the front (see Photo 1).
With the back of the SIDE SUPPORT flat on the surface, take a FRONT LEG and place it on the outside of the SIDE SUPPORT (see Photo 2). Holding the parts in this position, pre- drill the screw holes and fasten the two parts together (see Photo 3). Repeat this procedure for the other side, making sure that the SIDE SUPPORT is on the inside of the FRONT LEG.
Fasten the two SIDE SUPPORTS together with the BOTTOM BACK SUPPORT (see Photo 4). Attach the FRONT SLAT to the front of the SIDE SUPPORTS (see Photo 4).
Next place the SEAT SLATS on the SIDE SUPPORTS, spacing them out evenly, pre-drill and fasten them in place (see Photo 4).
Attach the two BACK LEGS together with the UPPER BACK SUPPORT (see Photo 7).
With a BACK SLAT, gage where to put the BACK LEGS (see Photo 5) and fasten them into place.
Space out the BACK SLATS evenly and fasten them into place (see Photo 6).
Assemble the arms by attaching the ARM BRACES and ARM SUPPORTS to the FRONT LEGS. (See Photo 6).
Complete the chair by attaching the ARMRESTS making sure to pre-drill and screw up from the bottom of the ARM SUPPORTS and from the inside of the BACK LEGS.
Your chair is now ready for finishing.
Finishing
One of the major goals of an exterior finish is to protect the wood from UV which will over time discolor and degrade the wood. Therefore you should choose a product with good Ultra Violet protection. High Gloss White paint tends to reflect much of the sun's rays, and is a very popular finish for these chairs. If you like the look of natural wood with high gloss finish, a clear Urethane or a good Spar Varnish is an excellent choice. Note that Varnish should be reapplied annually, I make a habit of doing this in the spring. You should follow the manufacturer;s instructions for preparing the surface and applying the finish.
Pattern Sheet - Download PDF on right!
