I absolutely LOVE this patio furniture because it's comfortable, it looks great, and I can reconfigure it! I got the plans from Ana White's website. I get totally lost browsing through her site, thinking of all the things I want to make! Click HERE for the plans, and I'll give you a few tips and tricks I learned along the way.
First of all, if you are looking to make a cheap set of patio furniture, move along. This is not the project for you. This is more of a fun project for beginners looking to learn to use a Miter Saw, challenge themselves a little, and get a good-looking, long-lasting piece of furniture out of the deal.
I say this, because it is almost entirely made of 2x4s, and you'll need a lot of them! It cost me about $35 per sectional piece, but I think it's totally worth it. You'll need to decide how many armless (middle) pieces and end/corner pieces you want to make. I made 2 armless pieces and 3 end/corner pieces, pictured above. Now that you have your plan, it's time to go to the store! In my case, I had to buy wood for 5 sectional pieces and 3 corner leg additions. I also made the matching ottoman/coffee table to go with it. You can find the plans for that HERE.
SHOPPING LIST FOR ONE SECTIONAL PIECE *Use wood suitable for outdoors*
3 - 2x4 @ 8 feet long
1 - 2x2 @ 50" long
~65 - 2-1/2" long exterior wood screws
SHOPPING LIST FOR ONE CORNER LEG ADDITION
1 - 2x4 @ 8 feet long
1 - 2x4 @ 4 feet long
~15 - 2-1/2" long exterior wood screws
SHOPPING LIST FOR OTTOMAN/COFFEE TABLE
1 - 2x2 @ 50"
3 - 2x4 @ 8 feet long
60 - 2-1/2" long exterior wood screws
TIPS BEFORE YOU BEGIN:
Find the cushions you want first. Ana's post said that she used standard 25" x 25" cushions, 5" deep, and I had a very hard time finding them. I found 24" x 24" to be more the standard. I decided to adjust the plans to make each sectional piece 24" x 24" instead of the 25" x 25" in her plans, to account for the smaller cushions I purchased. I think it would have been OK to leave the plans the way they were, but I like things to be exact. If you can sew, even better, because outdoor cushions are not cheap!
**Keep in mind that for corners, you will need two back pillows. If you purchase the cushions in sets with both backs and seats, consider purchasing another set, and using the spare seat cushion on the ottoman.
You will be able to see the screws if you are making this exactly the way Ana made hers. With the cushions on, you will really only be able to see the ones on the tops of the arms. Also, I added additional screws on the outside of the front legs (13 1/2" piece) to make them sturdier. These guys are heavy, and those legs needed more reinforcement. If that is going to be an issue for you, I suggest using a pocket hole jig and making this with pocket holes, so you can't see any of the screws on the arms and legs. This is a great little pocket hole jig by Kreg. The R3 Master System with Classic Clamp
I didn't feel like it was that big of a deal to have the screws showing, but this is a personal preference, so make that decision before you get started!
Happy building!
After all of the pieces were built, I sanded them down using 220 grit sandpaper.
Sometimes, I have trouble seeing my full vision come together, and I have to try things out in the actual space to see if it will work. I knew I wanted to stain, not paint, this furniture because I wanted the characteristics of the wood to show through. Now, what color stain? My grand plan was to stain the concrete on my patio (I'll talk about this process in a future post), so I waited until I did that to pick a stain for the furniture. Originally, I didn't like the Ebony stain at all, and wanted to go with the middle one. After the concrete was stained, the black/brown seemed like the obvious choice. The other two just blended in with the concrete. I also needed to make sure it was going to work with my cushions, so I laid the coffee table/ottoman upside down on the concrete, painted my three sample colors in inconspicuous places, and laid a pillow on it. Y'all, I'm a design genius! lol :)
Let's talk varnish! Polyurethane vs Spar Urethane. Polyurethane and Spar Urethane are basically a plastic coating that you brush on to protect your wood. I typically use regular polyurethane for indoor projects to protect from scratches and normal wear and tear. Spar Urethane does the same thing as Polyurethane, but is a necessary choice for outdoor projects. It also has UV protection, so your color won't fade, it seals out water and is mold and mildew resistant.
I hope this was a helpful "how-to" and inspired you to build a little something of your own! I would love to see your interpretation of this project! Please post pictures in the comments!
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