Extra-Comfy Loveseat - garden furniture project

Flower & Garden Magazine, Sept, 2001 by Janice Eaton Kilby

DESIGNER George Harrison

When you sit in your new loveseat, you'll understand why we think this may be one of the most comfortable garden seats ever crafted. Its lines are inspired by classic Adirondack design, but the difference in comfort is remarkable! The secret is in the templates you'll make and use to cut the contoured pieces of your loveseat.

MATERIALS

48 linear feet of 1-inch-thick x 5 1/2-inch wide (2.5 x 14 cm) cypress or pressure-treated lumber

TOOLS

Band saw or jigsaw
Power drill with #8 pilot drill bit, #8 countersink,
and 1/8-inch (3 mm) drill bit
Table saw or circular saw with rip guide
Router with 1/4-inch (6 mm) roundover bit
C-clamps
Rasp
Measuring tape
Small square
Bevel gauge
Awl
Scrap wood blocks
150-grit sandpaper
HARDWARE AND SUPPLIES

1/2 sheet (4 x 4 feet) of thin scrap plywood, or stiff cardboard
1 pound #8 x 2-inch (5.1 cm) deck screws
water sealer or paint (optional)
paintbrush (optional)

[ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED]

CUTTING LIST

Code   Description          Qty   Material and Dimensions

A      Seat supports        3     1 x 5 1/2 x 37" (2.5 x 14 x 94
                                  cm), shape as per template
B      Arms                 2     1 x 5 1/2 x 31"(2.5 x 14 x 78.7
                                  cm), shape as per template
C      Seat slats           9     1 x 5 1/2 (2.5 x 14 cm), 1 1/2 x
                                  42" (3.8 x 106.7 cm)
D      Back slats           4     1 x 5 1/2 x 30" (2.5 x 14 x 76.2
                                  cm), shape as per template
E      Back slats           4     1 x 5 1/2 x 31 1/2" (2.5 x 14 x
                                  80 cm), shape as per template
F      Back slats           4     1 x 5 1/2 x 31 1/2" (2.5 x 14 x
                                  80 cm), shape as per template
G      Arm brackets         2     1 x 5 1/2 x 7 1/8" (2.5 x 14 x
                                  18.1 cm), shape, as per template
H      Upper back support   1     1 x 5 1/2 x 41 1/2" (2.5 x 14 x
                                  105.4 cm), shape as per template
I      Lower back support   1     1 x 5 1/2 x 42" (2.5 x 14 x
                                  106.7 cm), shape as per template
J      Front legs           2     1 x 5 1/2 x 20 5/8" (2.5 x 14 x
                                  52.4 cm), shape as per template
K      Back legs            2     1 x 5 1/2 x 26" (2.5 x 14 x 66
                                  cm), shape as per template

* INSTRUCTIONS

Cutting Out the Chair Parts

1. All of the chair pieces are made using templates, except for the seat slats (C), which you can cut to size on the table saw or with a circular saw. The angles and subtle curves are the key to the loveseat's comfort. If you take your time making the templates, they'll faithfully duplicate the contoured shapes of the chair pans. Enlarge the templates on grid paper, and trace the shapes onto stiff cardboard or thin plywood. Make sure to mark the pilot holes where indicated.

Cut the templates by carefully sawing to your lines with a jigsaw or on the band saw, then fair and smooth the curves with a rasp and 150-grit sandpaper. Drill 1/8-inch (3 mm) holes through the templates at each pilot hole location.

2. Once you've made the templates, lay them on your stock and trace around them. Use an awl to transfer the pilot hole locations onto the stock. Cut out each piece with the jigsaw or on the band saw, cutting up to your traced lines.

3. Countersink and drill all the pilot holes through the chair pieces, except for the back slats (D, E, and F). On these slats, countersink and drill pilot holes only through the lower holes; you'll drill the upper holes later. Be sure to countersink and drill three pilot holes in each seat slat (C), one centered on the slat's length and two holes 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) in from each end.

4. To ease the sharp edges of the chair, use the router with the 1/4-inch (6 mm) roundover bit. Rout all the edges, or arris, except for those areas where joints will meet. Leave these areas sharp and crisp.

Assembling the Chair Frame

A note about the joinery before you begin assembly: All the joints in this chair are screwed together. You can install the screws much more easily and prevent splitting by boring 1/8-inch (3 mm) pilot holes for the screws in the stock. Once you've aligned the two parts that form a joint, use the 1/8-inch bit to drill through your previously countersunk pilot holes in the first part and into the second, mating piece.

1. On each seat support (A), make a mark 5 3/4 inches in from the front at the bottom face of the leg. Make another mark at the back of the leg, 2 inches (5.1 cm) in from the back, as shown. You'll use these marks to align the front and back legs (J and K).

2. Using the straight front edge of your workbench or a straight board as a gauge, position one front leg (J) over one seat support (A), aligning the bottom of the leg and the flat area on the seat support with the straight edge. Position the front leg with the mark you made on the seat support in step 1. Set a bevel gauge to 60 [degrees], and use the gauge to position the leg at the correct angle relative to the seat support. Clamp in place. Screw the front leg to the seat support with two #8 x 2-inch (5.1 cm) deck screws. Repeat the process with the second front leg and another seat support, this time arranging the pieces as a mirror image of the first assembly. These assemblies will be used on the right and left sides of the loveseat.