{"id":1418,"date":"2026-05-14T09:34:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T09:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.buildtomade.com\/blog\/?p=1418"},"modified":"2026-05-15T15:52:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T15:52:54","slug":"outdoor-lounge-chair-from-5-boards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.buildtomade.com\/blog\/outdoor-lounge-chair-from-5-boards\/","title":{"rendered":"$15 Outdoor Lounge Chair"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This simple outdoor lounge chair is built from five 2x3s and a box of exterior screws for around $15. The low-profile design is beginner-friendly, sturdy, and easy to customize with cushions or outdoor stain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Materials<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8211; 5 standard 2&#215;3 boards<br>&#8211; 3&#8243; exterior wood screws<br>&#8211; Exterior wood <a href=\"\/blog\/woodglue\">glue<\/a><br>&#8211; Outdoor cushions (optional)<br>&#8211; Exterior stain or sealer (optional)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8211; Miter saw or <a href=\"\/blog\/circularsaw\">circular saw<\/a><br>&#8211; <a href=\"\/blog\/drill\">Drill<\/a>\/driver<br>&#8211; Drill bits for predrilling<br>&#8211; Tape measure<br>&#8211; Speed square<br>&#8211; Clamps (optional)<br>&#8211; Sander or <a href=\"\/blog\/sandingpads\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1427\">sanding<\/a> block<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cut List<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chair Leg Frames<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>22&#8243; vertical supports x4<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>20&#8243; horizontal supports x4<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Seat Frame<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>20&#8243; seat slats\/supports x7<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Backrest<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>18&#8243; top and bottom rails x2<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>19&#8243; side stiles x2<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>13 1\/2&#8243; middle rails x3<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cut all chair parts to length before assembly. Label the pieces to keep the two chair sides identical.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Build the two chair leg frames first using the 22&#8243; vertical supports and 20&#8243; horizontal supports. Assemble each side frame with 3&#8243; exterior screws and predrill every connection to help prevent splitting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Build the seat frame using seven 20&#8243; boards. Space the center rails evenly so the seat stays supportive and comfortable. The middle rails were placed flat.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Test fit the seat frame between the chair side assemblies. Trim the width slightly if needed so the seat slides into place without forcing it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attach the seat frame between the chair sides using exterior screws through the outer frames into the seat supports.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assemble the backrest using the two 18&#8243; rails, two 19&#8243; stiles, and three 13 1\/2&#8243; middle rails. Keep the spacing even for a clean look.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Slide the backrest into place at a slight recline angle. Clamp it temporarily and test the seating position before fastening permanently. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Screw the backrest securely into the chair side frames using exterior screws. Switch to lag bolts for a durable joint.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sand sharp corners and rough edges before applying an exterior finish if desired.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add outdoor cushions for extra comfort and to soften the low lounge-style seating position.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Notes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Predrilling is important when working with 2&#215;3 lumber since the narrower stock can split near the ends.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pressure-treated lumber works well outdoors but should dry before staining.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The low seat height gives this chair more of a relaxed lounge feel than a standard patio chair.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If your seat frame fits too tightly between the legs, trim small amounts evenly from both sides instead of forcing the fit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Exterior wood glue adds strength but is optional for this build.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You can customize the sizing to your liking.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Difficulty: Easy<br>Estimated Time: 2-3 hours<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Easy \u2022 2-3 hrs \u2022 5 boards<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1419,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-build-plans"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.buildtomade.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_2637-Copy.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.buildtomade.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.buildtomade.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.buildtomade.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.buildtomade.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.buildtomade.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1418"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.buildtomade.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1432,"href":"https:\/\/www.buildtomade.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1418\/revisions\/1432"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.buildtomade.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.buildtomade.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.buildtomade.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.buildtomade.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}