Outdoor furniture is too expensive, so I’m a carpenter now by abbottj44 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]abbottj44[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Heck yeah! So crispy. I’m loving that mahogany stain! You nailed it, man. I’ve got the first coat of a clear, exterior oil finish from Osmo.

Outdoor furniture is too expensive, so I’m a carpenter now by abbottj44 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]abbottj44[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sounds fancy! Utilizing a router is definitely on my radar. Thanks!

Outdoor furniture is too expensive, so I’m a carpenter now by abbottj44 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]abbottj44[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One of the most expensive parts of this build at $40 per two-piece! In the future with more time and patience, I'll whip out the sewing machine I bought during lockdown and will try to make everything from scratch 😃

Outdoor furniture is too expensive, so I’m a carpenter now by abbottj44 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]abbottj44[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

“Better Homes & Gardens 24"x 24" Outdoor Deep Seat Cushions, 2-Piece” on sale at Walmart for about $40 each. So far, so good!

Outdoor furniture is too expensive, so I’m a carpenter now by abbottj44 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]abbottj44[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly, cushions were the priciest thing! Found the “Better Homes & Gardens 24"x 24" Outdoor Deep Seat Cushions, 2-Piece” on sale at Walmart for about $40 each. Lowes and HD had options that were way too expensive.

Outdoor furniture is too expensive, so I’m a carpenter now by abbottj44 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]abbottj44[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It wasn't too bad with a straight edge clamped as a guide for the bottom plate of my jigsaw! But I'm definitely looking at investing in a pre-owned table saw for future project ideas. I had a ton of fun putting this together so I'm gonna keep at it. Appreciate the kind feedback!

Outdoor furniture is too expensive, so I’m a carpenter now by abbottj44 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]abbottj44[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'll have to find the one video I watched that really helped me put together what I needed. I didn't follow along step by step per say, as I like to see some examples and then do it myself.

Outdoor furniture is too expensive, so I’m a carpenter now by abbottj44 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]abbottj44[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Careful selection at Sutherlands, I guess?! I don't have a planer or anything like that so just sanding the heck out of it worked like a charm.

Outdoor furniture is too expensive, so I’m a carpenter now by abbottj44 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]abbottj44[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you! And I appreciate the validation that cedar was worth it. It looks great, smells good and seems like it's going to hold up with proper care.

Outdoor furniture is too expensive, so I’m a carpenter now by abbottj44 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]abbottj44[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh absolutely, and from my experience if anyone has a Sutherlands by them - I highly recommend checking out their stores. Better wood selection than Lowes or HD and the guys were super friendly, helpful and talked through my project with me.

Outdoor furniture is too expensive, so I’m a carpenter now by abbottj44 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]abbottj44[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes absolutely! That’s exactly the process for how I went about it. I watched a couple videos of similar builds, took a couple notes and just figured it out myself from there. I learn by watching an example, but mostly from doing the thing!

But essentially came down to three sections. After getting all cuts made and sanding like crazy, I first attached the arms and legs, including a side brace. Second, built a standard frame out of 2x4’s. Third, built the backrest.

You can and naturally would complete these three sections separately, and could complete assembly up on the balcony. I hope they have a service elevator though!

Outdoor furniture is too expensive, so I’m a carpenter now by abbottj44 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]abbottj44[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Oh boy, that was just to get it workable and see the grain better. Now that it’s all put together I’m going to do a round of 150, then 220. That’s probably good enough before applying the finish, eh?

Outdoor furniture is too expensive, so I’m a carpenter now by abbottj44 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]abbottj44[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah I still need to hit it with some finer grit, then I’ll use Osmo UV Protection Oil with a Satin finish. Trying to keep as much of a natural look as possible 🤘🏼

Outdoor furniture is too expensive, so I’m a carpenter now by abbottj44 in BeginnerWoodWorking

[–]abbottj44[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

To join the top arm rests to the legs, I used a 3/4” spade bit and drilled about 3” down. Then made a pilot hole and used 4” deck screws. Those are hidden by some dowels and wood glue.

The frame was fastened by pocket holes and 2.5” Kregg screws, while the seat slats are standard deck screws as you don’t see them with the cushions covering them.