Introduction: Outdoor Adirondack Chair for Your Pets

About: I enjoy building and creating, just found the site and I look forward to seeing what they have to offer.
Pets love an outdoor chair/bed and why not make it like your current chairs. I will take you through the step by step process to build your own pet adirondak chair. This can be done with an old pallet or just scrap wood.

Supplies

- One pallet/ scrap wood
- sand paper or sander
- jigsaw
- chop saw
- table saw
- compressor
- brad nailer
- hammer (to pull nails out of pallet)
- brad nails ( 1 1/4 or 1 1/2)
- screws (3 inch)
- small clamps
- tape measure
- pencil
- drill
- drill bits

Step 1: Choose the Scrap Wood You Have.

I have old scrap wood and pallets (this is what I used). I tried to find the smoothest wood so it cuts down on sanding to protect your pet.

Step 2: Start With Laying Out Your Size

I chose a 12x24 bench (make sure to measure the length of your pet as they want to be comfy) I started with 1x1 and made a frame. I always cut the long ends first (mine where 24) then put them in place and measure for the extra two pieces and it was roughly 9 1/2 inches because the wood is not exactly 1x1.

Step 3: Connecting the Wood

Start by checking the fitment of the pieces and then predrill the outside corners and check by placing screw next to the wood to make sure you have enough threads for the next piece of wood. After checking screws are long enough add the screws on all four sides. This will complete the bottom frame.

Step 4: Cutting the Bottom Slats

You will then need to figure out what size slats you would like and the spacing between the slats so this is where you take your slat size and add your spacer size and calculate the size then divide it by the overall length. But remember to leave a gap in the back of the lower slats for the back of the bench ( you will need to figure out the back wood depth you are using before you complete this step).I cut a board in half and used this as my slats on the table saw. And did my back spacing math and left open a 2 inch gap for the back we will get to in the next steps. I used a Brad nailer and nailed them in and used my 1/4 yard stick as a spacer to make sure the gap was the same all the way back.

Step 5: Adding the Legs

I found a old 2 x 4 from a pallet and placed it next to the frame and choose my height. I then choose my height and marked it off on the 2x4 and cut it on the chop saw to length. I placed it next to the frame and made a line on the wood and this gave me the placement of drilling the holes into the frame for the screws to attach it. I added the legs to the frame.

Step 6: Laying Out the Back of the Bench

I used 1/2 x 1 for the back braces and cut my boards to be spaced again with my 1/4 gap between the boards and found I would need 6 boards. I cut 4 of them to 14 inches and 2 of them to 16 inches. I spaced my lower boards 4 inches apart to attach my slats with the nailer. Then I took a premade arch which I make from drilling a hole in the middle of the board and take a string and pencil and rotated it from the center point and cut that out to form the arch you can do the same with the pencil on the slats themselves. I put the arch in the center and traced the line. I got my hand dandy jig saw out and cut the line to for the back support arch. I then sanded down the cut to make it smooth.

Step 7: Attaching the Back

I predrilled two holes down from my back frame to my lower frame ( I will connect the arms later to give the bench more strength).

Step 8: Cutting the Arms

I found some scrap wood and placed it flat and I took a 1/4 dowel rod and put it on the straight side and bent it to the length I needed for the bench and traced it out. I then clamped two pieces together and got my jigsaw back out and cut this to have two of the same angle and length.

Step 9: Attaching the Arms

I took my premeasured arms and spaced them on the legs to the back support and got my nailer and nailed them in.

Step 10: Your Almost Done... Now We Paint

The next step is paint, choose a color or stain and add it to the bench. I chose a nice beach theme color (this is what I used) for my chair and we painted it. Dont forget to stir your paint. Apply thin coats to let the paint soak in.

Step 11: Time to Test...

Have pet approve the chair... looks like we are good.

Step 12: Add the Cushion

Find some foam and cut it to length, we used 2 inch foam. Cover with fabric of your choice. You now have a outdoor pet adirondak chair. Hope you enjoyed the build!