Outdoor Chair Plans – Build a Comfortable Portable Wooden Lawn Chair

Build a comfortable wooden outdoor chair that is easy to move and practical enough for everyday use around the yard, deck, cottage, or campfire.

These step-by-step woodworking plans show you how to build the Milltree Designs Garden Lawn Chair — a relaxed outdoor chair with long, wide armrests, a comfortable seating position, and a design that is light enough to move when you want to sit somewhere different.

Digital woodworking plans – instant download after purchase.

The Problem

A lot of outdoor chairs are either too light and flimsy, or so heavy and bulky that once you put them somewhere, you tend to leave them there.

That is not always what you want.

Sometimes you want a solid wooden chair that you can keep in a garage or shed and move outside when you feel like sitting on the lawn, around a fire, or in another part of the yard.

The Solution

This Garden Lawn Chair was originally designed for an older gentleman who wanted exactly that.

He kept the chair in his garage and carried it out to the front lawn whenever he wanted to sit outside and relax.

That need influenced the design.

The chair has a relaxed seating position without being excessively low, so it is easier to get in and out of than many deep reclining outdoor chairs.

The long, wide armrests give you plenty of room to rest your arms while still leaving space beside you for a cold beverage.

And by building it from pine or cedar, the finished chair stays reasonably light and portable without feeling flimsy.

It is a practical chair you can move from the garage, shed, deck, lawn, cottage, or fire pit area whenever you want to use it.

Features

• Designed to be portable and easy to move
• Relaxed seating position without sitting excessively low
• Easier to get in and out of than many deep outdoor chairs
• Long, wide armrests with room for your arms and a cold beverage
• Solid wooden construction without unnecessary bulk
• Suitable for lawns, decks, patios, cottages, and campfire areas
• Designed for the home woodworker to build

Chair Dimensions

The diagram below shows the overall front, side and rear dimensions of the finished chair.

Recommended Lumber

For this particular chair, pine or cedar are the best choices because keeping the chair reasonably light is part of the design.

Cedar

Cedar is the better choice if you want longer outdoor life and natural resistance to rot while still keeping the chair fairly light.

It costs more than pine, but it is a very good choice for a chair that may spend a lot of time outdoors.

Pine

Pine is the economical choice.

It is easy to work with, widely available, and helps keep the finished chair light enough to move around easily.

If the chair is stored indoors when it is not being used and properly protected with an outdoor finish, pine can be a very practical option.

What About Pressure-Treated Lumber?

I do not recommend pressure-treated lumber for this chair.

The extra weight works against one of the main advantages of the design — portability.

If easy movement is important, pine or cedar are the better choices.

What You’ll Get

Your purchase includes a downloadable woodworking plan for building the Garden Lawn Chair.

The plans are designed to guide you through the build and provide the information needed to cut, assemble, and complete the chair.

Because this is a digital product, no physical chair is shipped.

Your plan is available to download after purchase.

Who This Chair Is For

These plans are a good fit if you:

• Want a wooden outdoor chair you can move around the yard
• Prefer something lighter than a heavy permanent patio chair
• Want comfortable seating for a lawn, deck, patio, cottage, or fire pit
• Like the idea of keeping the chair in a garage or shed when it is not being used
• Want to build your own outdoor furniture instead of buying it ready-made
• Prefer a relaxed chair that is not excessively low to the ground

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a physical chair?
No. This listing is for a digital woodworking plan that you download and use to build the chair yourself.

Is this an Adirondack chair?
It has a relaxed outdoor seating style, but this is the Milltree Designs Garden Lawn Chair rather than a traditional deep Adirondack chair.

Is the chair easy to move?
Yes. Portability is one of the main reasons for the design. Using pine or cedar helps keep the finished chair light enough to move from place to place.

What wood should I use?
Cedar or pine are the recommended choices. Choose cedar if you want better natural rot resistance and longer outdoor life. Choose pine if you want to keep the cost down and still have a lightweight chair.

Should I use pressure-treated lumber?
I do not recommend it for this chair because the extra weight makes the chair less portable.

Where can I use the finished chair?
It works well on lawns, decks, patios, cottages, around fire pits, or anywhere you want comfortable portable outdoor seating.

Are the armrests wide enough for a drink?
Yes. The long, wide armrests provide room to rest your arms while still leaving space for a cold beverage beside you.

Build Your Own Garden Lawn Chair

If you want a comfortable wooden chair that you can move wherever you want to sit, this is exactly what this design was intended to do.

Use the Add to cart or Buy it now button above to download the plans and start your build.

Want to Learn More?

Best Wood for Outdoor Furniture: Which Wood Actually Lasts?
Compare common outdoor woods and see what works best for furniture projects.

Cedar vs Pressure-Treated vs Pine: Which Is Best for Outdoor Furniture?
A useful comparison of cost, weight, durability, and rot resistance.

Outdoor Furniture Finishing – Paint or Stain
Learn how to protect the finished chair and extend its outdoor life.

More Outdoor Seating Plans

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Build a traditional wooden rocker for a porch, deck, or outdoor sitting area.

48" Garden Bench Plans
Build a two-person wooden bench for gardens, decks, fire pits, and backyard seating.

Double Garden Bench with Center Table
Build two connected seats with a convenient centre table between them.