PVC is so lightweight and strong, it can go anywhere. It won’t rot, mold, or mildew, and bugs won’t eat it. It’s single drawback is the UV rays from the sun- unless you paint it with UV reflective sealant.
PVC comes in white, clear, gray, and other colors. Paint or stain your PVC chair any color or shade you wish to match your d©cor.
I was inspired by the design created by Ana White. She built an adjustable wooden chair. I took one look at it and knew it could be done in PVC.
To build this chair, read the directions through, then read them again with a pencil and paper. Research online and find pictures of the different fittings, and draw them on the paper. Draw tubes representing the parts of the chair. Label the pieces according to the chair’s directions. It will help to envision putting the chair together, and everything will go together smoothly.
This chair is sized for the average adult, however the builder may customize the size for larger or smaller adults, toddlers or children.
The adjustment bar may be removed for travel.
You will need:
- Sandpaper- med or fine
- ABS PVC multi-purpose cement
- Marker
- Measuring tape
- Pipe- the pipe for this project is 1″ furniture grade. One inch Schedule 40 may be used, as it is a thicker, heavier pipe. It is cheaper, but will weigh more.
- 4 each tee connectors,
- 10 each 90 degree (corner) connectors
- Caps for the ends, either insertable or end cap
- Hacksaw with PVC blade or PVC cutter
- Drill with bits- pvc drilling jig (optional)
- 4 Carriage bolts, 3/8″ by 2 ½” long
- 12 each 3/8″ washers
- 4 each 3/8″ cap nuts
- 1 ½ yards of 54″wide outdoor fabric, sewing notions and thread
- ½” Grommets, zipper or other type of closure desired to attach sling to chair.
- Two foot by four- foot sheet outdoor grade plywood or PVC lumber, 3/4″ thickness and appropriate saw blades.
- Sandpaper, sealant, stain or paint for the wood
- One box #10 brass screws, ¾” long. Always pre-drill holes before inserting screws.
- Construction adhesive for extra holding power, if desired.
- 3/8″ cording for tying sling to chair- about 2 yards.
- Hammer for the grommet kit
Step One:
The Backrest Frame
Cut two lengths of PVC, each 48″ long. Cut two lengths of PVC, each 26″ long. Place a corner connector at the top and bottom of the two long bars, and attach the short pipe in between. Dry fit only. Measure 1″ down from the end of the connector and make a mark on the pipe. Do this on both sides. Attach a tee fitting in the pipe with the tee pointing inward. Fit together and measure between the tees, allowing enough pipe for insertion. Cut and insert a pipe into the openings. Do not cement yet.
Attach crossbars made of, 3/8″ plywood, 1″- by- 3″, may be attached with screws to the top of the frame just under the caps. Use one for the head, leaving a 3/8″ gap between the bars. On the under side of the frame at the bottom, attach a crossbar 2″ up from the bottom. Measure the distance carefully before cutting to ensure the bars reach both sides of the frame.
Mark 16″ from the bottom and the top of the frame. Center the holes and drill through. Carriage bolts will be threaded through these.
Set this aside for now.
Step Two:
The Seat Rest Frame
Cut two lengths of PVC, each 44″ long. Cut two lengths of PVC, each 24 ¼” long. Place corner connectors at each end and dry fit the short lengths between them, forming a rectangle as for the backrest frame.
At the top, measure as before, 1″ down from the bottom of the connector, make a mark on each side, cut the pipe, insert the tee, measure for, cut and insert a cross bar.
From the bottom, measure from the top of the connector and make marks at 7.5″, 9″, 10″, 12″, and 13.5″ on both sides. As before, cut on these lines, attach tee connectors, measure, cut and install cross bars. Before drilling holes to attach the slats, ensure there is at least one inch width between the bars for the adjusting bar to rest on.
Attach plywood slats with the same dimensions mentioned above to the frame. All the slats will be attached to the same side of the backrest frame. Mark the center of the boards, and center these marks on the frame before attaching.
Measure 17″ down from the top of the backrest frame and place a mark on both sides. Drill through these marks, making certain they are centered. The carriage bolts will be threaded through these.
If you’d like additional holding power, when the chair is assembled and cemented, use construction adhesive to hold the slats in place before drilling. Take care not to make a mess- paint, stains or dyes won’t go through the adhesive to the PVC.
Step Three:
This next step is a little fun. Turn the seat rest frame upside down. Place it inside the back rest frame, with the four crossbars at the top. The slats should be facing out. Match the drill holes at the bottom. Thread a washer onto each of two carriage bolts, insert through the drill holes from the inside out, placing a washer between the two frames, a washer on the outside and the cap nut. Do not tighten all the way yet.
Open the chair, lowering the four crossbars to the backside of the chair. The seat bars should be to the front, and the head of the chair should be at the top. If not, adjust now.
Step Four:
The Adjusting Bar
Cut two lengths of PVC, each 15″ long. Place a cap at one end of each pole and a corner connector at the other. Cement this cap in place before drilling. Allow twenty- four hours for the cement to come to full strength.
A hole will be drilled through this cap for the carriage bolt. If using caps over the ends of the pipe, a carriage bolt of extra length may be required.
Fold the chair and lay down so the top frame is flat on the floor. Hold one pole straight up, with the cap on the floor next to the hole. Insert a pencil or other marker through the hole to the cap and make a mark. Do this on each side with both poles. The chair pole may be removed for this step as well, since everything at this point is still dry fit. Center the drill holes in each cap end, and drill through.
If you disassembled the chair, reassemble it now with the adjusting bar poles on the sides. The carriage bolt threads from the inside. The corner connectors point inward.
As before, measure, cut and insert a crossbar inserted in the connectors.
Alternative: Place end caps on both ends. Mark the bottom of the seat rest poles as for the slats, and drill holes at those marks. Drill holes through the bottoms of the bottom caps as for the top. Place carriage bolts through the holes to stand the chair up and adjust it. This does call for a little more work when adjusting the chair for comfort, but the chair will be lighter.
Step Four:
The Sling
This sling is reversible. Use matching or contrasting fabrics.
Cut two pieces of outdoor fabric each measuring 58 inches by 25 inches. The seams for this project will be a half inch. Measure the crossbar on the seat rest- this is the smaller measurement. Adjust your fabric width, allowing for seam allowances as necessary.
With right sides together, sew a half- inch seam around the project, leaving a six- inch opening. Turn inside out, and work the corners square. Finger-press the side seams flat or use a hand pressing tool. Do not use a hot iron unless the fabric will allow it.
With the project flat, top stitch around the entire piece. This sews the opening closed.
Fold over three inches at each end and pin. Try to insert a length of pipe through the opening. If it’s too tight a fit, allow a little larger fold. Mark the place on the fabric where the seam touches. Flatten the fold. Make sure you can lift the bottom fabric so you can lift and mark both sides at once.
Measure ½” in from the bottom seam, and make 6 evenly spaced marks. Push a pin all the way through both pieces and mark the top and bottom of the fabrics. The grommets will be placed here.
Attach the grommets with the right sides facing the inside of the chair, and the grommets to the back facing outward. Cut out any fabric remaining in the centers.
Go to the chair and set it up, still dry fit only.
Cut the cord into one- yard lengths, and place the fabric sling over the top and seat rails. Tie in place through the grommets.
Gently have a seat. If you’ve never sat in a sling chair before, it will feel a little strange. It should be comfortable- the sling holds your weight.
Step Five:
If everything feels good to go, the chair is level, no further adjustments are needed, take the sling off and glue the connectors and tees in place. Allow the chair to dry for twenty-four hours.
Reattach the sling and take your chair with you wherever you go.
This inexpensive summer project that will last for years. For heavier persons, use larger and stronger PVC, or choose a wooden or metal frame rated for their weight.
Note: This chair is not intended to be used as a flotation device, ladder or trampoline. It will not accomplish these tasks.
Source: Ana White, “Wood Folding Sling Chair, Deck Chair or Beach Chair- Adult Size,” Ana White.com website, 3 June, 2011
Source: The author of this article has over 40 years of experience in diverse forms of DIY, home improvement and repair, crafting, designing, and building furniture, outdoor projects and more.
