Build an Elegant Dining Chair
Learn about the design and the steps involved in building this comfortable chair.
In this video workshop, Matthew Teague will show you how to build one of his favorite furniture projects, an elegant, solid-wood chair. He’s built a number of chairs based on this design, and will share the tips and tricks he’s learned along the way.
Chairmaking intimidates many woodworkers because of the angled joinery that’s typical of most chair designs, but it’s not as hard as you might think. To simplify this chair’s construction, Teague used slip tenons (also called loose or floating tenons) to connect the parts. It also helps to use full-size templates to lay out the joinery.
A set of woodworking plans is available to guide you in your build, but Teague also shows how to adjust the chair proportions to be comfortable in a range of sizes.
In this episode Teague talks about the design and the steps involved in the build.
Produced by: Gina Eide; Video by: Gary Junken; Editing by: Michael Dobsevage
Videos in the Series
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Build an Elegant Dining Chair
August 7, 2012
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Elegant Dining Chair: Templates and Patterns
August 7, 2012
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Elegant Dining Chair: Shape the Rear Legs
August 7, 2012
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Elegant Dining Chair: The Best Grain for Parts
August 7, 2012
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Elegant Dining Chair: Mortises
August 7, 2012
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Elegant Dining Chair: Slip Tenons
August 7, 2012
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Elegant Dining Chair: Shape the Legs and Rails
August 7, 2012
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Elegant Dining Chair: Joinery for Crest Rail and Back Splat
August 7, 2012
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Elegant Dining Chair: Final Smoothing
August 7, 2012
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Elegant Dining Chair: Assembly and Glue-up
August 7, 2012
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Elegant Dining Chair: Upholstery and Finishing
August 7, 2012
Comments
Thanks, Matt, for posting this great dining chair design nearly a decade ago! It caught my eye recently when I was planning a dining table/chairs for my daughter and it's well named--elegant. I opted for flat back spindles (instead of a splat) of walnut and cherry to match my table of identical woods, and added slight bottom curves to back rail and side rails. A timeless design, easily followed videos, and the set of plans were invaluable. I expect the chairs to last long after I'm gone; a kind of immortality at its best.
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