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A bar-height stool with double-beveled splayed legs and an upholstered, nailhead-trimmed seat — no sewing required.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Wrapped in foam and fabric; this dimension is the finished blank before upholstery bulk. | 1 | 1 1/2" × 11 1/2" × 18 1/2" | Pine | ☐ |
| Legs Ends cut parallel at a 5° double bevel — tilt and miter set together, same setting for every cut. | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 27 1/2" | Pine | ☐ |
| Side stretchers Ends NOT parallel, each cut at 5° off square. | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 8 7/8" | Pine | ☐ |
| Front/back stretchers Ends NOT parallel, each cut at 5° off square. | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 14 3/8" | Pine | ☐ |
| Nailhead-trim blocking One end cut at 5° off square; small spacer blocks under the seat trim. | 8 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 1/2" | Pine | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Pine or plywood, 2x12, 18-1/2" long The seat blank. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Pine, 2x2, 10 ft The four splayed legs. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Pine, 1x2, 8 ft Stretchers and nailhead-trim blocking. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Foam pad, 2" thick At least 18-1/2" x 11-1/2". | 1 each | ☐ |
| Batting | 1 yard | ☐ |
| Upholstery fabric or faux leather | 1 yard | ☐ |
| Decorative upholstery nails | 60 each | ☐ |
| Heavy-duty staples | 1 box | ☐ |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4" | 20 each | ☐ |
| Wood glue | 2 oz | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Miter Saw, Pencil. Materials: Pine, 2x2, 10 ft
Set the miter saw for a 5° double bevel — the blade both tilted 5° and angled 5° at the same time. Square off the end of the 2x2, then without rotating the board, slide down 27-1/2" and cut. That's one leg. Slide down another 27-1/2" and cut again for the next.
Don't change the saw setting between legs — that's what keeps all four identical, and identical legs are the whole game here. Once you have four, stand them up in position like they'll sit on the stool and mark the inside corner of each one. It's genuinely hard to tell which way a splayed leg angles once it's off the saw, and you do not want to find out you glued one in backward after assembly.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: Pine, 1x2, 8 ft, Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4"
This build is designed around a pocket hole jig; if you don't have one, countersunk screws work fine. Drill pocket holes in the ends of the four stretchers.
The tricky part: stretcher height is measured up from the FLOOR, not along the angled leg. Stand the legs against a flat, square reference edge, prop the stretcher on a scrap of 3/8" plywood or similar, and adjust the shim until the stretcher sits at the correct height off the floor. Then attach. This is not a step to rush — get it wrong and the stool sits crooked.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Level, Pocket Hole Jig.
With front and back stretcher pairs built, join the two sides into one base — this is where the project stops being flat and becomes three-dimensional, so go slow and dry-fit before you commit glue. Check the base sits flat with no rock; shim or trim a leg now if it doesn't.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Pine or plywood, 2x12, 18-1/2" long
Mark the stretcher locations on the underside of the seat blank so you know exactly where to drive screws once it's flipped over, then attach the seat to the base from underneath.
Tools: Staple Gun. Materials: Foam pad, 2" thick, Batting, Upholstery fabric or faux leather, Decorative upholstery nails, Heavy-duty staples
Layer the foam pad on top of the seat blank, then a layer of batting over that. Pull the fabric or faux leather taut over both layers and staple it to the underside of the seat, working from the center of each side outward and rotating so tension stays even — the same technique as stapling a canvas, no needle involved.
Trim the excess fabric close to the staples, then press decorative nails around the perimeter to cover the staple line and finish the edge. Space them evenly — mark the spacing in pencil first if you want them dead consistent.