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An adjustable chaise sounds like a hardware problem, but this design solves it with carpentry: the backrest is a hinged slat panel, a hinged 2x4 prop swings down from its back, and pairs of little 2x2 stop blocks screwed to the side rails catch the prop at whatever angles you choose. Flat for sunbathing, up for reading, and nothing to rust or ratchet.
The frame is a simple 2x4 box on stubby legs with cleats and 1x4 decking — sized so the deck flows into the back panel with a cushion over both. The plan opens with a fastener decision: pocket holes hide everything (1-1/2" setting for 2x-to-2x, 3/4" for 1x), or exterior self-tapping screws do the same job faster with visible heads. If a cushion will live on it, the screw heads vanish anyway — spend the effort on the mechanism instead.
Two mechanism notes worth respecting: the prop's 2x4s sit 2" in from the ends of its 2x2 cross pieces (that inset is the clearance past the frame), and the stop blocks must be placed so the back still folds completely FLAT — test with clamps before screwing any block down. Add more block pairs for more angles; it's the cheapest adjustability in furniture.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 2x4, 10 ftFrame, legs, prop supports. | 3 each |
| 2x2, 8 ftCleats, back supports, and stop blocks. | 2 each |
| 1x4, 8 ftAll the decking and back slats. | 7 each |
| Exterior hinges, 3"Two sets: back-to-frame, and prop-to-back. | 4 each |
| Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2", self-tapping | 50 each |
| Exterior screws, #8 x 2", self-tapping | 40 each |
| Exterior wood glue | 4 oz |
| Chaise cushionStandard chaise pads fit the 24-1/2" width. Not in the estimate. | 1 each |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Frame sides | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 75" |
| Frame crosspieces | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 24 1/2" |
| Legs | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 11 1/4" |
| Cleats2x2 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 27" |
| Side slats1x4 | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 78" |
| Main deck slats1x4 | 6 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 48" |
| Stop blocks2x2Three angle positions as shown — add pairs for more. | 6 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 3" |
| Back slats1x4 | 6 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 30" |
| Back supports2x2 | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 23 1/2" |
| Prop supports | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 10" |
Buy 14 boards at 8 ft.
4 boards
2 boards
8 boards
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Decide now: pocket holes (invisible — 1-1/2" setting with 2-1/2" pocket screws for 2x joints, 3/4" setting with 1-1/4" screws for 1x) or exterior self-tapping screws (faster, visible, hidden by any cushion). If pocket-holing, mark and drill ALL holes before assembly — some become unreachable once the frame closes up.
Assemble the two 75" sides and four crosspieces into the deck frame — the middle crosspieces land where the back panel will hinge. Get this frame VERY square (the plan's own emphasis): the hinged back has to swing true within it.
Screw the four legs to the frame's outside corners with 2-1/2" screws, then the two 2x2 cleats inside the frame, four screws each — they carry the fixed decking.
Attach the side slats and the six 48" main slats to the frame and cleats with 2" screws, even gaps. The opening you leave is the back panel's home — check its corners are square while you can still shift a slat.
Screw the six 30" back slats to the 2x2 back supports with 2" screws through the backs. Match the slat gaps to the fixed deck so the whole surface reads continuous when flat.
Make the prop: the two 10" 2x4 supports joined to their 2x2 crosspieces with the 2x4s inset 2" from the crosspiece ends — that inset is what clears the frame sides as the prop swings. Hinge the prop to the BACK of the back panel.
Set the back panel in its opening and hinge it to the frame crosspiece. Swing it through its whole travel — flat to fully raised — and make sure nothing scrapes before the next step locks in the geometry.
Clamp pairs of 2x2 stop blocks to the frame sides, set the back at an angle you'd actually lounge at, and TEST with your weight before screwing anything. Then fix each pair with screws.
The one rule: no block may prevent the back from folding completely flat. Three positions are shown; add pairs wherever your afternoons need them.
Use 1x2-ish scraps to make small stops that hold the prop's crosspiece in each position, screwed where your chosen angles land.
Sand thoroughly — bare skin, hot day, this is the furniture that gets used most — finish exterior-grade, add the cushion, and defend it from whoever gets there first.
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