NotchLoading plan…
Loading plan…
Use your browser's Print (Ctrl/Cmd + P) and choose Save as PDF. This page works offline once you've opened it with a signal.
A full-size outdoor sofa with a real reclined back — the backrest is a separate slatted panel that leans into the frame, so it's comfortable before the cushions even arrive.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legs | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 22" | — | ☐ |
| Arm rests | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 34" | — | ☐ |
| Arm supports, 2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 31" | — | ☐ |
| Arm supports, 2x6 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 31" | — | ☐ |
| Bases | 2 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 75 1/2" | — | ☐ |
| Back rail | 1 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 75 1/2" | — | ☐ |
| Back rest top | 1 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 75 1/2" | — | ☐ |
| Back slats | 9 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 23 3/4" | — | ☐ |
| Back base The step-6 diagram shows this wrong — 79-1/2" with 2" overhangs is correct. | 1 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 79 1/2" | — | ☐ |
| Seat slat cleats | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 79 1/2" | — | ☐ |
| Seat slats | 10 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 23 1/2" | — | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| 2x2, 8 ft Back rest top and seat slat cleats. | 3 each | ☐ |
| 2x6, 8 ft Bases, arm supports, back base. | 4 each | ☐ |
| 2x4, 8 ft Legs, arms, back slats. | 6 each | ☐ |
| 1x4, 10 ft Seat slats. | 2 each | ☐ |
| Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2", self-tapping | 50 each | ☐ |
| Exterior pocket hole screws, 2-1/2" | 50 each | ☐ |
| Exterior screws, #8 x 1-1/2", self-tapping Seat slats only. | 20 each | ☐ |
| Outdoor cushions, seat and back Size before building — the frame suits standard ~24"-deep seat cushions. Not in the cost estimate. | 1 each | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, Exterior pocket hole screws, 2-1/2"
Drill two 1-1/2" pocket holes in the top of each leg and attach to the arm rests from underneath with 2-1/2" pocket screws. The diagrams show the assembly upside down — build it that way, it's easier.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, Exterior pocket hole screws, 2-1/2"
Pocket-hole both ends of the 2x4 side supports and attach between the legs, holes facing inside where they'll never be seen.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 2x6, 8 ft, Exterior pocket hole screws, 2-1/2"
Pocket-hole each 2x6 end apron — two holes per end, plus three along one edge (those face up later, for attaching things above). Install inside the legs, flush to the outside faces, holes inward.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 2x6, 8 ft, 2x4, 8 ft, Exterior pocket hole screws, 2-1/2"
Pocket-hole the long 2x6 bases and the 2x4 back rail, and join the two arm assemblies into the sofa frame — all pocket holes on the insides or facing down. This is the step where the sofa gets big; work on a flat patio, not a cluttered garage floor.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Tape Measure. Materials: 2x2, 8 ft, 2x4, 8 ft, Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2", self-tapping
Screw the 2x2 back-rest top to the nine back slats, two 2-1/2" self-tapping screws per joint.
Use the plan's spacing trick: attach the two END slats and the MIDDLE slat first, then distribute the rest evenly between them. Spacing all nine left-to-right accumulates error; anchoring the ends and middle traps it.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: 2x6, 8 ft, Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2", self-tapping
Screw the slat panel to the 79-1/2" 2x6 back base, keeping the same slat spacing as the top, with a 2" overhang at each end.
Note: the source diagram for this step is wrong — trust the cut list (79-1/2", 2" overhangs), not the picture.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Tape Measure. Materials: Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2", self-tapping
Set the back panel inside the sofa frame: its base sits on the seat area 8" in from the back edge, screwed down with 2-1/2" screws, and the top LEANS against the frame's back rail. That lean is the recline — don't square it up.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2", self-tapping
Screw through a few of the back slats into the back rail where they touch. The back is now anchored at the bottom and pinned at the top — sit against it hard and check nothing moves.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: 2x2, 8 ft, Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2", self-tapping
Screw a 2x2 cleat along the back base 2x6, screws about every 12". This carries the back edge of the seat deck.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Tape Measure. Materials: 2x2, 8 ft, Exterior screws, #9 x 2-1/2", self-tapping
Screw the other 2x2 cleat to the inside of the front base, about 1" down from the top edge — the drop recesses the seat deck so cushions sit in the frame instead of sliding off it.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Random Orbit Sander. Materials: 1x4, 10 ft, Exterior screws, #8 x 1-1/2", self-tapping, Outdoor cushions, seat and back
Lay the ten 1x4 seat slats across the cleats and screw down with 1-1/2" screws, one per end. Sand everything, finish it exterior-grade, add cushions, and take the first nap in something you built.