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Bar stools live or die on base support — a stool with straight legs and no stretchers feels tippy the moment someone leans on it. This design solves that with front legs splayed just 5° off vertical (barely visible, but enough to widen the stance at the floor) and a full box of aprons and leg supports tying everything together underneath the seat.
Build both leg assemblies identically before final assembly, and screw the base to the seat from underneath so no fasteners show on top — the visible seat surface is the one place on this build where a rough hole or filled screw would actually be noticeable.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x12 board, 12 in | 1 each |
| 1x4 board, 4.5 ft | 1 each |
| 2x2 board, 8 ft | 2 each |
| Wood screws, 2-1/2" | 20 each |
| Wood glue | 2 oz |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Seat1x12 | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 11 1/2" |
| Short aprons1x4 | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 11 1/2" |
| Longer aprons1x4 | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 13" |
| Back legs2x2 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 30" |
| Front legs2x2Both ends cut 5° off square, parallel to each other. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 30 1/8" |
| Diagonal leg brace, long2x2Longest point measurement, one end cut at 5° off square. | 1 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 12 5/8" |
| Diagonal leg brace, short2x2Longest point measurement, one end cut at 5° off square. | 1 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 10 1/8" |
| Leg supports2x2 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 13" |
Buy 4 boards at 8 ft.
2 boards
1 board
1 board
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 →
Attach the short seat aprons to the seat with 2-1/2" screws and glue.
Attach the longer aprons to both the seat and the shorter aprons with screws and glue, boxing the underside of the seat.
Build two matching leg assemblies from the front legs, back legs, diagonal braces, and leg supports, using 2-1/2" screws and glue at every joint. Keep the assemblies as close to identical as you can — any mismatch will make the stool rock.
Assemble the seat and both leg assemblies, screwing up from underneath the seat so no screw holes show on top. Sand every edge and finish as desired.
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