Vintage Bar Stool

Build the backrest frame from the top rail, sides, and slats, joined with pocket holes and glue. Check it square before moving on — this small assembly sits on top of the back legs and any twist here is obvious at eye level.

Assemble the front, back, and side aprons around the four legs. Drill the aprons' pocket holes facing UPWARD on the inside faces before you attach them — that lets you screw the seat on from inside the frame later, instead of reaching up from underneath a finished stool. If the stool feels like it needs it, add corner braces at this step too.

Attach the stretchers between the legs. Drill a pocket hole into two different faces of each 2x2 stretcher — this locks the joint against racking from two directions instead of one, a trick worth using on any stool with 2x2 stretchers.

If you drilled the apron pocket holes in the seat-frame step, attach the seat slats from underneath with 1-1/4" pocket screws.

Sand every edge smooth, easing the seat and backrest edges especially — this is a seat someone sits against for a while. Finish as desired.