There’s nothing better than packing up the car or the camper and hitting the road for a weekend camping break. But if you need camping accessories to make your trip a bit more civilised you don’t have to spend up large, there are always cheaper ways to get by. For example, you can easily make a DIY camping stool from scratch, check out how.
Materials you’ll need:
- 4 x 50 cm lengths of 2×2 wood for the legs
- 2 x 35 cm lengths of 2×2 wood for the side beams
- 1 x 30 cm length of 2×2 wood for the cross bar
- 1 x 25 cm length of 2×2 wood for the cross bar
- 4 x 6 cm long screws
- 8 x 4 cm long nails or skinny screws
- 2 x 6 cm bolts, ½ cm in diameter
- 6 x flat washers, ½ cm in diameter
- 2 x nuts, ½ cm in diameter
Tools you’ll need:
- Saw (hand or electric)
- Drill, with the relevant drill bits
- Hammer
- Sandpaper
- Screwdriver
- Wrench/spanner for the hex bolts
- Heavy-duty staple gun
- Wood glue
- Ruler, T-square, pencil
Step One – Preparing the Frame
Cut away one end of each of the four legs at a 45 degree angle and sand the lengths of wood so they’re smooth. You may want to varnish or paint at this stage before constructing the frame.
Step Two – Drilling Holes for the bolts & screws
Legs – Drill the bolt holes first through the middle of the four lengths that will be the legs. Then pre-drill holes in the middle of each of the flat ends for the screws.
Side Beams – Pre-drill one hole in each end of the side beams. For one side beam, the holes need to be approx. 30 cm apart, and for the other approx. 25 cm apart. This is because one set of legs will be narrower than the other so they can nest inside the larger set.
Step Three – Assembling the legs
Wider Legs – Gather 2 x 50 cm legs, 1 x 35 cm side beam, 1 x 30 cross bar. Nail in the cross bar approx. 7 cm from the end of the pointed ends, using two nails for each end. It’s easier if you partially hammer the nails in position through the legs. Then screw the side beam to the top of the legs. Note: Make sure the pointed ends are both facing the same way, and apply wood glue to the contact surfaces.
Narrower Legs – Repeat the process with the remaining bits of wood but adjust the height of the cross beam to 10 cm above the pointed ends. This allows the stool to be folded closed.
Step Four – Assemble the frame
Nest the narrow set of legs in the wider, with the pointed ends in the correct configuration for the stool to stand squarely on the ground.
On each side, line up the bolt holes and insert bolt, washers and nut in the following sequence: (from top to bottom): bolt, washer, wider leg, washer, narrower leg, washer, nut. Secure tightly with the nut on the bottom. Leave the frame to dry overnight.
Step Five – The seat cover
The easiest thing to use for a seat cover is a store bought placemat in durable woven cotton. Then it’s just a case of wrapping the shorter side over the side beams of the frame and neatly stapling along the fabric to secure it the wood. Be sure to use a decent amount of staples and your seat will be ready for use!
Source: How About Orange