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DIY Pedestal Bar Stool

A row of bar stools can look very attractive in a home bar or breakfast nook. There are many companies that offer a variety of stools, but you can make your own fairly easily. You can make a homemade pedestal bar stool that is customized to your space by choosing a favorite style and then staining it to match your decor exactly. If you are building multiple stools, make them all at once in an assembly line fashion to save time.

Things You'll Need

  • 1-inch plywood
  • Pencil
  • Compass or can
  • Saw
  • Router
  • Sandpaper
  • Wood stain
  • Rubber gloves
  • Brush
  • Rag
  • Varnish
  • 2 3-inch metal pipe flanges
  • Drill
  • 1/16-inch bit
  • 3/4-inch wood screws
  • 3-inch double-threaded metal pipe
  • 2-inch wood screws
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Instructions

    • 1

      Draw a 14-inch circle onto a sheet of 1-inch plywood with a pencil. Use a compass or large can to ensure that your circle is perfectly round.

    • 2

      Cut the circle out with a jigsaw or band saw.

    • 3

      Round the top and bottom of the circle with a router, completing the seat's shape.

    • 4

      Sand the seat with 80-grit sandpaper, then again with 120-grit.

    • 5

      Wipe the seat with a tack cloth to remove the sanding dust.

    • 6

      Brush wood stain onto the seat, wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands. Let the stain sit for 30 seconds, then wipe off the excess with a clean towel. Apply another coat if the stain is not as dark as you want, then allow the seat to dry overnight.

    • 7

      Brush two coats of clear varnish onto the seat to protect it, allowing each coat to dry completely.

    • 8

      Place a 3-inch black metal pipe flange on the bottom of the seat, centered in the middle.

    • 9

      Mark the positions of the flange's screw holes, then drill pilot holes halfway into the wood. Use a 1/16-inch drill bit for the pilot holes.

    • 10

      Screw the flange onto the seat with 3/4-inch wood screws.

    • 11

      Screw a 3-inch, double-threaded, black metal pipe into the flange. The pipe should be 8 to 12 inches shorter than the height of your bar or table.

    • 12

      Screw another flange onto floor in the area where you want the stool, following the procedure in Steps 8 through 10. Use 3-inch wood screws for this to ensure that the stool will be firmly anchored on the floor.

    • 13

      Screw the stool into the floor flange.