How to Make a Teak Chair Leg

Draw the chair leg profile onto a piece of cardboard. You must make two drawings. One drawing will depict the shape of the chair leg when observed from the side. Label this template with "Side." The second drawing will depict the shape of the chair leg when observed from the front or back. Label this template with "Front/Back." Most chair legs are slightly tapered at the bottom, but the precise shape is a personal preference.

Place the "Side" template on the teak board and use a pencil to trace around the template. Repeat for all four legs.

Don a face mask and protective eyewear.

Cut out the chair legs, using the "Side" template tracings as a guide. A number of saws are suitable for this project, including jigsaws, table saws and band saws.

Rotate the teak board by 45 degrees so one of the freshly-cut surfaces is facing the ceiling and place the "Front/Back" template on top of the teak board. Trace around the template with a pencil. Repeat for all of the legs.

Saw the chair legs to size, using the "Front/Back" template tracings as a guide.

Don work gloves to protect your hands from splinters and sharp edges on the wood.

Sand the chair legs with a medium-grit sandpaper, mounted on a sanding block or random orbital sander. Smooth the wood, paying special attention to the corners.

Sand the chair legs with a fine-grit sandpaper, mounted on a sanding block or random orbital sander.

Remove the protective eyewear, but leave the face mask on while you apply the finish.

Place the chair legs on top of a drop cloth.

Paint or polyurethane the chair legs. Use a paintbrush to apply two to three coats. Allow the paint or polyurethane to dry before applying a new coat. The color and finish must match the rest of the chair. If necessary, apply a few different finishes and colors to a scrap of teak wood. Once the paint or polyurethane has dried, compare it to the chair's finish to determine which one matches.

Drill a hole through the top of each chair leg to make it easier to mount the leg on the chair bottom.

Apply adhesive felt chair glides to the bottom of each chair leg. This will prevent floor scratches and scuffs and it will reduce noise as you slide the chair.