Chair Made of Twigs

Structural Framework

• The basic frame of your twig chair should be made of thicker, sturdier material than the rest, particularly if you want the twig layers to be made up of small sticks. If you want to keep the frame consistent in appearance with the rest of the design, build the chair using thick, unfinished tree branches. If you want the chair's visual design to be based only in twigs, strip down an old wicker to canvas chair and re-use the wire frame.

Choosing Twigs

• The twigs you should use for your project depend on the shape and size of your chair frame, but in general, collect twigs of as many different sizes and shapes as you can find. Get at least twice as many as you think you'll need to cover your chair frame. This way, you'll have the freedom to arrange different sizes and trim down twigs to fit different areas of the chair.

Prepping

• Preparing your twigs and planning their layout on the chair is important for both the finished furniture's appearance and the comfort of the chair. Prep your twigs after cutting by carefully trimming any frayed edges from their ends and removing any poking and pointy bits of bark and tiny stems. Sand the ends of the twigs to make them smooth overall. When arranging the twigs on your frame before attaching them, pay attention to rough spots and knots on the sides of the wood and keep them away from the top surface where the user will sit.

Attaching Twigs

• Attach the largest of the twigs to the frame using screws (with a wooden frame) or wire (with a wire frame). Fasten these major pieces as firmly as you can, then use them to anchor the smaller pieces with either screws, glue or both.

Reinforcement

• If the design you want isn't working out for you because the twigs you've chosen are too thin to hold the weight you want them to, you can reinforce them. Coat the twigs generously in a wood hardening solution (available at craft stores) to make the small twigs tougher, or layer your twigs with a second layer running perpendicular to the first.