DIY Reclining Lounge Chairs

Cut the basic framework for the recliner from redwood or cedar boards measuring 1 by 8 inches. Construct the bottom part of the recliner (approximately 2 feet wide by 6 feet long) for sitting or lying down as a table-like, rectangular box held up by four legs. Cut four boards to fit your selected dimensions with a circular saw. Turn the boards with the 8-inch sides vertical to the ground after mitering the corners with a miter-box saw. Screw the boards together at the corners with an electric drill and countersink the screws, which should be 1 inch in length.

Cut legs for the recliner from 1-by-8-inch boards, making each leg approximately 18 inches tall. Use double thickness for strength by cutting twice as many legs, layering 2 legs together in four to six places, depending on how many legs your design requires.

Fit the legs inside the table-like framework so you can attach them from inside the rectangle where the screws don't show. Drive wood screws 2 1/2 inches long through the legs and into the framework.

Create curved overlays for each side of the recliner framework from 2-by-12-inch boards. Use a saber saw to cut a pattern on a single board that you've traced on the wood from a pattern. Replicate this curved-wood section for the second side of the recliner by using the first cutout shape as a template.

Clamp the two curved side sections together, matching them perfectly. Drill holes through both pieces at the same time, allowing holes for screws to hold these artistic pieces to the basic table-like frame that will sit on the patio. Drill the holes carefully, so they are perpendicular to the wood's surface. Make holes perpendicular to wood surfaces to make it easier to drive screws through the thick, curved sides into the basic table-like framework.

Build a back section for the recliner by cutting wood for a basic frame from 1-by-8-inch boards. Connect the back's framework just like you did on the bottom table section. Miter the corners and screw the four framework sections together with the 8-inch sides facing outward to match the sitting section.

Cut wooden slats to fit over the back and bottom sitting section of the recliner. Cut the slats from 1-by-4-inch boards of cedar, redwood or cypress. Drill holes for the slats along the top of the framework and screw the slats into place.

Attach the backrest section to the bottom of the chair with carriage bolts. Fit the backrest section to the bottom at a point the back can fold down evenly with the end of the chair. Install hinges on the reclining backrest. Put one hinge on the side facing the person reclining and two hinges on the opposite side of the backrest.

Cut two 1-by-4-inch boards to prop up the back, and connect them across the bottom with a 3/4 inch thick dowel rod screwed into the 1-by-4-inch boards. Attach the prop-up boards to the back of the recliner with heavy-duty hinges at the top. Raise the reclining back section and fit the dowel rod between two slats on the chair bottom to keep the back propped up.