Kids Chair with Storage

Difficulty

Intermediate

Build your own kids chairs with storage. It's perfect for homeschool or playrooms where each child can have their own chair, with their own supplies stored right in their chair! Solid wood design is easy to paint or stain. Simple woodworking project requires no special tools or techniques.

Kids Chair with Storage Features

Lightweight and easy to move
About $15 in materials to build each chair
Easy to build plan designed for a novice woodworker
Uses basic tools
Classic style can is beautiful painted or stained
Storage compartment is big enough for notebooks and more
Works with standard children's tables

DIY Kids Table Plans

We have lots of table plans to pair this chair with. You can see all the plans here.

Updated Plans

This plan has been updated to be easier to build and lighter weight. If you would like to access the old plan, they are available here.

Dimensions

13" x 14" x 28 1/4"

Preparation

Shopping List

13 feet of 1x3 boards (Recommend buying two 8'- 1x3 furring strips and cut the good parts out for the chair and discard the bad sections)
1 - 1x2 @ 8 feet long
1 - 1x12 @ 14"
1/4" plywood minimum 12" x 12"
3/4" and 1-1/4" brad nails
1-1/2" self tapping screws like these
Wood glue
wood filler, paint or stain

Cut List

4 - 1x3 @ 11" - seat frames
4 - 1x3 @ 12-1/2" - seat frames
1 - 1/4" plywood @ 12-1/2" x 12-1/2" (can be 12" x 12" if you are trying to make the pieces work on a dimensional piece of plywood) - storage bottom
2 - 1x2 @ 28" - back legs
2 - 1x2 @ 13-1/4" - front legs
1- 1x2 @ 12-1/2" - seat back
2 - 1x3 @ 12-1/2" - back slats
1 - 1x12 @ 14" - seat

Cutting Instructions

The best way to cut the pieces for this chair is with a compound miter saw. You can also use a circular saw.

It may be easier to sand the boards before cutting, especially if there are rough patches.

Tools

Instructions

Step 1

Build two frames with 1x3s. Attach at corners with 1-1/2" self tapping screws, two screws per joint.

Attach 1/4" plywood to bottom of the frame with 3/4" brad nails and glue.

Step 2

Cut back legs in taper if desired, starting the taper at 14" from the bottom of the leg.

Attach the frames to the legs, with the tops of the frames at 13-1/4".

Use glue and screw at a slight angle from the inside of the frames into the back side of the legs. Screws at an angle will be stronger, and also since your screws are 1-1/2" long, there is a risk of the screw popping through. The angle will help with that.

Step 3

Attach back rests with the 1-1/2" self tapping screws.

Then add the seat back with 1-1/4" brad nails and glue.

Step 4

Attach seat with 1-1/4" brad nails and glue.

Finishing Instructions

Preparation Instructions

For a stained finish, sand with 120 grit sandpaper. Remove sanding residue. Apply stain with a foam brush (disposable) or a paper towel or disposable shop towel (or old socks work too). Screw holes can be filled later with color matched wood filler if needed. Clear coat can be added to protect the wood stain.

For a painted finish, apply wood filler to all holes, overfilling holes. Let the wood filler completely dry. Sand with 120 grit sandpaper. Vacuum all sanding residue off. Apply primer and paint (or a paint and primer in one). Apply as many coats as necessary to achieve even coverage. We recommend a semigloss for this project.

Project Type

Chairs