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One Arm 2x4 Outdoor Sofa - Sectional Piece

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Difficulty
Intermediate
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This free one-arm sofa plan is part of our wildly popular 2x4 outdoor collection—built thousands of times and loved all over the world! Designed to work with standard 25"x25" cushions and our free sofa plans, it's the perfect piece to start or expand your custom backyard sectional. Build one, build them all, and create the outdoor lounge of your dreams—on a DIY budget!

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One Arm 2x4 Outdoor Sofa Sectional Piece – Build Your Own Outdoor Sectional!

Add on, customize, or build just what you need with this modular one-arm 2x4 sectional piece! It’s part of our popular 2x4 outdoor furniture collection—built by thousands and designed to fit your space, cushions, and style.

  • Made from standard 2x4s – affordable, sturdy, and easy to build
  • Just two tools required – perfect for beginners
  • Sized for deep seat cushions – or customize to fit your own
  • Use it to create a sectional layout – corner, L-shape, U-shape—whatever fits your space best
  • Pairs perfectly with the matching coffee table, chair, and armless sofa pieces
  • Paint or stain to match your style – plus you pick your own cushions!

Whether you're expanding an existing build or starting your custom setup, this piece gives you the flexibility and durability you need—all for a fraction of the cost of store-bought sectionals.

 

Video Tutorial: How I Built This Outdoor Sectional

Watch this very quick video on how I built this 2x4 outdoor sectional

 

How this One-Arm Piece Works to Make a Sectional

Add this one arm piece to the 2x4 Outdoor Sofa plan to make a sectional.

All the Plans in this Collection 

For your convenience, here's the plans in this collection

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Here's Some Tips to Build Better Outdoor Furniture

Want to build better outdoor furniture?  Over the twenty years I've been building, maintaining, and enjoying my own outdoor furniture, I've learned a few tips that can help build longer lasting furniture.  

 5 QUICK Tips for Better Outdoor Furniture

 

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One Arm 2x4 Outdoor Sofa - Sectional Piece

Dimensions
dimensions diagram outdoor sofa with one arm for sectional
Dimensions shown above

Preparation

Shopping List
  • 11 - 2X4 @ 104-5/8" Feet long
  • 2-1/2" to 3" long exterior self tapping wood screws
  • Wood filler
  • Medium grit sandpaper
  • Exterior wood glue
  • 25" x 25" deep seat cushions
Cut List
  • (3) 2x4 @ 70-1/2"
  • (10) 2x4 @ 25-1/2" (includes back support)
  • (1) 2x4 @ 12-1/2"
  • (6) 2x4 @ 72"
  • (1) 2x4 @ 70-3/4" (back support--cut to fit)
  • (1) 2x4 @ 28-1/2" (top arm piece)

cut list diagram

Tools
Tape Measure
Speed Square
Pencil
Safety Glasses
Drill
Circular Saw
General Instructions

Use glue at all joints.

Instructions

Step 1

Cut boards using a compound miter saw (preferred) but you can also use a circular saw.

Build the seat frame using the self tapping screws.

Step 2

Build one of the arms with the screws.

Step 3

Attach seat frame to the arm with screws.  Recommend screwing at an angle into the legs if possible for maximum strength.

Step 4

Attach legs to armless ends with screws.

Step 5

Step 6

Place decking on top, evenly spacing, and screw down, two screws per joint (recommended).

Step 7

Optional: Additional back support can be added as shown.

Step 8

Optional: Additional back support can be added as shown.

Finishing Instructions
Preparation Instructions
Fill all holes with wood filler and let dry. Apply additional coats of wood filler as needed. When wood filler is completely dry, sand the project in the direction of the wood grain with 120 grit sandpaper. Vacuum sanded project to remove sanding residue. Remove all sanding residue on work surfaces as well. Wipe project clean with damp cloth.

Finish Used
Use an exterior finish recommended for decks and fences
Project Type
Sofa
Outdoor Projects
Outdoor Seating, Lounging and Accents
Room
living room
Outdoor
Style
Farmhouse Furniture
Industrial Style Furniture Plans
Modern Style Furniture Plans
Tradditional Style Furniture Plans

Comments

Michelle-Chaos…

Mon, 06/15/2015 - 12:09

I keep looking at this and thinking how awesome it would be to have an affordable way to add seat cushions. I don't think the dimensions are exactly right, but it occurred to me that it is close enough to adapt to the size of a baby crib mattress. The benefit to that would be that most baby crib mattress come with a plastic or water repellant cover which would be lovely for patio use. I may try to adapt these plans to fit a crib mattress and report on the results.

Mikebogg

Sun, 02/25/2018 - 18:35

Hi everyone! I know this is an old thread but the Ryobi pages arent working and I would love to get my hands on the plans and cut list for this project!! Anyone have any of these downloaded which you wouldnt mind sharing? Let me know!! Thanks!

DovetailsandSash

Wed, 02/19/2020 - 15:27

Is the cut list suppose to have the one 2x4 @ 28 1/2” for the top of the single arm rest? I see it in the plans but not the cut list so I’m wondering if the material list is accurate? Thank you.

MikeyMel

Sun, 04/12/2020 - 11:32

Great looking sofa, made one for my back deck <3

I noticed there is a 28 1/2" piece needed for the arm, but the cut list does not have this length listed, just a heads up!

DaveO

Mon, 04/27/2020 - 07:56

I completed one side this pas weekend. Super simple and all worked well. You only missed one item on the cut list and that’s the 28.5” cut for the arm rest. I can’t wait to finish it up this weekend.

COSparky

Mon, 06/29/2020 - 09:12

Aside from the missing 28.5" piece from the cut list, I'm surprised no one has mentioned the dimensions in Step 1 are off by one inch. 22" + 20.5" + 22" + 1.75" + 1.75" = 68". The distance between the inside of the boards is 67". So I went with 22" from the outside boards and hoping it works out okay.

georgelza

Fri, 09/04/2020 - 02:00

Can I ask, what program you use to do these diagrams, I'd like to modify the design a bit to fit my requirements, Love the diagrams etc.
G

wolsen1031

Fri, 10/09/2020 - 09:52

I really wish you listed the 28 1/2 board in your cut list.... I now have an extra 25 1/2 and am short a 28 1/2 cut....

twinmom

Sun, 11/15/2020 - 18:15

Would this be any more sturdy with pocket holes? Or same regardless. I’m new to this and haven’t used my kreg jig yet so not sure what the difference is. Also would it be good to add a support in the middle or no need? Thanks for all the amazing plans! I made the mud kitchen (second project ever) over the weekend and you make it so easy to follow! I’m addicted now!

angace44

Tue, 11/24/2020 - 11:10

Cant find self-tapping exterior deck screws but says wood to metal, not wood to wood.

Anyone have a link to these type of screws needed?

David Polston

Thu, 12/24/2020 - 05:49

Ana, My daughter loves your site and to date, I have built 3 sets of your plans. I am by trade a professional carpenter and I will please ask you to recheck your drawings materials and cut list. I have had to develop my own plans because yours do not include everything or the cut list to materials bought are insufficient or wasteful.

In this plan you ask to buy 5- 12' and 4- 8' 2x4's. This did not account for the one board that is critical of 28.5" long for the chair arm and no mention of it on the cut or material list. I bought 7- 12' and 1- 8' 2x4 and had less waste wood and all of the parts.

Also consider a back for these benches. After the first set of plans I built (patio furniture) I designed and made backs for them as they were terribly uncomfortable.

Just a little constructive criticism.

astewart

Thu, 01/21/2021 - 12:25

I love this outdoor sectional. I would love to build it and put it in our outdoor gazebo. I would need to make it more comfortable because we would sit on it for hours playing games. I have a bad back. Would it be possible to use an old trampoline mat for the bottom seating areas instead of decking and how could that be supported? Also, it would need to be chair height because my husband has bad knees. He's already had one replaced.

cli2550

Sat, 04/24/2021 - 14:55

I can’t find 2x4 cedar boards anywhere. I can find 1x4 cedar boards. Will that work? Or another kind of wood.
Thanks much!

RMarvin

Mon, 05/03/2021 - 16:35

I really like this sectional. It looks great and is comfortable. My only wish is for a board to keep the seat cushions from sliding back. I might add a 2x4 toward the bottom/back to keep them in place. Otherwise, this was fun to make and easy with the plans. The hubby wanted me to use recycled 4x4's so I changed up the arms a bit, but they fit with the rest.