Squared2 Dining Chair x2

See the first dining chair I built

We now have two of Ana White's Squared2 Dining Chairs, a "Knock-Off-Wood" rendition of West Elm's overlapping squares chairs, in our eat-in kitchen.  The chairs I built are slightly modified from Ana's plans, adding 1" to the back legs and the chair back pattern to accommodate a 1" seat cushion I have yet to make.  See my previous notes about that here.

For building plans, please visit Ana White's Squared2 Dining Chair post.

Keep reading for my informal notes about how I built our second chair.  And in grand movie theater preview style:

The following are poor photos of our two Squared2 Dining Chairs.

Viewer discretion is somewhat advised.  :)

My Building Notes:

I was a better, more prepared builder the second time around.  :)  Here's a few things I did the second time that would have helped the first time:

1.  I cut the back legs with a circular saw, rather than a jigsaw this time:

Before any of the assembly happened, I spent some time watching videos on how to use a circular saw, because I had purchased one and was deathly afraid of it.

Here's a video that helped me:  How to use a circular saw

The 2" notations mean that I measured 2 inches in from each side, per Ana's plans.
I used a jigsaw to cut the small 2 1/4" high inside portion, 2" in from the left.

2.  I had a method to assemble the chair back:

I took the above (poorly lit) photos to show the order in which I assembled the patterned chair back.  Before I attached the large Ls, small Ls, and 3" spacers, I filled the pocket holes in the Ls, sanded them smooth, and painted them teal.

I then drilled pocket holes on the outsides of the Ls to attach them all together, filled them, sanded them smooth, painted them teal again before drilling the final pocket holes on the back of the assembled pattern to fit into the frame of the chair back.

3.  Building took less time the second time around:

I used less active work time, since I knew how everything would go together now.

• Cutting the lumber to size:  28 minutes
• Making the back support (Pocket holes, glues, screws, filler): 37 minutes
• Filling, sanding, and painting the Ls in the back support: 33 minutes
• Repeating this process once the back support was assembled: 34 minutes

While I waited for filler to dry at various stages:

• Assembling seat from 5 - 1"x4"s (Pocket holes, glues, screws): 30 minutes
• Sanding pocket holes, seat with 60 - 120 grit, and painting: 51 minutes
• Assembling seat back and back support pattern: 40 minutes

In total, it took me less than 4 hours of active time to get this chair together, compared to the days it seemed to take to assemble the first chair.  This does not include inactive time, such as impatiently watching paint dry.

4.  Somehow, my second chair was spared a bowed seat, like the first chair donned:

I hope these notes on my second chair and the notes from my first chair build are helpful to someone!

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