Pushing into new heights...I made Patio Chairs!

Yesterday my hands were hurting so badly. I didn’t even realize hands could get this sore. Even trying to squeeze that last drop of toothpaste out was extremely hard. Granted, that’s what I get for being cheap/procrastinating on getting a new tube. However, in that moment I had immediate respect for those a little further along in life and starting to feel the aging process in their bodies. I had an immediate appreciation for my hands, for my strength, for my body allowing me to be able to create and explore my passion! Today I’m proud to share with you the pleasure in that pain!

I have spent the last two weeks building my first set of patio chairs. Thanks so much to my homegirl Jen for allowing me to take this on. We worked together to bring her vision to life, even with surprises in the design process, these chairs came out amazing and work great in her space!

I always learn a lot about myself when I'm creating and I learned a lot about woodworking in this process. A couple of tips below for your next project:

1) Come in with a game plan!

I love to start my process with a client kick-off email or a call. Whether its a project for you or someone else, it's important to talk through the vision and expectations by asking open-ended questions around aesthetic and design. One may not always be able to articulate specifics around the specs. Even if you cannot pinpoint exactly what size it should be, exactly how it should look. You can nail down how the piece should be used and function. Should be able to get an idea of how it should make you feel. For this, we knew it was for outdoor use and should withstand the elements. A comfy seat for lounging with a glass of wine that would fit her but also be comfy for a man-sized man! lol. From there, I usually move to my fave site, Pinterest, pulling images in order to craft a mood board or a deck with design details to help illustrate what the client wants.

2) Measure Twice, Cut Once! That is a pinnacle rule of woodworking!

This is the first way to make sure you are not wasting materials and ensuring you are being economical with your budget. Determine your sizes and measurements in the beginning before you purchase your supplies. I had little idea of how to determine my own measurements for the chairs so I researched similar chairs to our vision on retail sites, such as Wayfair, Target, Overstock, etc... Each site will have specs and dimensions listed and you can use that as your starting point. In the land of Google, the information highway, you can likely find construction specs for furniture close to what you're looking to create. I love to find several ideas and mix and match to create my own blueprints. 

The above is what happens when you don't come into the project with your dimensions locked in... you build a chair for Shaq! BUT you can always go smaller. My dad loves to say (old man voice) "you can't add wood but you can also cut shorter".  With that in mind, I was able to leave the first chair supersized while I refined the vision and got my specs locked in on the second build! Once I was sure of size and corrections to the first chair, I went back in and matched the first chair to the new size. 

3) Thank God for Dads! Mine was a Godsend.

He shared so many tips and tricks to the trade. We crafted, and I have to say we because I could not have done it without my dad. We crafted these chairs from pressure treated Pine. If you're looking to do an outdoor project, consider this type of wood. In this process, the wood goes through a rot/decay resistant treatment to ensure longevity. Perfect for outdoor furniture and decks. We used dowels to act as hidden joints between each of the wooden plats and legs. While providing the stability by using bolts and 3inch wood screws to join the seat and leg/arms for the frame - then concealing it with wood putty and wood plugs. All his tools at my disposal made the job automation much easier. I like to think of it as my woodshop now (I Debo-ed my dad).

This has been my most challenging project so far. At times I was over it, stressed and indecisive about how to proceed. But I kept pushing myself, pushing to new heights of my craft and I'm so proud of it. Of course, I'm already thinking of what I will do differently next time but that's how it should be. This is only the beginning.

Thanks for joining the journey! 

PS: Where can I sign up for a hand massage?!