Counter-Height Stool
Draft · not yet checked by a carpenterA sturdy 24″ stool for a 36″ kitchen counter, with a two-board seat and footrests at two heights.
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Build time
- 3 to 4 hours, plus finish
- Lumber
- 2 2x2s and 1 2x8
- Joinery
- Pocket holes and glue
- Finished size
- 14½″ L × 14½″ W × 24″ H
What you need
A 2x2 is actually 1½″ × 1½″ and a 2x8 is 1½″ × 7¼″. Every measurement in this plan uses the real size.
Shopping list
- 22x2, 8 ftLegs, aprons and footrests. Pick straight, knot-free ones.
- 12x8, 8 ftThe seat.
- ~302½″ coarse-thread pocket-hole screws
- 1Wood glueUse it on every joint.
- —Sandpaper, 80, 120 and 180 grit
- 1Polyurethane
- opt.Felt pads
Tools
- Miter sawWith a stop block for the legs.
- Pocket-hole jigSet for 1½″ material.
- Drill/driver
- Clamps
- Random orbit sander
Cut list
Fourteen pieces from three boards. Label each piece with its letter in pencil as you cut it.
| Part | Qty | Size, inches | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALegs | 4 | 1½ × 1½ × 22½ | 2x2 |
| BAprons | 4 | 1½ × 1½ × 10 | 2x2 |
| CFootrests | 4 | 1½ × 1½ × 10 | 2x2 |
| DSeat boards | 2 | 1½ × 7¼ × 14½ | 2x8 |
Board layout. Each row is one board, cut left to right, with the remainder hatched. Dark lines are saw cuts, about ⅛″ wide.
Build it
Eight steps. The 3D view follows along as you scroll. The parts you're working on are yellow, and the pocket holes or screws for that step are red.
- 01
Cut the pieces
Cut every piece on the cut list:
- A Legs, four at 22½″
- B Aprons, four at 10″
- C Footrests, four at 10″
- D Seat boards, two at 14½″
Watch outCut all four legs in one setup with a stop block. A stool with one short leg rocks, and people notice right away. - 02
Drill the pocket holes
Set your jig for 1½″ material. Drill one pocket hole at each end of every apron (B) and footrest (C), plus one more in the middle of each apron, aimed up at the seat. Drill 2 along one edge of one seat board (D).
- 03
Build the two sides
Lay a front and a back leg (A) on the bench. Fit an apron (B) between them flush with the tops and outside faces, and a footrest (C) with its bottom edge 9¾″ up. Glue every joint and drive 2½″ pocket screws. Build the second side to match.
- 04
Join the sides
Stand the sides up. Fit the front and back aprons (B) at the top and the front and back footrests (C) with their bottom edges 8″ up, lower than the side ones so the screws don't meet in the leg. Glue and screw.
Set the frame on a flat floor and check that all four legs touch.
- 05
Join the seat boards
Glue the two seat boards (D) edge to edge, clamp them flat and drive the pocket screws.
- 06
Shape the seat
Sand the seat flat, then round over all the edges and corners generously with 80 grit. A soft edge is much more comfortable on the backs of your legs.
- 07
Attach the seat
Set the seat (D) face down, center the base upside down on it with ¾″ of overhang all round, and drive 2½″ pocket screws through the middle holes of the aprons.
- 08
Sand and finish
Sand everything with 120 then 180 grit and finish with a hard-wearing polyurethane. Add felt pads under the legs for hard floors.
Watch outPeople sit on this and shift their weight. Check the joints for looseness after the first few weeks and tighten any screws.
Build at your own risk. Check every measurement against your own lumber before you cut, test-fit before you glue, and wear eye and ear protection. Full disclaimer.
