Gardening : Statuary : Tree-Branch Chair : Home & Garden Television

Make a charming garden chair with branches, then decorate with moss and plants.

If you're wondering what to do with all those branches after pruning, master gardener Kate Karam suggests making a tree-branch chair.

Garden Chair

Materials:

24 branches of about the same thickness (imperfections enhance the rustic look)
handsaw
clippers
hammer
nail
drill and bit
rawhide strips (optional)

Steps:

To make the back frame of the chair, you will need six of the branches. The two verticals can be as tall as you wish, and don't need to be even. The four cross pieces should be cut 24 inches by 30 inches wide.

Figure A

Figure B

Lay out the two long vertical pieces, spacing them far enough apart that the cross pieces hang over the edge (figure A). The lowest cross piece should be four inches from the bottom. The next highest should occur at seat height. The top two rungs form the back of the chair.

Nail the cross pieces to the vertical poles. To keep the wood from splitting, predrill the nail holes (figure B), using a drill bit a little smaller than the nail.

For the front of the chair, you will need four branches that are three inches taller than the top of the seat. Line up two of the branches the same width apart as the back of the chair. The two cross pieces should be attached at the same spacing that was used for the bottom two cross pieces of the back.

Figure C

Figure D

Attach the front of the chair to the back with four more pieces of equal length placed just above the bottom braces at the front, back and sides (figure C).

Make the seat of the chair with branches that are somewhat thinner than those used for the frame (figure D). Line them up across the frame.

If desired, tie the joints with rawhide strips that have been soaked in water. As the leather dries, it will tighten and secure the chair.

To decorate the chair, try placing each of the four legs in a terra-cotta pot (only if the chair won't be used for sitting) and fill with herbs and plants.

Figure E

Figure F

For a blooming seat, cover the seat with chicken wire. Add wet moss and fill with dirt (figure E). Plant however desired.

For a trellis, use the vertical poles for staking tomato plants.

Decorate the tops of the back with screw-in finials (figure F).

Also in this Episode

Smart Solutions : Episode SSL-731
•	Chopstick Crafts
•	Tree-Branch Chair
•	Core Workout
•	Smart Solution of the Day

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Tree-Branch Chair

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