Quick answer: This Kentucky stick chair is built from 28 × 45 mm wooden slats and 8 mm rope instead of threaded rod. The plan is metric, the chair folds flat, and the illustrated PDF is free to download.
Free Kentucky stick chair plans in metric measurements
The original plan is still the reference for the build. You can download the free PDF here.
Materials for one chair
- About 13 metres of 28 × 45 mm wooden slats
- About 5–6 metres of 8 mm outdoor rope
- Optional exterior wood treatment, oil or paint
I originally used inexpensive pressure-treated fence slats. For an indoor chair, or for a different look, you could use larch, oak or another suitable timber.
Tools
- Hand saw or mitre saw
- Drill
- 10 mm wood drill bit
- Sandpaper or sander
- A simple drilling template is very useful
How to build the Kentucky stick chair
- Download the plan and cut the slats to the listed lengths.
- Sand the slats before assembly. I used 80, 120 and finally 220 grit.
- Mark and drill the holes. A template makes this much faster and more consistent.
- Sand the cut ends and drill holes to remove splinters.
- Lay out all pieces in the order shown in the plan.
- Thread the rope through the holes and assemble the chair.
- Tighten the rope gradually while checking that the chair opens, sits correctly and folds flat.
Why I used rope instead of threaded rod
Many Kentucky stick chair plans use threaded steel rod and nuts. Rope makes the construction simple, keeps the chair foldable and avoids a row of visible metal fasteners. The important part is to use a rope intended for outdoor use and to tension it evenly.
How did it turn out?
This is still one of the DIY furniture projects I have been happiest with. The chair is inexpensive, stable, surprisingly comfortable, easy to store and straightforward to build with basic tools.