What's inside
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Cedar is one of the easiest woods for a first outdoor furniture project. It is relatively light, resists ordinary outdoor rot, and can be cut with standard woodworking tools. It is also soft, which means it dents easily and can split if you drive fasteners too close to an edge. The best beginner plans use straight cuts, common board sizes, and designs that let water drain instead of collecting in joints.
For a first build, choose a project with fewer than 20 major cuts and avoid curved parts, complicated joinery, or large glued panels. A basic set of tools is enough: a saw, drill, tape measure, square, clamps, and sandpaper. A box of exterior-rated screws is more important than an expensive finish. Use stainless steel or coated exterior screws; ordinary bright steel screws can stain cedar black.
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Contents
Choosing a First Cedar Project
The simplest plans are a small planter box, a garden bench, and an Adirondack-style chair. A planter teaches measuring, drilling, and assembly without requiring the furniture to support a person. A bench introduces load-bearing construction but can still be built from straight boards. A chair requires more angled cuts and careful layout, so it is better as a second project unless the plan includes full-size templates.
| Project | Typical difficulty | Best cedar stock | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planter box | Easy | 1×6 or 1×8 boards | Poor drainage and soil pressure |
| Two-seat bench | Easy to moderate | 2×4 and 2×6 boards | Weak legs or loose joints |
| Side table | Easy | 1×4 and 2×2 boards | Wobble from uneven legs |
| Adirondack chair | Moderate | 1×6 and 1×8 boards | Incorrect angles and uncomfortable fit |
The Best Beginner Plans
Slatted cedar planter
This is the safest starting point. Build the sides from four or five vertical boards, attach them to corner cleats, and install a slatted bottom above the ground. Leave roughly 1/4 inch between bottom slats so excess water can escape. Do not make a sealed wooden box unless the plan includes a liner and drainage arrangement; trapped wet soil will shorten the life of the cedar.
Use 1×6 boards for a compact herb planter or 1×8 boards for a deeper flower box. Predrill every screw hole near an end, and keep fasteners at least 3/4 inch from the board edge. Cedar often splits when a screw is driven into the end grain without a pilot hole. A countersink is useful, but do not bury the screw head deeply enough to create a pocket that holds water.
Simple outdoor bench
A straight-leg bench is a better first seating project than a more decorative design. A practical two-person bench is about 42 to 48 inches long, 17 to 19 inches high, and 14 to 16 inches deep. Those dimensions are comfortable for most adults without requiring a long, heavy seat frame.
Use 2x4s for the legs and supports and 2x6s for the seat, or use a plan that specifies actual board dimensions. Outdoor “2x” lumber is not a precise finished size, so measure the boards you buy instead of blindly copying a cut list. Keep the seat boards separated by about 1/4 inch. That gap allows rain to pass through and gives wet cedar room to swell.
The common failure is a bench that racks from side to side. Add a lower stretcher between the legs or install diagonal bracing under the seat. Test the frame before finishing: set it on a flat surface, push from both sides, and tighten or reposition the joints before adding the seat boards. For a basic bench, beginner cedar furniture plans with a measured cut list are worth buying if they include diagrams for the leg angles and screw locations.
Small cedar side table
A side table uses less material and lets you practice square assembly. A top around 18 by 18 inches works beside a chair, while 20 by 24 inches provides more room for drinks and books. Build the top from slats rather than gluing up a solid panel. Seasonal movement can split a glued outdoor panel, especially when the edges are not protected.
Check the legs with a square before tightening every joint. If the table rocks, do not immediately sand one leg shorter. First measure diagonally across the frame; a parallelogram-shaped frame is often the real problem. A temporary clamp across the longer diagonal can pull the frame square while you drive the final screws.
Buying Cedar and Hardware
Choose boards that are reasonably straight, with no deep end checks, loose knots, or soft areas. A few small knots are acceptable and can lower the price. Clear cedar looks better, but knotty cedar is usually fine for painted or rustic furniture. Buy about 10 percent extra material for a bench and 15 percent for a chair, since warped boards and cutting errors are common for beginners.
For projects that will remain outdoors, use stainless steel exterior wood screws where appearance and corrosion resistance matter. Coated construction screws cost less and are adequate for many covered patios, but they can eventually rust near saltwater or in constantly damp conditions. Washers are useful under bolts, not usually necessary for ordinary seat screws.
Use a sharp general-purpose blade and let the saw do the work. For drilling, a bit slightly smaller than the screw’s solid center shaft makes a suitable pilot hole in cedar. Test on a scrap first because screw sizes and cedar density vary.
When to Build and How to Finish
Spring and early fall are the easiest seasons for outdoor woodworking. Cedar should be dry enough to cut cleanly, but avoid leaving fresh parts in direct sun where they can twist. In summer, work in the shade and stack boards with thin spacers between layers. In winter, cold cedar can be brittle, and water-based finishes may not cure properly.
Sand exposed edges to about 120 or 150 grit. Going much finer can reduce finish penetration without making outdoor furniture meaningfully smoother. Break the sharp corners, especially on seat fronts and armrests. Apply finish to all faces, including end grain and the underside, before final assembly when possible.
A penetrating exterior oil is easy to renew and gives a natural look, but it requires periodic reapplication and offers limited color protection. A solid-color exterior stain hides uneven grain and generally protects better from sunlight. Paint gives the strongest color barrier, but it demands thorough surface preparation and can peel if moisture enters through an unsealed end grain. If you prefer a low-cost approach, leaving cedar unfinished is acceptable; it will weather gray, but the wood still needs drainage, ground clearance, and sensible joinery.
Before putting the furniture into service, inspect every screw for a proud head, run a hand over the seating surfaces, and confirm that the piece does not rock. Keep planters off constantly wet soil, use feet under benches, and recheck screws after the first month outdoors as the cedar dries and shrinks.