What's inside
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A three-legged stool is stable on uneven floors because all three feet can touch down without rocking. The shaped seat takes more work than a flat top, but a shallow dish and a rounded front edge make a noticeable difference in comfort. This is a good intermediate project: the joinery is manageable, though accurate leg angles and a well-fitted seat matter.
The dimensions below make a stool about 18 inches tall, with a seat roughly 14 inches across. Adjust the height for its intended user, but keep the leg layout and seat thickness in proportion. Use straight, dry hardwood; softwood can work for a light-duty stool, but dents more easily.
Contents
Materials and tools
You’ll need a seat blank about 15 × 15 × 1½ inches, three leg blanks around 1¾ × 1¾ × 20 inches, and a small offcut for test cuts. Maple, ash, beech, and oak are suitable. Avoid boards with checks, loose knots, or grain that runs out near the leg ends. A single wide seat board is simplest; glue up narrower boards if needed, matching grain and clamping the joint flat.
Useful tools include a saw, drill, marking gauge, bevel gauge, compass or dividers, chisel, rasp, and sanding block. A bandsaw speeds up shaping the seat, but a coping saw or drawknife can remove material more slowly. For the leg sockets, a tapered reamer and matching tenon cutter make repeatable joints; hand tools can do the same job with careful fitting.
| Method | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Reamer and tenon cutter | Consistent angled, tapered leg joints | Extra tool cost; cutters must match |
| Drill, chisel, and hand-shaped tenons | One stool or a tight budget | More test fitting; easy to make a loose socket |
| Bandsaw for the seat blank | Fast rough shaping | Requires safe setup and careful blade control |
| Hand saw and rasp | Occasional work without a bandsaw | Slower, but entirely practical |
If you need a repeatable angled socket, compare stool-leg reamer and tenon cutter sets before buying. For a single project, a careful hand-tool approach may be cheaper and entirely adequate.
Lay out and shape the seat
Mark a 14-inch circle on the seat blank. Set the seat’s top face upward and draw a second circle about 10½ inches across, centered on the first. This inner line marks the deepest part of the dish; leave the outer rim higher so the seat stays strong and gives the sitter a defined edge.
Remove waste from the center gradually, aiming for a dish about ⅜ inch deep. Check depth with a straightedge across the seat and a ruler; a much deeper hollow can feel restrictive and leaves less material around the leg sockets. Shape the surface with a gouge, adze, or rasp, then blend tool marks with coarse and medium abrasive. Keep the dish smooth rather than perfectly polished at this stage.
Round the underside edges and soften the front rim with a rasp. A front-to-back contour can improve comfort, but avoid cutting the seat thin near the perimeter. Leave at least ⅞ inch of sound wood where the leg sockets will go. Sand the seat and mark its center and front so the leg layout stays oriented correctly.
Mark and drill the leg sockets
Mark three socket centers equally spaced around a circle about 6½ inches in diameter, keeping them clear of the seat edge. Viewed from above, the three points should form an equilateral triangle. Each leg splays outward, so the sockets need to be angled; a typical starting angle is 10 degrees from vertical in the direction of the leg’s outward lean.
Set the bevel gauge to 10 degrees and make a test socket in scrap of the same thickness. Check that the leg points outward and that the socket does not break through the seat edge. If using a reamer, follow its specified angle and taper rather than forcing the 10-degree guide. Mark the direction of each socket on the seat. Drill or ream carefully, checking the angle from two directions: the legs should splay outward in plan, not all lean in one line.
Shape and fit the legs
Cut three legs to equal length, initially leaving them a little long. Taper the lower portions to roughly 1 inch across at the foot, while keeping the upper ends full enough for the joints. Shape each tenon to match its socket, testing often. It should enter firmly by hand and stop before the shoulder; a loose fit will weaken the stool, while a forced fit can split the seat.
Dry-fit all three legs and set the stool on a flat surface. Mark the floor line around each leg, then trim the feet so they sit flat. Do not assume equal leg lengths guarantee a level stool: small differences in socket angle or fit can create a wobble. Trim conservatively, rechecking after each pass. If one foot remains high, identify that foot and remove a thin shaving rather than shortening all three.
When the fit is sound, apply glue suited to the wood and joint. Work it into the socket and onto the tenon, seat the legs, and wipe away squeeze-out. Follow the glue maker’s clamp and cure instructions. Avoid using excessive force to pull a misaligned joint into place.
Finish and check the stool
Once the glue has cured, sand through about 120, 150, and 180 grit. Higher grits are optional; on a shaped seat, careful removal of tool marks matters more than chasing a very fine number. Apply a furniture oil, hardwax oil, or clear varnish according to its instructions. Oil is easy to renew but offers less protection against spills; film finishes protect better but can be harder to repair invisibly.
Test the stool on a hard, level floor before putting full weight on it. Check for rocking, cracks around the sockets, and movement at the joints. Sit down gradually rather than dropping onto it. If a leg shifts or the seat cracks, stop using the stool and repair the joint before retesting. Keep the stool for ordinary seating, not as a step ladder or work platform.