Build a mission dining chair with free plans. This dining side chair features vertical back slats and a traditional mission style. Leather upholstery is used on the seat.





A mission chair suitable for a dining room can be made from any type of wood. The materials can be secured from the planing mill dressed and sandpapered ready to cut the tenons and mortises.

Details of Chair Construction
The front legs or posts, as well as the back ones, are made from 1 3/4 inch square stock, the back ones having a slope of 2 inches from the seat to the top. All the slats are made from 7/8" material and of such widths as are shows in the detail. The three upright slats in the back are 3/4" material.

The detail drawing shows the side and back, the front being the same as the back from the seat down.  All joints are mortised in the posts as shows.  The joints, however, can be made with dowels if desired.  If making dowel joints, they must be clamped very tight when glued and put together.

The seat can be made from one piece of 7/8" material, fitted with notches around the posts.  This is then upholstered with leather without using springs.  Leather must be selected as to color to suit the kind of wood used in making the chair.  The seat can also be made with an open center for a cane bottom by making a square of four pieces of 7/8" material about 4" wide.  These pieces are fitted neatly to the proper size and dowelled firmly together.  After the can is put in the opening, the can is covered over and upholstered with leather in the same manner as with a solid bottom.