How Do You Make a Bar Stool with Curved Back?

Making a bar stool with a curved back means solving the curve first and treating the rest as ordinary stool construction. This article compares the two practical methods available in a home workshop: bent lamination, which glues thin strips around a mould for maximum strength, and cutting a gentle profile from solid stock, which is quicker but limited by short grain at the ends of the arc. We cover timber choice and why softwoods fail in a backrest, how to build a mould that allows for spring back, glue selection for curves that must hold for years, and clamping from the centre outwards. There is guidance on leg splay for bar height, why stretchers are not optional on a tall frame, and the recline angle that makes a curved back comfortable. We also list the tools required, explain how to allow for spring back in a laminated curve, and cover the sanding approach that gives a smooth arc....