This project was built and designed by Jonny from Jonny Builds. It’s a clever and stylish furniture project that produces two modern chairs from just one sheet of Baltic birch plywood.
With a focus on simplicity, durability, and efficient material use, this project highlights how plywood can be both a functional and beautiful choice for furniture making. Jonny’s clean design and careful planning make this a great project for any woodworker looking for a rewarding build.
Watch the full video and subscribe to Jonny’s channel:
A Smart Approach to Material Use
Jonny designed this project as part of the Modern Maker Podcast’s Rockler Plywood Challenge. The goal was to create two matching chairs using a single ¾-inch sheet of Baltic birch plywood.
This approach not only saves money but also shows how thoughtful design and planning can maximize resources. By sticking to one sheet, waste is minimized while still delivering sturdy, attractive furniture.
Breaking Down the Plywood
The project begins with cutting the full plywood sheet in half to create more manageable pieces. From there, strips are ripped to form the back legs and uprights of each chair.
Organizing and laying out the parts before assembly is a key step that saves time and avoids mistakes. Careful measuring ensures that all cuts are consistent, setting the foundation for precise joinery later on.
Shaping the Legs and Backrest
Templates are created for the chair legs to guarantee uniform angles and clean shapes. The back legs are designed with a slight inward splay, a detail that adds both stability and a modern aesthetic.
Using a bandsaw, Jonny cuts the leg pieces according to the templates. After rough cutting, a flush trim bit is used to smooth the edges and refine the shapes. Sanding follows to prepare all surfaces for a clean glue-up and finish.
Building the Seat and Stretchers
The seat panels are laminated from plywood strips, creating a thicker and sturdier base for sitting. This lamination also keeps the seat from warping over time and provides visual depth with exposed plywood layers.
Stretchers are added to strengthen the chair frame, linking the legs together and reinforcing the structure. Each piece is dry-fitted before final assembly to ensure perfect alignment and stability.
Assembling the Chairs
Jonny attaches the legs and seat using a combination of screws and dowels. Even without specialty tools like a Domino joiner, traditional methods create strong, lasting joints when done carefully.
Attention to detail during this stage is crucial. Marking out exact locations for the legs and stretchers helps prevent misalignments and ensures the chairs sit flat and level once assembled.
Finishing for Beauty and Durability
After final sanding, multiple coats of clear matte polycrylic are applied. This finish protects the plywood while allowing the natural beauty of the layered grain to shine through.
Polycrylic is a great choice for projects like this because it dries quickly, resists yellowing, and offers strong protection without adding glossiness. It enhances the modern look of the chairs while making them practical for everyday use.
Two Chairs, One Sheet, Impressive Results
This project shows that modern, high-quality furniture can be built affordably and efficiently. Using a single sheet of plywood, Jonny creates two chairs that are both functional and visually striking.
The design’s simplicity doesn’t sacrifice strength or comfort. Instead, it highlights how smart planning and basic woodworking techniques can produce professional-looking pieces without excessive material waste.
A Project Worth Trying
Whether you’re looking to furnish a dining area, add seating to an office, or simply take on a woodworking challenge, these modern plywood chairs are an excellent choice.
Jonny’s process is approachable yet detailed, making it accessible to newer woodworkers while still being satisfying for those with more experience. Building a project like this is a great way to practice precise measuring, clean cutting, and thoughtful finishing techniques.
Please support Jonny by checking out his website here: https://www.jonny-builds.com/.
Matt’s Take
These are my personal thoughts and tips based on my own experience in the shop. This section is not written, reviewed, or endorsed by the original creator of this project.
What I love about this project is how it proves that good design beats expensive materials every time. Baltic birch plywood gets a bad rap sometimes, but when you work with its natural characteristics instead of fighting them, you get beautiful results like these chairs. The exposed plywood edges become a design feature rather than something to hide.
That laminated seat approach is really smart from a structural standpoint. Plywood can cup or warp over time, especially in wider panels, but laminating strips together creates a much more stable platform. Plus, you’re essentially creating your own engineered lumber that’s perfectly sized for your project. Just make sure your glue lines are tight and you’ve got good clamping pressure across the entire surface.
The polycrylic finish choice makes a lot of sense here too. With plywood, you want something that penetrates well into those edge grain areas without building up too thick. Water-based finishes like polycrylic also won’t add that amber tint that can muddy up the clean lines of a modern piece. Just take your time between coats and sand lightly with 320 grit to knock down any raised grain.
Template work is where projects like this really shine or fall flat. Taking the time to make accurate templates pays dividends when you’re cutting multiple identical pieces. A small error gets multiplied across every part, so it’s worth double-checking your measurements before committing to those cuts.