Shaker Furniture Plans - How to Build Shaker Furniture

The ladder back chair is probably the most recognisable piece of shaker furniture.

At the time of the US civil war the shakers of Mt Lebanon mass produced chairs in the thousands and went on to operate a highly mechanised facility for five decades.

There are collections of shaker furniture in many of the museums in the US and England, appealing to the modern eye and with its clear lines and lightness suiting the modern interior settings as well as traditional homes.
It's not a surprise then that woodworkers of today seek to study and reproduce this perhaps austere, but functional furniture in their workshops.

I think you will be amazed at how simple it is to create your own shaker ladder back chair. The materials and tools needed are commonly found already in your basement or garage, and your local home improvement store will have anything else you need for this project.

The ladder back chair combines a wonderful blend of comfort and style, and will be a wonderful addition to your woodworking collection.

Once you have found the design you want to build (I recommend Easy Furniture Plans for your design option), be sure you print out the materials list and take it with you to the lumber yard at the local home improvement store.

Nothing is more frustrating than making multiple trips out when you could be building your shaker ladder back chair instead.

If you are ready to try this tradition of craftsmanship, you may think you need to go out and buy expensive tools and machinery, that's not so. You are going to need some hand tools but most of these can be bought cheaply if you don't already have them.

I would suggest that you scour second hand craft markets for good used tools, which are often superior to what is being made today.
Power tools are great for saving time and energy but are not essential to build furniture. In fact many people get a great deal of satisfaction out of making furniture by hand, something which you and your family can admire for many years to come.

If there is a manufacturing joinery shop near where you live, you can often get them to prepare your timber for you for a small fee, especially if you buy your timber from them. It doesn't hurt to ask!

Perhaps the most important aspect of building your own shaker furniture, is finding the right plans that you can follow. There are several key aspects to woodworking plans that I feel are critical to your success.

1) Detailed Blueprints + Written Instructions - Many people are visual learners, and can look at detailed prints and know what they are supposed to do. However, someone who is not as advanced will want written steps so they can read and follow easily. Having both of these components is critical for success with DIY woodworking projects.

2) Complete Materials List - I mentioned this before, but it is worth repeating again: nothing can be more frustrating than finding your plans, only to see that the materials needed list is incomplete. I am constantly surprised how many blueprint guides assume you know how many screws and pieces of lumber you will need.

Having a complete materials list, like the ones provided by Easy Furniture Plans, is a major time saver and important to your success.

You will get great satisfaction from your project when you are able to complete it without major hiccups. Get more information today on DIY shaker furniture plans at my favourite woodworking site: EasyFurniturePlans.Info

I think it's important to know a little about the shakers and their ideals - they were and still are more than just a piece of furniture.

The Shakers were a religious organisation, originally founded in Manchester, England in the 1700s by Mother Ann Lee. Being persecuted in England she brought 8 of her followers to the Watervliet area of New York in the 1770s and the community expanded over the following years to over 6000 followers in 18 communities at their peak.

The Shakers designed their furniture with the utmost of care - to be above all useful - the act of making it was deemed to be an act of prayer.
The furniture they made lacked unnecessary details and embellishments.

Good design for the Shakers was based on function and has gone on since to inspire and influence modern utilitarian design for decades. It is still admired for its simplicity, innovative joinery details, quality and functionality.