Outdoor Sectional

Description

These outdoor sectional plans build an L-shaped sectional that seats five to six, plus a portable stool that turns one end into a chaise. Pottery Barn wants $2,798 for the frame and another $2,218 for the cushions, so $5,016 for the set. This one is 26 boards of pressure-treated lumber at about $205, plus $465 in cushions and $13 in Velcro. Call it $683 all in for the same footprint.

Finished size: 103-3/4″ x 79-3/4″, 33″ tall, 27-1/2″ deep. The stool is 24″ square and not attached to anything, so it moves where you want it. The outdoor sectional plans run 18 pages, two cutting diagrams covering all 26 boards, a full shopping list, and 23 numbered steps with color-coded pocket holes and screws.

It is really three builds that meet in a corner: an armless sofa, a corner sofa, and the stool. Both sofas go together the same way, with the back built flat on the floor first and the seat framed right onto it, so you can build them side by side and cut your setup time in half. Each end stands on a pair of 2×8 legs cut at 25 degrees and lapped over one another, which carries the seat without a single apron or stretcher running front to back. Because the two legs overlap, one hides the pocket holes of the other. The only angled cuts in the whole build are those 25 degree leg ends.

Seven cushion sets leaves you one seat cushion spare once two backs meet in the corner. That spare is what the stool is for.

Nothing in these outdoor sectional plans needs a specialty tool. Here is the whole list.

Tools you will need

• Miter saw for the 25 degree cuts
• Circular saw for the long cuts and the armrest profile
• Jigsaw for the inside corner of the armrest notch
• Drill / driver
• Pocket-hole jig that takes 2-1/2″ screws. Nearly every joint here is a pocket screw and there are roughly 250 of them, so this one is not optional
• Speed square
• Clamps
• Orbital sander. The armrests are the part people actually touch

Lumber and hardware

Thirteen 2x4x8, eleven 2x6x8, and two 2x8x8. About 250 exterior pocket screws and 60 exterior wood screws, exterior glue, exterior filler, and your finish. I like a semi-solid deck stain: it is tintable, it hides the imperfections in construction lumber, and it adds a layer of protection.

Pressure-treated is what these outdoor sectional plans are priced with and what I would build it from. It is the cheapest way to get a frame that will not rot outside. It comes wet from the yard, so sticker it somewhere airy and let it dry before you cut. Cedar or redwood costs more and needs less maintenance if the budget allows.

Cushions are not included. The frame is designed around the cushion size rather than a particular brand, so pick any seven 24″ x 24″ x 6″ outdoor sets you like. These are the sets I used, and this is the heavy-duty Velcro that keeps the stool cushion from sliding off. Buy the cushions before you cut so you can check them against the seat opening.

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Choose your edition below, Imperial (inches) or Metric (mm). The outdoor sectional plans download instantly as a printable PDF, so print at home or at your local print shop.

Build photos coming soon. The styled image in the gallery is an AI rendering of the finished piece and is marked as such. Every drawing, dimension and cut in these plans comes from the actual SketchUp model.