# Morris Chair on a budget



## Nick6685 (Mar 23, 2011)

Hi everyone,

So, I have become really obsessed with the design of a morris Chair. I want to build one, but really cant afford white oak at the moment, especially because this will be my first piece of furniture that is not a coffee table, so I'm sure there will plenty of screw ups.

Any suggestions for what I can use as a substitute? The chair will be indoors, and I plan on attempting the traditional M&T joinery. Unfortunately, woodcraft just left town about 3 months ago, so I have very limited access to any wood other than what the Depot and Lowes carries. Not the best I know, but it's what I have to work with.

Would red oak be too porous even for indoor use? Other than that There is maple, poplar, and pine. Im guessing pine and poplar are too soft and might not hold up to repeated use over time, but correct me if i'm wrong. Also I will have to laminate the legs because all of the wood at my Home depot is 3/4'', so that kind of stinks, im thinking of doing locking miters but I have never attempted that before.

Thanks for any suggestions!


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## LearnByDoing (Jan 18, 2012)

If Home Depot is your source for lumber, consider the red oak. It actually finishes very nicely and has the advantage of being square on 4 sides and milled pretty smooth so doesn't require much in the way of finishing tools like planners or jointers if you don't have them. It has open pours but is still pretty. I did an end table with some right out of home depot and stained it brown w/ satin poly and its great. I would not use Pine or Poplar. Pine is too soft and poplar is more for painting. I picture morris chairs stained. Also check on line prices for other hard woods. Might not be much more than red oak at the big box store.


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## Paul W Gillespie (Jul 7, 2011)

Search woodfinder.net to see if there are any mills/dealers in your area. I did a search and found a few places that might be a possibility if you don't mind driving 20-30 miles,not too bad. One place was called Barrette's LLC. Looks like they sell hardwood that is arlrady S4S. Another is St.Angelo Hardwoods.


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## Zircon (Aug 1, 2009)

Red oak can work but if it's white oak you want, go for it. The price of the white oak is a pittance compared to the price of a good store bought Morris chair reproduction. If you do a good job, it is a chair you will have all your life. My sister in law is a superb knitter but she could never bring herself to buy good material. When she offered to knit me a sweater, my wife went out and bought the best available wool. I am wearing that sweater 40 years later. You are in Rhode Island. Don't limit yourself to Home Depot. You are an hour from Boston. There must be a first class lumberyard there. You can also buy lumber online.
Good luck.


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