Things that have more than one function are always a favourite of mine; Clock-radio-alarms. 2-in-1 shampoos. A fork you eat with and then use to scratch your back. Too much? SKIL’s recent free plan release fits the bill of a great dual-function item: a counter stool that doubles as a step ladder – and it’s a piece that has a nice country aesthetic to it, to boot.
Woodworkers will find this project to be fairly easy and inexpensive to build, which is great if you want to make a few of them for around your kitchen or bar. If you do it right the first time, these will last you a nice long while and you’ll get years of enjoyable and memorable sitting out of them. Some of the best moments of my life have been spent on my butt, so I consider all chairs investment pieces in future happiness.
The seat is 16″ wide by 8″ long, large enough for the average rear-end. At about 28″ tall, the stool is a great height for counters or bars and tall enough to give ladder users a good enough boost to snoop look on the top shelves around the home or hide your candy in a spot the kids can’t reach.
The shopping list for this project is pretty minor. For each stool, all you need is:
- 1×3 x 8′ boards (3)
- 1×6 x 8′ board (1)
- 1-5/8″ screws (14)
- 1-1/4″ screws (26)
- Wood glue
- Polyurethane finish
The tools required for the job are pretty run of the mill (vices, drill, saw, screwdriver, ruler, hammer) but you may need to hop on over to Homefixated’s lovely sponsor, Rockler, and pick yourself up these Rockler Plug Cutters. They range from $12 to $16 each, or $30-ish for a set of three, and they’re not a bad thing to have on hand for future woodworking projects too.
Before you know it, you’ll be sitting and reaching for things in style! You can download the free PDF woodworking plans for this kitchen stool / ladder at SKIL.
