How to Make a Wrought Iron Bar Stool

A wrought iron bar stool can accent your recreation room bar, kitchen dining counter or raised-top table in a wide range of styles and upholstery types. Follow this step-by-step guide to make your own unique wrought iron bar stools.

Step 1: Decide Where You Will Use the Bar Stools

Choose from a wide variety of fabrics for your bar stool cushions if you will use them indoors. For an outdoor patio bar, choose water-resistant cushion covers.

Step 2: Decide on Height and Style

Choose the style of bar stool you want to make: round or square seat; with a supporting back or backless; full swivel, half-swivel or fixed seat. Choose slim legs for a bar stool with a backrest, and sturdy tubular legs for a backless stool. Measure the height from the floor to the underside of the bar ledge, and subtract 16 inches to arrive at the seat top height from the floor. Calculate the bar stool leg length by subtracting the height of the seat cushion plus the thickness of the swivel plate from the seat top height.

Step 2: Assemble the Bar Stool Frame

Assemble the bar stool frames from the ground up. Align the legs in the shape of the cushion and weld them to the frame. For a square frame, weld at the 4 corners and add 2 cross-pieces diagonally from the corners. A round frame will be 1 inch smaller in diameter than the cushion, and supports the cushion on 4 crossbars.

Step 3: Add the Swivel Mechanism

For fixed-cushion bar stools, proceed to Step 4. Use a 360-degree swivel on backless bar stools only, to avoid damage to the stool back and the bar edge. Attach the swivel mechanism to the crossbars with metal screws and nuts as shown in the directions provided, and test the mechanism before attaching the bar stool cushion. For a backrest bar stool, attach the 180-degree swivel to the cross-pieces of the frame, and check that it makes 90-degree turns to left and right only.

Step 4: Attach the Bar Stool Cushions

Lift each bar stool base off the floor and lay it on a workbench to attach the bar stool cushions, to ensure correct alignment and that you do not perforate the cushion top with the metal screws. Insert the screws through the swivel mechanism into the cushion base and tighten them 3/4 in. Set the bar stool on the floor and check the synchronized movement of the bar stool cushion with the swivel mechanism. When the two parts move together precisely, finish tightening the screws.

Step 5: Attach the Bar Stool Backs

The bar stool backs will attach to the cushion frames only, to permit the bar stool seat to swivel. Use 1-inch wood screws to fasten the bar stool backs to the seat cushion frames. Seal each screw into place with clear wood glue.