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Bosch projects you can build yourself
Designer garden lounger
Teak loungers: nice to look at, but you might want to take a seat when you check the price. We offer you an economical alternative: a stylish lounger made from spruce timber that we have varnished in a teak colour.
The lounger is assembled in two stages. In the first stage, you assemble the base frame with legs and rollers. In the second, you assemble the lounger section as a slatted frame. Note that spruce timber, whether painted or varnished, is less weather-resistant than other types of timber. If you want to be certain of weather resistance, choose teak or acacia wood.
The following assembly instructions apply to 18-mm-thick spruce glued laminated timber. You must adapt the list of materials accordingly if you opt for other materials or thicknesses.
Ask your DIY store or carpenter to cut the required boards to size.
Instructions
Base frame: Cut out the handle opening
Using a pencil, trace the outline of the opening on one of the short sides. Mark drilling points for positioning the Forstner bit, each at 20 mm inside the pencil outline. Start with the four corner holes to round off the opening and always place the centring tip of the Forstner bit precisely on the drilling point.
Now place the jigsaw in one of the holes while it is switched off. Saw along the longitudinal axis, always remaining within the pencil markings, until you reach the next hole and continue until the handle opening is complete with rounded edges.
Base frame: Mount the legs and square timbers
Predrill the long lounger legs and the long side panels in preparation for assembly. Refer to the illustration for the exact position. Attach the legs using a cordless screwdriver and flat head screws (4 x 60 mm).
Tip for screwing together two pieces of wood
In the piece where you want to insert the screws first, always predrill a hole that is 0.5 to 1 mm larger than the screw diameter; the hole should be countersunk for the screw head. In the piece that you are going to drill second, predrill a hole that is always 1 mm smaller than the screw diameter.
Referring to the details in the illustration, predrill the square timbers that will later support the slatted frame and mount them using a cordless screwdriver and flat head screws (4 x 60 mm). See the tip above on screwing together two pieces of wood. Then screw the short legs to the sides from above through the square timbers using the flat head screws (4 x 60 mm).
Base frame: Fit the bed joints to the long and short side panels
Bed joints are screw brackets with short arm lengths (in this case, 22 and 28 mm) and a large overall height (in this case, 127 mm). The bed joints are used to combine the short sides and the long sides of the lounger together so that they form a single frame. The short sides are enclosed by the long sides in this frame. The metal fittings are positioned so that the long arm is screwed together to the short side and the short arm is screwed together to the long side. Refer to the illustration for the precise location of the bed joints. Use a cordless screwdriver (3 x 17 mm) and flat head screws to complete assembly.
Base frame: Mount the rollers
Centre the fixed castors on the short legs and secure them in position using a cordless screwdriver and round head screws (4 x 30 mm). If necessary, use washers with the screws.
Fasten the slatted frame parts and connect them with the piano hinge
The slatted frame comprises two sections: the long section to lie on and the short section that can be adjusted upright. Both sections are constructed similarly and based on the same design.
Place the first and last slat with the best side facing downwards on your workbench. Attach the connection boards using a cordless screwdriver and two flat head screws (4 x 30 mm) for each side. Fasten the remaining slats with screws in the same way. The distance between slats is 10 mm; ideally, you should use spacer planks to ensure the gaps are even.
Now fit the two slatted frame sections together using the cordless screwdriver, piano hinge and the screws supplied.
Fasten the seat back supports and simultaneously fit the attachment strip
The attachment strip is positioned accurately at the same time as you are assembling the seat back supports. To do this, screw the seat back supports with 4 flat head screws (3 x 17 mm) to the second slat in the head section. Now determine the precise position of the attachment strip and screw this in place with 4 flat head screws (4 x 60 mm) to the short legs. Mount the seat back supports on the attachment strip and screw them in place with 4 flat head screws (3 x 17 mm).
Join the slatted frame and the base frame together
Stick the Neoprene band to the square timbers as a base for the slatted frame. Then insert the slatted frame in the base frame and screw it in place from below using a cordless screwdriver and screws (4 x 60 mm).
Sand wood surfaces
Take time to prepare the surfaces so they are in the best working condition possible before starting assembly. First chamfer all edges with sanding paper with a grit of 120 or 180 at a 45° angle to create a small bevel. Use your sander to sand all visible surfaces in the direction of the wood grain, first with coarse sanding paper (grit of 120, 180) and then with fine sanding paper (grit of up to 240).
Damp sponge the surfaces afterwards to wipe off the dust. Some loose wood fibres may protrude while the wood is drying. You can remove these with sanding paper with a grit of 180. The wood is now ready for surface treatment.
Little tip
Make sure that the sanding paper is sharp enough to remove the wood fibres properly, not just flatten them.
Varnish the surfaces
First read the manufacturer's safety and handling instructions thoroughly. Make sure the room you are working in is well ventilated and not used for smoking, eating or drinking.
Generously apply the varnish with a fine spray system and remove any excess varnish with a cloth. Observe the drying times specified by the manufacturer.
Before applying a second coat, you must sand the surface a second time with sanding paper with a grit of 240. Once again, you must always sand in the direction of the wood grain. Repeat the application as described in the section above.
The availability of the Bosch tools shown here may vary from country to country.