Our x-frame stool plan represents one of the simpler medieval stools, and if you decide to make it, you will get a very practical and beautiful multipurpose stool.
This kind of stool is great for small spaces and you will feel like a queen or a king every time you use it. The x-frame stools have been invented centuries ago by the Egyptians. Later, the Romans used it, but they developed the 'sella curulis' form of x-stool. These kinds of stools enjoyed great popularity in the medieval period, known as a curule or a medieval stool. Through all these periods curule stool was used only by authority figures, so only people of great importance were allowed to sit on them. Characteristic of X-frame stools is that they have crossed legs shaped like the letter X and a seat fixed to the upper leg part. The seat can be made of soft material such as leather or textile, or of hardwood.
Seat: 320mm (12.6'') x 407mm (16''); Height: 429mm (16.89'')
The stool construction in our plan has two wide legs made up of parallel slats that are attached to the seat board part on the upper stool section with the help of a long dowel (Part Axle D12x320mm). You can also use a steel threaded bar instead of the axle part, and in this case you will need four nuts, washers and lock washers at the ends, of course. The seat board, like the legs, is made up of the same parallel slats. The leg slats in the lower part are joined to the part we called the ‘paw’, which serves to secure the structure and keep the slats parallel. Part of the paw is fixed to the leg slats by means of dowels.
If you want to beautify the stool, you can use different wood types for its parts (see the first picture), or you can decorate the seat board with different motifs with some wood decorating technique. By changing the shape of the leg and seat slats you can beautify the appearance of this X-frame stool, so if you want the design of this X-frame stool to be original, here is an idea how to achieve it!
This free woodworking project is ideal for beginners. The construction is simple and yet requires precision work. With this X-stool, a beginner will practise making several completely identical parts.
Whatever wood you use though, make sure it is a hardwood in order to provide adequate strength.
The X-frame stool from our plan is too nice to be used outside, and it is also not advisable to use it on uneven or soft surfaces, which may be the case in the open air. Therefore, you can customize the finish to the surrounding furniture in your house or room. However, if you want to use the stool outside, you must adequately protect it against the weather.
We recommend that you take advantage of this free woodworking plan and, based on it, make not only a beautiful, but also a very practical stool. You can make multiple pieces and arrange them around the house, or give them as gifts to your loved ones.