How To Make A Chaise Lounge From Recycled Materials

This chaise lounge, made entirely from recycled materials, was inspired by a friend’s request. When she asked if I could build one, I doubted I had the skills to pull it off. I can’t work from plans—I only make projects up as I go. That’s why I choose recycled materials: if the build fails, I haven’t lost any money. Amazingly, it turned out so well that it now takes pride of place in my front-room window.

Since this was meant as a test run, I didn’t document every step. After a year of use, I discovered the cushion lacked support, and one of the frame’s wooden supports sat too high, making it uncomfortable to sit on. Back to the workshop it went for a teardown and repair. It was then that I took the photos you’ll see throughout this guide, so you can confidently craft your own recycled-materials chaise lounge. My website focuses on creating fresh home-decor projects using mostly recycled materials. This post will show you how to find them for free.

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How to make a Chaise lounge from recycled materials

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Updated: 5/8/2025

Materials Needed

• Recycled timber
• 10 mm plywood (for arch supports)
• 20 mm scrap wood (for arch cross-supports)
• Reclaimed table legs (cut to 45 cm height)
• High-density foam mattress (minimum 50 mm thickness)
• wadding (for smoothing curves)
• Heavy-duty upholstery fabric
• Sheeting (old bed sheet to hold foam)
• 50 mm jute webbing and webbing stretcher
• Pocket-hole screws and pocket-hole jig
• Upholstery tacks & tack strips
• tack strip (attach fabric under arch)
• Self-adhesive felt pads (for feet)
• Wood glue, wood screws
• Tools: jigsaw, router, electric sander, staple gun, drill, handsaw, hammer

Building the Base

With AI’s help, I generated the base shape so you can see the simplicity of the design. I did miss one measurement, which is that the depth of the base is 18cm.

I began by glueing two layers of recycled timber into a rectangular box roughly 160 cm long, 70 cm wide and 18 cm deep. After clamping it overnight, I added cross-beams for extra rigidity—but a year later, I removed the top beam because I could feel it pressing through the cushion.

To keep the timber layers from shifting over time, I secured them with a few heavy-duty metal plates.

The legs came from an old table—I even repurposed its tabletop into a personalised wine-barrel table. I trimmed the legs to the perfect height with a handsaw, then sanded, stained and varnished them for a smooth, durable finish.

The scratches and dents on the legs didn’t matter, since they’re hidden once assembled. I glued each leg and then screwed it into a sturdy triangular timber block fitted inside the frame for extra strength.

Making the arch

The arch was the hardest part of building this chaise. I used the guide image to sketch the curve, then cut out two matching pieces from 10 mm plywood. For the supports between the arches, I used 20 mm-thick scrap wood—these pieces stay hidden, so you don’t need prime timber. I attached each support to the arches with a pocket-hole jig and pocket-hole screws.

Attaching the arch

I routed a 10 mm groove along the top edge of the timber frame, then slid the arches into it and screwed them in from underneath so they sat flush. Next, I stapled a layer of foam covered with an old sheet to the arch to smooth out the curve before adding the final upholstery.

Covering the base

When I stripped down an old couch, I found this edge foam already tacked around its wooden frame—and I knew it would be perfect for my chaise lounge. FoamFlex Edge Trim is a high-density, closed-cell foam strip that you staple along the wood before adding your fabric. It creates a smooth, shaped finish around arms or the front edge of sofas and chairs, preventing bumps or ripples.

Next, I stapled 20 mm foam all around the base and wrapped it in a white sheet to keep it in place. This extra layer smooths out bumps so the final fabric lies nice and even.

Adding Support Straps

Errors in the original build. I used just one layer of webbing across the base, but over the years, it sagged when the kids flopped down on it. I hadn’t used enough webbing or pulled it tight enough. Plus, some of the staples pulled out—probably because they weren’t long enough.

During the rebuild, I used a webbing stretcher to tension two intersecting layers of jute webbing, stapling and folding the ends for extra strength.

I added upholstery tacks along each strap for a reinforced finish.

This image shows what’s under the fabric: first, the foam roll is attached to the wood, then a layer of foam, covered by a white sheet, and finally the world-map fabric.

Making the back support

I repurposed the top of an old desk for the back support. First, I sketched the curve in pencil until I was happy with it, then cut it out with a jigsaw. I stapled a layer of wadding to the back support only down to where the cushion sits, so the cushion would fit flush against it.

Using the wooden back as a template, I cut two fabric panels and sewed them together. I then stapled the front edge of the fabric to the base, screwed the back support into place, pulled the fabric down over it, and stapled the excess underneath the base. Covering the base was surprisingly easy. I cut the fabric to fit and stapled it along the top and bottom edges. Then I used a thrift-store bed sheet—only a couple of dollars—to hide all the staples and webbing underneath.

Upholstering under the arch

The last panel goes under the arch. Tuck all the excess fabric from the back and sides behind this panel to keep it hidden. To keep the seams neat and stop the fabric sagging, staple a strip of cardboard under the arch.

Then secure the sides with tacking strips—wrap the fabric around each strip and hammer it into the wood. If you’re new to tacking strips, search “Sailrite tacking strip tutorial” on YouTube. Their step-by-step video clearly shows how to use them. I can’t link directly here, but a quick Google search will bring it right up.

Making the arch padding

This is the padding that will hide all the staples and fabric ends at the front and back of the arch. You need to cut some thin plywood to the shape of the arch.

I covered the arch with a thin layer of foam, then stretched the upholstery fabric over it. Finally, I added piping around the edges to hide any gaps between the arch and the back support.

I cut the tacking strips to match the wood’s size and glued them on with hot glue. Then I placed the padded wood against the arch frame and gently tapped it in with a mallet so the strips gripped the wood.

I repeated the same steps for the front panel.

Making the piping for the cushion

Cut your fabric into 20 mm-wide strips, joining them until you have the length you need. Lay your rope or piping cord along the centre of the strip, then use a zipper foot on your sewing machine to stitch it in place. Finally, sandwich this piping between the two fabric pieces for your cushion, sewing along the edge so the cord sits neatly in the seam. I added a zipper to make it easier to remove for washing.

Crafting the Seat Cushion

For the cushion, you’ll need fairly firm foam. I used an old mattress that was too soft by itself, so I added a few layers of polyester wadding to firm it up. Before covering the foam, wrap it in a sheet to hold the wadding in place—this makes the final fabric cover much easier to fit.

In hindsight, I shouldn’t have added piping to the base—it was too hard to align properly.

Pad the feet

Stick self-adhesive felt pads to each leg to protect your floors and carpets from scratches. Then staple weed mat across the underside of the chaise to close it off and keep the frame hidden.

I know it will not be easy for everyone to make this, I just wanted to show that it could be done with basic woodworking skills.

The lighting in my home isn’t great, so these photos don’t really show the fabric’s true colours and texture. So I got AI to create my opening photo so you could see it in a proper setting.

If you want to try and make a mini version first, they make great beds for your lazy cats.

More great project ideas

I built a rustic outdoor bar table from recycled decking planks.

I made these wall-art panels from recycled timber and finished them with a Shou Sugi Ban technique. You can find all my woodworking projects here if you are looking for inspiration.

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