Why scaffold board suits a child's stool

Scaffold board is the quiet hero of the small workshop. It is usually around 38mm thick and 225mm wide, which gives a child's stool real heft and stability without any complicated joinery. The timber is softwood, often with a few knots and a rough-sawn face, but a good sanding turns it into something warm and tactile. It is also affordable, especially if you buy a reclaimed board or use an offcut left over from a bigger project.

Before you cut, check the board for embedded grit, staples or old nails. A strong magnet run along the surface will help you find metal. Cut off the first 50mm from each end, because that is where damage and grit tend to hide. Look for large loose knots near where you plan to cut legs, and avoid those sections for anything structural. One board is plenty for a single stool, with enough left over for a small step or a second seat.

Planning the size and cutting list

For a child aged roughly two to five, a seat height of 250mm to 280mm works well. The seat itself should be about 300mm long and the full 225mm width of the board. That gives a comfortable perch without being so wide that a small child feels unstable. The legs can be cut from the same board, ripped down to about 70mm wide. Keep the full 38mm thickness for strength.

• Seat: one piece, 300mm x 225mm x 38mm
• Legs: four pieces, 230mm long x 70mm wide x 38mm thick
• Corner blocks: four triangular offcuts, about 60mm x 60mm
• Fixings: 70mm screws for the legs, 40mm screws for the blocks
• Glue: D4 weatherproof wood glue

Cut everything slightly oversize, then trim to final length after you have checked the angles. A dry fit before glue-up saves a lot of swearing later.

Tools, fixings and workshop safety

You do not need a fully equipped workshop. A mitre saw or circular saw handles the straight cuts, and a jigsaw is useful for rounding the seat corners. A drill driver, a countersink bit, a 4mm bit and a 6mm bit will cover the pilot holes and clearance holes. Add a square, a pencil, a tape measure, some clamps and sandpaper in 80, 120 and 180 grit.

Safety matters more than speed. Wear eye and ear protection, and a dust mask when sanding. Secure the board with clamps before cutting. Keep your hands clear of the blade line, and let the saw reach full speed before it touches the wood. In a small workshop, clear the bench between steps so offcuts do not become trip hazards. Sharp tools are safer than blunt ones, so change the saw blade if it starts to burn the timber.

Cutting the simple leg angles

A small splay makes the stool far more stable. Set your mitre saw to a 5-degree bevel. Cut one end of a leg, then flip the leg end-for-end and cut the other end at the same setting. The two cut faces end up parallel, so the leg leans outward when it stands on a flat floor. Repeat for all four legs, but mirror the angle for the left and right sides so they splay away from the centre of the stool.

Do a test cut on a scrap piece first. Stand the leg on your bench and check the lean with a square. If the angle looks too aggressive, reduce it to 3 degrees. For a child's stool, less is more: a gentle splay adds stability without making the stool look bow-legged. Once the legs are cut, sand the angled faces flat and remove any saw marks.

Sanding, assembly and glue-up

Sand every part to 120 grit before assembly, paying attention to the edges. A child's hands will find every splinter, so round over the seat edges and the corners of the legs with a sanding block or a small router bit. Work through 180 grit for a smooth finish. Vacuum or brush away the dust, then do a dry fit with clamps.

Apply a bead of D4 weatherproof glue to the top of each leg. Position the leg under the seat, set in about 20mm from the corner, and clamp it in place. Drill a 4mm pilot hole down through the seat into the leg, then countersink the hole. Drive a 70mm screw through the seat into the leg. Because the leg is angled, the screw will follow a slight angle, so let the drill do the work rather than forcing it. Repeat for the other three legs.

For extra rigidity, glue and screw a triangular corner block against each leg and the underside of the seat. Wipe away any squeezed-out glue with a damp cloth. Leave the stool clamped for at least an hour, then let it cure for 24 hours before putting any weight on it.

Finishing and child-safe checks

Finish the stool with a child-safe oil, a beeswax and mineral oil blend, or a water-based varnish. Avoid thick film finishes that can chip into sharp flakes. Two or three thin coats are better than one heavy coat. Sand lightly with 180 grit between coats if the surface feels rough.

Once the finish is dry, check every screw head is recessed below the surface. Run your hand over all edges and corners; if anything catches, sand it back and touch up the finish. Add small rubber feet to the bottom of each leg to stop slipping and protect wooden floors. Stand the stool on a flat surface and press down on each corner. It should feel solid with no rocking. A child's stool made from scaffold board is simple, robust and satisfying to build, and it will likely become the most used piece of furniture in the house.