A Windsor chair is a chair built with a solid wooden seat into which the chair-back and legs are round-tenoned, or pushed into drilled holes, in contrast to other styles of chairs whose back legs and back uprights are continuous. The seats of Windsor chairs are often carved into a shallow dish or saddle shape for comfort. Traditionally, the legs, stretchers, and uprights were usually turned on a pole lathe. Spindles may also be carved, using drawknives and spokeshaves. The back and sometimes the arm pieces are formed from steam bent pieces of wood. Traditional Windsors are typically painted, primarily to hide the different types of wood used in construction, based on their characteristics.
A sack-back Windsor armchair by Wallace Nutting
A "stick" constructed stool, discovered as part of the Carnarvon Excavations of Upper Egypt. Believed to come from the Middle Kingdom period of Ancient Egypt.
A judge sitting on a chair in the Laws of Hywel Dda, a 13th century manuscript (MS. Peniarth 28). This is the earliest known depiction of the Welsh 'stick-back' chair. The design of the Windsor chair was possibly a development of this.
Painting of Sir Roger and Lady Bradshaigh by Edward Haytley (active 1740–1764), with what is thought to be one of the earliest depictions of a Windsor chair.
Steam bending is a woodworking technique where wood is exposed to steam to make it pliable. Heat and moisture from steam can soften wood fibres enough so they can be bent and stretched, and when cooled down they will hold their new shape.
Steam bending in a steam box
Steam box oven at historic Axel Stenross slipway, Port Lincoln, South Australia
Windsor armchair
The wood roof shingles on this onion dome were bent to match the curves of the dome. The church is in a compound known as the Kizhi Pogost.
