Adirondack chair. Muskoka chair. Adirondack chair plans. Adirondack chair kits |
Set of four brightly painted Adirondack chairs. This is in stark contrast to the natural weathered grey patina of the "Pansy" chair show to the right. The two center chairs are connected to a table. |
Maintenance
Most people like the looks of the rustic weathered silver-grey patina on an Adirondack chair, see "Pansy" chair to the right. It kind of belongs to the rich history of the chair's design.
You also have a choice of painting the chair as shown above. Another option would be staining but remember paining or staining last only that long before it has be be done again. Second time around requires sanding, priming, etc.
Regardless of your choice, the chair needs at least once a year a good scrubbing with a mild detergent to remove any airborne pollutants.
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Adirondack chair. Muskoka chair. Adirondack chair plans. Adirondack chair kits
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| The Time Honoured Adirondack Chair |
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Adirondack chair. Muskoka chair. Adirondack chair plans. Adirondack chair kits
An Adirondack chair or Muskoka chair is a type of chair favored not only in rural but also in urban settings. The photo to the right shows two real pretty Adirondack chairs sitting on the concrete porch of a home in a new sub-division.
The name Adirondack refers to the Adirondack Mountains in New York State.
The name Muskoka refers to cottage country "The Muskokas" located 150 km (90 miles) north of Toronto Ontario.
The original Adirondack chair (early 1900s) was made with eleven pieces of wood, cut from a single board. It had a straight back and seat, which were set at a slant to sit better on the steep mountain inclines of the area. It also featured wide armrests, which became a hallmark of the Adirondack chair.
Today's Adirondack chairs usually feature a rounded back and contoured seat. The style has also been translated to other pieces of furniture, from gliders to love seats to Adirondack chairs that fold. This folding feature comes in handy when it is time to store the chairs away for the winter. Some modern Adirondack chairs are made out of resin (plastic) or engineered wood instead of wood.
One of the main reasons why the basic Adirondack chair is so popular is that the simple rustic design creates an impression of peace and tranquility. Just place an empty Adirondack chair beside a pond or creek near some large trees and you may get the impression that the chair has been sitting there since it was designed around 1905.
Once you have sat in an Adirondack chair you discovered another reason why they are so popular. Not only are they very comfortable but the wide flat armrests are suitable for placing food and drinks on, thereby eliminating the need for tables. However, one of the images shows two Adirondack chairs connected with a two-tier table. I came across this setup during one of my home inspections and I'm not sure if the chairs were store bought or home made.
Material
Traditionally Adirondack chairs were made of red cedar. They are also made of pine and fir. Sadly some modern Adirondack chairs are made out of plastic or engineered wood instead of wood. It just doesn't look right the see a plastic Adirondack chair. The real McCoy can be stained, painted or just left to weather to a nice gray patina.
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The two outside boards for the back were cut
from wider stock to accommodate the large
painted on pansy flower |
Kits and plans
Even if you are a novice woodworker It is relatively easy, and rewarding, to build your own Adirondack chair, love seat or rocker. What you need is a good plan or blue print and there may even be some good links on this page. If not, go online and do a Google search for "Adirondack Chair Plans". Some websites sell plans which come with full size drawings for each part which can be used for tracing and transferring the image to your wood. Other website give you free information on how to build an Adirondack chair and provide you with detailed cutting diagrams. If you do not have the time to build your own chair you can always buy a ready-to- assemble kit. |
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