Build an Adirondack Chair: the Ultimate Outdoor Furniture
(Page 5 of 7)
June/July 1997
By John Vivian
4. Fasten slats as illustrated and described under chair seat assembly.
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The Side Table
Note the heavy 2x4 braces between bottom ends of the 2x4 legs. These give the table enough bottom weight so it will not blow over in a high wind like most of the outdoor-furniture tables we've encountered. But you may find its appearance loutish and unattractive. If so, then saw, plane, or sand a wedge off the ends of both bottom cross braces. They will disappear. "Easing," or slightly rounding, exposed edges of the legs will also soften the rugged appearance.
1. Cut out the four legs (same length of chair's front leg) and the two bottom cross-braces from 2x4s, and cut the curved-end top cross braces from a 1x4.
2. Making leg assemblies as mirror images, fasten lower braces 1½ " up from leg bottoms and top braces with upper edges even with tops of legs. Be sure boards are square (90°) to one another before fastening.
3. Block up leg assemblies, find centers of upper and lower braces, and attach the middle slats of the top and the lower shelf. Use epoxy to fill joints if tightening screws tends to pull legs out of plumb square or flat.
4. Fasten remaining slats as you did in attaching seat slats.
Construction Options
Chair is a standard size large. To reduce seat width to fit your anatomy or the space available, reduce all horizontal parts by 1" to 3" and adjust back slats as needed. Reduce the length of the two back-leg/seat support boards as much as you reduce width to equalize proportions. But don't make the fit too tight. Reduce height by trimming leg bottoms, then reduce length of back slats by the amount you reduce legs to retain a balanced look. Reduce outer dimension/overhang of the arms if they look too big for the chair.
You can enlarge the chair as well; just reverse the process described above. Lengthen legs for tall folks. Widen horizontals for wider bodies. If you need to increase dimensions by 3" or more for a really major person, make a third "N" frame, but trim front leg off to be even with top of back-leg seat support and insert it in the center. Double the upper back cross-brace as well. For greatest strength, use two thicknesses of ¾" plywood for both crosspieces that hold the back slats.
The traditional Adirondack has a flat back and flat seat. It is more comfortable if some degree of curve is imparted to the seat—especially where knees bend over the front. You need a bandsaw to cut really comfy curves into 2-by lumber. We have compromised and cut several angles in the front of the seat to ease that front edge.
The more elegant Adirondack chair designs are built with a dish to the seat and the back as well, but that requires cutting compound curves into seat and back supports, which is more trouble than it's worth. Weakens them too. MOTHER prefers to bind 6-foot long 1/8”-cord tie-ties into the horizontal seams of a pair of Dacron sailcloth cushions stuffed with that quick-drying poly-something-or another stuffing she uses to make Teddy Bears for her grandchildren. The top ties of the back cushion are looped through a pair of eyehooks in the top rear of the back slats. The front of the seat cushion is pulled over the front rim and the ties are fastened to the front legs under the seat. The remaining ties are looped around the back legs. The cushions dry fast enough that they never get taken off the chairs till fall.
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