How do I Choose the Best Adirondack Chair Plans?

If you have decided to build your own Adirondack chairs rather than purchase them from a store, you will need to find some Adirondack chair plans that are accurate representations of the chair, as well as being sturdy, attractive, and large or small enough for your purposes. These types of chairs are not exceptionally difficult to build, so most Adirondack chair plans will be fairly simple. Some Adirondack chair plans, however, will feature aesthetic flourishes that may require you to have more carpentry skills than just the basics. Decide what you want from your Adirondack chairs and choose plans that will suit those needs.

Traditional Adirondack chair plans will allow you to make the chair from one long board cut into eleven pieces. These plans will have you creating the simplest Adirondack chairs, much like the very first versions, which were created with economical savings and pure function in mind. More modern Adirondack chair plans will require more wood and more precise cutting, especially if the arms, legs, seat back, and seat are cut to a more ornate pattern. Be sure to take note of the tools listed as required on the Adirondack chair plans you are considering. If you do not have the necessary tools, either purchase or borrow them.

Take note of the amount of materials necessary to build the chair according to the specific Adirondack chair plans you are considering. Some plans call for more wood and more hardware, and some chairs are larger than others; these considerations can have an impact on the overall cost of the chair, as well as the amount of time it will take you to build the chair. The type of wood used in the plans will also impact the cost of the chair, sometimes significantly. Some woods will require water sealant and stain, while others will not, but woods that are naturally resistant to moisture damage may cost more than other types of wood.

Of course, you can always choose a do-it-yourself Adirondack chair kit that will come with all the necessary parts, often pre-cut, as well as detailed instructions on how to build the chair. These kits are usually fairly simple and assembly can take as little as a few minutes. If you are looking to build a chair quickly with little or no woodworking and simple assembly, choose a Do-It-Yourself kit rather than searching for plans that will require you to build the chair from scratch.