Adirondack Chair Project

We cut all the pieces first, and then assembled the chair. Below is a list of the pieces you need for each chair. The patterns for all shaped pieces are given on the patterns page.

Be sure to read all directions before you buy materials or begin work. Think through each step before doing it. Wear eye and ear protection. Read and follow the safety warnings and instructions that came with your tools.

The chairs are made from clear cedar except for the 1 x 6 seat supports, which are pressure-treated pine for extra strength and long life. The painted finish hides the fact that they are a different wood.

SAFETY NOTE: Be cautious when working with pressure-treated wood. Avoid skin contact by wearing gloves. Pressure-treated lumber should never be placed on surfaces that might come in direct contact with food.

If redwood is more readily available in your area, you may prefer to use it instead of cedar; it has about the same look. If possible, use all-heart cedar or redwood; these are more resistant to rot than sapwood. Or, if you prefer, you can use pressure-treated pine for the whole thing. It is less expensive and lasts longer than cedar and redwood. However, pressure-treated pine is difficult to cut smoothly, does not sand well and is much heavier than cedar. You should be able to make these chairs with simple hand tools. However, a table saw will make cutting the tapered boards for the arms and back much easier.

Taper the fence back boards and arms. Using a table saw, first cut seven 1 x 6 pieces for the arms and back to 30" long (you will trim the arms to 29" later). Then mark the pattern shown in Sketch 1 on all the boards. Round one end of each board with a saber saw or jig saw using a fine-tooth blade. Next make a jigfrom a 1 x 10 x 36" board as shown in Sketch A-1. The 1 x 2 stops will hold all the boards in the same position as they pass through the saw.

To find the correct placement of the longer stop, place one of the 1 x 6 pieces on the jig with the square end against the short stop. Be sure to clamp it in place with only the part to be cut away hanging over the side.

Place the fence back board against the other side of the 1 x 6 board, and tack it in place, leaving the heads of the nails protruding. You'll need to reposition the longer stop to cut the other side of the board.

Remove the clamps from the 1 x 6, and cut all the boards on one side. Turn them over, adjust the longer stop in the same manner as before, and cut the other side of the boards. Trim two of the boards to 29" long for the arms.

Following the dimensions shown on the sketches, lay out and cut the other parts for the chair.

Start assembling the chair by joining the front legs and seat supports as shown in Sketch A. Be sure to make one right and one left. Brace the leg against a framing square, and clamp the 1 x 6 with the front corner 15" from the bottom of the front leg and back resting on the ground. Drill pilot holes for the screws from the inside of the legs out, and join the two boards with exterior wood glue and 2" l screws. Cut the front edge of the 1 x 6 flush with the face of the leg with a saber saw.

Connect the leg/seat supports you have just joined with the lower back support and the first seat slat. Glue and nail the connecting pieces with exterior wood glue and 4-penny galvanized finishing nails. Position the first seat slat flush with the front edge of the seat support, and position the lower back support 19 1/4" from the front of the seat support.

Next, add the 1 x 8 facing. Position the top of the facing flush with the top of the first seat slat. Glue and nail the facing with 6-penny galvanized finishing nails.

Attach the arms, making sure that they overhang the front legs 3 1/2". The arms should be centered on the legs. Temporarily clamp upper back brace to the arms. Make sure the arms are lined up over back legs/seat supports. Screw arms in place, countersink the screw heads.

Before adding the wing braces, drill pilot holes for the screws with recesses for the heads to be covered later. We used 2" screws on the inside of the front legs at the widest part of the brace and a 1 1/4" screw from the outside in on the lower part of the brace. Sketch B shows the position of the screws. The face of the wing braces is positioned 1 1/8" from the front of the leg.

Mark the position of the leg and brace underneath the arms as shown in the detail on Sketch B. Glue and nail in place. Note: You may want to place heavy weights on the front of the arms while the glue dries. Now, clamp the upper back brace and the arms together as shown in Sketch B. Nail and glue only the center board at the lower and upper supports with 4-penny galvanized nails and exterior wood glue. Before nailing the rest of the back boards, the arms have to be screwed together, trimmed at the back, and notched at the front.

Drill pilot holes with recesses on the underside of each arm where the support and arm cross. Place them so you can trim the outside edge as shown. Use 1 1/4" screws. Round off the outside edge with a jig saw.

The back boards shorten as they fan out, so you will have to nail them in place and then trim them off at the bottom. Mark the two boards on either side of the center 2 3/4" from the bottom of the board on the side next to the center. Align mark with the bottom of the lower back support. Keep about 3/8" gap between each of the boards. Glue and nail in place. Mark the two outside boards in a similar manner, but this time place the mark 5 1/2" from the bottom. Glue and nail in place. With a saber saw, cut the boards even with the center board across the bottom. Finish attaching the seat slats, spacing them approximately 5/8" apart.

Set all nails and putty the nail and screw heads. To keep resin from the cedar and pressure-treated pine from bleeding through the finish, sand and seal the chairs with shellac or similar product before painting them. We recommend several coats of a durable alkyd paint, such as porch paint, if the chairs will be exposed to weather.

Originally published in Lowe's Creative Ideas for Home and Garden September/October 2000 ©SPC Custom Publishing.