Wood for ADK Chairs

JohnG28 · August 22, 2010, 01:22:03 PM

Does anyone have any suggestions for what kind of wood to make some adirondack chairs? Think that this will be my winter project and not sure what type of wood to use. I was thinking maybe cedar? I dont really want to get into anything too expensive as this is my first attempt at these, and would hate to ruin some nice wood. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

tyb525 · August 22, 2010, 01:54:44 PM

I think cedar is pretty standard for those kind of chairs. There are plenty of hardwoods you could use, too, but those will probably be more expensive.

nas · August 22, 2010, 01:57:09 PM

I think eastern white cedar is the traditional wood. You could use white pine too but it will not last as long. I sell EWC to a local outdoor furniture maker. If you find a mill that cuts it they might sell you shorts or lower grade for cheap.

Nick

jim king · August 22, 2010, 02:00:27 PM

If you have any patio contractors near you they may have left over shorts of Ipe which the would be happy to get any price for. It is heavy and hard but will outlast your grand children.

JohnG28 · August 22, 2010, 03:54:22 PM

Thanks for the replies guys, I sort of thought EWC was normal for these. Jim, what is Ipe, not sure I know of it? My main goal is for these to last a good long time, and thought of EWP but dont think will hold up to the elements that well over time. I know of a couple local forumites here with mills too, think Ill check and see if anyone might happen to have anything locally sawed. Thanks again.

SwampDonkey · August 22, 2010, 04:46:35 PM

Well if you had a self loader and a permit from the government to pick up cedar logs left behind on yards, you'd get white cedar for the cost of trucking pretty much. But, that depends if the forest companies would allow you to take it, seems they have control of our public forests in these parts. Seems to me there is a lot of jacket wood and shingle wood in a 30" but log with a little rot in the middle.

JohnG28 · August 24, 2010, 09:22:33 PM

Thanks again for all the suggestions and help guys, its much appreciated. ;D

LeeB · August 25, 2010, 03:34:14 AM

White oak will last a good long while but a little heavy. I make them from ERC planed to 1" to give it a little more strength. ERC an be a little briitle. Cypress works well also. I have some that have been out in the weather for 10 years made from cypress. They look rough but still sit good.

metalspinner · August 25, 2010, 08:10:18 AM

I've made them from cypress, ERC, white oak and locust. By far, the locust are the most beautiful. ERC is my next favorate, though splitting during assembly is a concern.

The first sets I made 15 years ago were cypress. The fasteners gave way before the wood. Over time, I have incorperated better fastening techniques to eliminate water entry areas into the joint. That is as important as the species selection.

Ianab · August 25, 2010, 08:32:20 AM

What do you have locally?

Here I would make them from Monterey Cypress or Port Orford Cedar because those are the best light, durable cheap timbers I can find.

But one of the durable softwoods, cedar, cypress, redwood etc would be the normal pick. You don't have to buy top grade stuff as you can cut around a few knots and splits.

Ian

trapper · August 28, 2010, 10:53:54 PM

real amiture at woodworking here. where did you get the plans for the chairs?

ljmathias · August 30, 2010, 05:30:20 AM

And what finish do most of you use? I've seen a lot painted, but very few unfinished or with a clear coat of some kind. Suggestions?

Plans? I've searched this several times and have found some free ones out there- problem is, can't seem to remember where I put them or found them. Memory is the second thing to go (or is it third?)... :'(

Lj

metalspinner · August 30, 2010, 10:34:33 AM

The plans I use are from Norm Abrams' series of books from The New Yankee Workshop. The seat and back contour just right to your bottom and back.

I don't use a finish on any of them and let them weather to a nice grey. A surface finish just won't last without lots of attention. If someone really wanted a finish, I would go with some sort of deck sealer.

JohnG28 · September 02, 2010, 10:50:23 AM

Thanks for the additional suggestions. I think Im going to try ERC or EWC, see what I can find and like best. I bought the plans Im using at a hardware store, they were in a section with other DIY type projects, think they were $10. As for finish, Im thinking Ill probably let them weather naturally, like metalspinner said. We have a few sets of them around our camp and my father's house, and the unfinished look better, and as he said, the finished ones just require a lot of maintainace. Thanks again guys. ;D

LeeB · September 02, 2010, 05:06:26 PM

Buy the book metalspinner mentioned. It'll cost you about the same as the plans you bought and you get a bunch more plans to go with it. It's a pretty good book. I use a modified version of Norm's plans myself. Sits great and done with the right wood, lasts forever. There are three books in the series and I would recomend them to anybody getting started and even those already skilled.

JohnG28 · September 02, 2010, 06:43:59 PM

Ill check it out, would be nice to get some more plans for future projects. That guy makes some really nice stuff too, remember seeing New Yankee Workshop on tv. Thanks.

woodsteach · September 15, 2010, 03:43:14 PM

I made mine with cypress and followed the plans known as Jakes chair... do a google search they used to be free. Keep in mind Jake must have been a "big-ole-boy" I'm 6'5" 250 and there is plenty of room.

woodsteach

jim king · September 16, 2010, 04:55:43 PM

QuoteAnd what finish do most of you use? I've seen a lot painted, but very few unfinished or with a Suggestions?clear coat of some kind.

Here is a style I made and used floor grade polyurethane. The last time I saw it the natural color was still perfect after about three years but it was under the overhang sitting in a porch.

SwampDonkey · September 16, 2010, 07:06:44 PM

That's a nice chair Jim, does it come with padding for those with aching bones? :D ;)

flip · September 18, 2010, 08:36:14 AM

This topic is relative to my interests :D. My aunt and uncle leave for Arizona for the remainder of the year so I get nominated to take their patio, deck and yard furniture in for storage through the winter. This includes 2 old chairs on the dock that have been repaired more times than I can count, this year they are going in the dumpster. These are the plans I'm using.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/woodworking/2919751.

Still need to figure the wood out.

ljmathias · September 22, 2010, 09:50:31 AM

Downloaded the "Jake's Chair" plans- thanks for the idea to search for it, easy to find. The directions are wordy somewhat but have lots of great information ranging from what fasteners to use for what types of wood to suggestions for finishing. Decided to use them so I first made a set of templates then used those to cut out my chair parts. Mistakenly grabbed a piece of pecan I'd been fooling with on the planer and started with that, so ended up using four 10" wide pecan boards that were semi-spalted, if that makes sense. Absolutely beautiful grain and figure- should have kept the wood for an interior project, but oh, well...

I'm in the process of finishing before assembly- fear of water damage at joints and interfaces, and trepidation as to powder post beetle attacks; figured if I put a couple coats of polyurethane spar varnish on it would reduce these problems and look nice: boy, does it!! The varnish brings out the highlights better than any finish I've used except maybe tung oil.

Once (if) I get it finished soon, I'll post pictures, but one thing is absolutely clear: trying to work pecan with hand tools is very difficult, and using a jig saw to cut the curves was an enormous challenge. Next I'll try cedar and see how that works and looks.

Lj

metalspinner · September 06, 2011, 05:45:49 PM

I spent Labor Day weekend in the shop with a buddy working through a pallet of cypress boards. Boy, things move alot faster with good help!

We ended up making 6 of these adirondack chairs. They are from the plans in Norm Abram's book mentioned above. Over the years I have changed some of the joinery and fasteners he recommends. Mostly, I tried to eliminate exposed screw heads and screwing into end grain. Some pocket screws coming from behind and underneath really help to clean up the look of the chair.

These are three of the six...

I'm not going to finish them. Eventually, they will look like this one. This one is locust...

I made this one in case Wifey and I want to hold hands while relaxing...

The under carriage of this one is Cypress with cedar on top.

Norm · September 06, 2011, 06:01:12 PM

I hope you know how many of us guys whose wives read the forum are going to see those chairs and be expected to duplicate them.

Can I just buy one from you instead. ;D

Banjo picker · September 06, 2011, 06:24:04 PM

Yes Norm is right , mine wants some of those chairs to go with the picnic table made of white oak that she has plans for ...the log is here but it has not been cut yet....now chairs too...Oh well when I cut it ...it will have to dry for two years before I can even start...Tim

LeeB · September 06, 2011, 06:30:58 PM

The chairs look good. I use a modified version of Norm A's also. I didn't like the screws either, so I cover them with wooden plugs. I also screw on the slats rather than nailing them in place. I have gone to making them from 5/4 instead of 3/4. Some of the first ones I made are now 10+ years old. Changed a few seat slats out here and there but they are still going strong. They've been out in the weather since day one.

You should try making a couplr Norm. They are really not that difficult. The older ones I have were one of my first woodworking projects. You can do it if I can. :D