Seeking inexpensive wooden Adirondak chair kits, where I assemble them.
February 17, 2016 1:29 PM Subscribe
My condo association has been purchasing plastic chairs for our common areas, and they break and/or they get broken by vandals. Long story short -- one chair fell apart yesterday, injured a condo owner, now the plastic chairs are gone. Which is a good thing. I've offered to build chairs out of wood -- they won't break, harder to vandalize, chained down they can't be stolen.
I've got most of the tools (lacking a table saw) and I can find a number of plans online, but it'd be lots easier to just buy the chairs flat and then glue/screw them together, then paint them. Pine is fine, treated pine better. Only other spec is that they've got to have curved back and seat, for comfort.
Any help greatly appreciated.
I've got most of the tools (lacking a table saw) and I can find a number of plans online, but it'd be lots easier to just buy the chairs flat and then glue/screw them together, then paint them. Pine is fine, treated pine better. Only other spec is that they've got to have curved back and seat, for comfort.
Any help greatly appreciated.
Sorry if this isn't helpful, but I suspect that it will be hard to beat home depot's price for a preassembled chair with a kit, especially if you factor in shipping.
Might still be cheaper to build it yourself with wood you buy from home depot though
posted by mosschief at 1:52 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
Might still be cheaper to build it yourself with wood you buy from home depot though
posted by mosschief at 1:52 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
mosschief is right. Mail-order shipping would kill you.
straight-up pine ok -- they'll be painted.
If the chairs will be outdoors and not under a roof, then paint won't save untreated pine chairs from rotting in a few years. I'd also suggest painting the parts before assembly; it's easier, and the joints are the most vulnerable areas because water that gets between the parts will stay there rather than evaporating in the sun.
posted by jon1270 at 2:00 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
straight-up pine ok -- they'll be painted.
If the chairs will be outdoors and not under a roof, then paint won't save untreated pine chairs from rotting in a few years. I'd also suggest painting the parts before assembly; it's easier, and the joints are the most vulnerable areas because water that gets between the parts will stay there rather than evaporating in the sun.
posted by jon1270 at 2:00 PM on February 17, 2016 [2 favorites]
I got some kind of expensive painted Adirondack chairs. They were not suitable for outdoor, uncovered use. They chipped and rotted within 2 years.
The plastic Adirondack style chairs I have now are awesome and withstood being out all winter and summer. They haven't faded or broke after several years.
posted by ReluctantViking at 2:04 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
The plastic Adirondack style chairs I have now are awesome and withstood being out all winter and summer. They haven't faded or broke after several years.
posted by ReluctantViking at 2:04 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
What kind of plastic chairs have you been getting? Honestly I have found that my cheap plastic Adirondack chairs are more comfortable and about more long-lasting than even moderately-priced wooden ones (which do tend to rot, especially if they're kept on grass). They are easier to steal. though. And I don't know how they hold up to heavier people - I don't think we've had anyone over 250 or so on ours.
My dad has some chairs that are made of some kind of simulated wood stuff (like that resin deck board) and those have been holding up great. They weigh a million pounds.
posted by mskyle at 2:09 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
My dad has some chairs that are made of some kind of simulated wood stuff (like that resin deck board) and those have been holding up great. They weigh a million pounds.
posted by mskyle at 2:09 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: hard to beat home depot's price for a preassembled chair
posted by mosschief at 3:52 PM on February 17
Good call -- I'd seen those before posting this, problem is that they do not have a curved back. I could make them, and also make a curved seat, then screw that together. But I'm hoping to just bang/zoom them together with a screwgun.
I'd also suggest painting the parts before assembly; it's easier,
posted by jon1270 at 4:00 PM on February 17
Another good call here -- would glue still adhere to painted wood; experience has led me to know that glued wood is really strong. Perhaps I could glue then build them, then caulk where the wood met, to keep water out. Yes/no?
The plastic Adirondack style chairs I have now are awesome and withstood being out all winter and summer. They haven't faded or broke after several years.
posted by ReluctantViking at 4:04 PM on February 17
Yeah, those are what we've been using. I should post an image of how the chair yesterday imploded -- unreal. And the person then smacked their head on the corner of a stone wall behind them. So they absolutely do fall apart (Perhaps it was a bad batch of plastic? But we absolutely cannot use them after yesterday; we'd be shopping for a lawsuit, not to mention that these are my neighbors and their guests, and we don't want them to get hurt.) but also when people go down middle of the night and have a few beers, it seems that they find it A Good Thing to break them by jumping up and down on them.
Plastic chairs are out.
posted by dancestoblue at 2:15 PM on February 17, 2016
posted by mosschief at 3:52 PM on February 17
Good call -- I'd seen those before posting this, problem is that they do not have a curved back. I could make them, and also make a curved seat, then screw that together. But I'm hoping to just bang/zoom them together with a screwgun.
I'd also suggest painting the parts before assembly; it's easier,
posted by jon1270 at 4:00 PM on February 17
Another good call here -- would glue still adhere to painted wood; experience has led me to know that glued wood is really strong. Perhaps I could glue then build them, then caulk where the wood met, to keep water out. Yes/no?
The plastic Adirondack style chairs I have now are awesome and withstood being out all winter and summer. They haven't faded or broke after several years.
posted by ReluctantViking at 4:04 PM on February 17
Yeah, those are what we've been using. I should post an image of how the chair yesterday imploded -- unreal. And the person then smacked their head on the corner of a stone wall behind them. So they absolutely do fall apart (Perhaps it was a bad batch of plastic? But we absolutely cannot use them after yesterday; we'd be shopping for a lawsuit, not to mention that these are my neighbors and their guests, and we don't want them to get hurt.) but also when people go down middle of the night and have a few beers, it seems that they find it A Good Thing to break them by jumping up and down on them.
Plastic chairs are out.
posted by dancestoblue at 2:15 PM on February 17, 2016
I'm picturing that you getting the plastic chairs for $20 from a big box store. If that's the case, try these.
They are all the rage here, and the plastic is thick, not brittle. Expensive though
posted by Ftsqg at 2:43 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
They are all the rage here, and the plastic is thick, not brittle. Expensive though
posted by Ftsqg at 2:43 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
We got a flat pack Adirondack chair made of untreated pine at Home Depot three or four years ago. My us and treated it with spar urethane and it held up really well; it's starting to be time to redo it, but they're still in great shape after several Alaska summers and winters.
posted by leahwrenn at 3:19 PM on February 17, 2016
posted by leahwrenn at 3:19 PM on February 17, 2016
They're faux wood (polystyrene), but I absolutely love these Adirondack chairs from Costco. Shipping is included so they're a really good price, and they're even marked down to $99.99 until today. These chairs have been in my south-facing backyard in south Florida (very hot, lots of rain) for 4 years and they are still in perfect condition - no wobbling, no disintigrating or chipping, etc.
posted by gatorae at 5:50 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by gatorae at 5:50 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
The problem with painted outdoor furniture is that eventually the paint starts to flake off. Then someone has to get all the loose paint off and repaint.
It is much better to use wood, ideally cedar, with a penetrating finish (like an oil) that will never flake off.
posted by ssg at 7:39 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
It is much better to use wood, ideally cedar, with a penetrating finish (like an oil) that will never flake off.
posted by ssg at 7:39 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
The Costco chairs are really good quality! Love mine. Mine have little footrests that you can pull out as well. The only thing I've noticed is that some areas of my Costco chairs have started to look chalky. It's just aesthetic, though.
You can build these Ana White Adirondack Chairs for $20-$50 each. I've actually got all of the pieces cut out to make one; I just haven't assembled it yet.
posted by Ostara at 10:47 PM on February 17, 2016
You can build these Ana White Adirondack Chairs for $20-$50 each. I've actually got all of the pieces cut out to make one; I just haven't assembled it yet.
posted by Ostara at 10:47 PM on February 17, 2016
dancestoblue: "would glue still adhere to painted wood; experience has led me to know that glued wood is really strong."
No, you need to glue to bare wood. Realistically though the only place you might see some benefit with gluing the Home Depot chair is the bottom cross pieces to the rails and the front legs to the base. Everything else appears to be at least half end grain. I'd use a polyurethane construction adhesive.
Installing floating tenons or dowels in the leg to arm joint would probably be worth the effort.
As would treating ground end of the legs with a penetrating epoxy. This will minimize the amount of moisture wicked up by the end grain.
I'd use tung oil for the finish. It is:
PS: if you do decide to make your chairs from lumber the Jakes Chair is a good plan that's been around forever (I first saw them on USENET). Especially in the case where you are making several because you can make a set of templates and then cut out multiple shaped pieces with a pattern bit in a router. And you don't need a table saw.
posted by Mitheral at 11:28 PM on February 17, 2016
No, you need to glue to bare wood. Realistically though the only place you might see some benefit with gluing the Home Depot chair is the bottom cross pieces to the rails and the front legs to the base. Everything else appears to be at least half end grain. I'd use a polyurethane construction adhesive.
Installing floating tenons or dowels in the leg to arm joint would probably be worth the effort.
As would treating ground end of the legs with a penetrating epoxy. This will minimize the amount of moisture wicked up by the end grain.
I'd use tung oil for the finish. It is:
You'll probably need to reapply every year but it wipes on easy.
- Waterproof (or at least highly water resistant on a well maintained surface)
- Resistant to alcohol
- Resistant to acetone (such as nail polish or remover)
- Resistant to fruit acids and vegetable acids (such as orange juice)
- Flexible. Oil finishes continue to protect as the wood expands and contract.
- Accentuates the texture and grain of the wood
- Easy to apply (rub on, rub off)
- Very forgiving during application
- Easy to re-apply if the original finish becomes worn or damaged
PS: if you do decide to make your chairs from lumber the Jakes Chair is a good plan that's been around forever (I first saw them on USENET). Especially in the case where you are making several because you can make a set of templates and then cut out multiple shaped pieces with a pattern bit in a router. And you don't need a table saw.
posted by Mitheral at 11:28 PM on February 17, 2016
adirondackchairshop.com sells 'partially assembled' chairs for $106 and free shipping. I've not bought one from them but have friends who have and love them.
posted by soplerfo at 6:54 AM on February 18, 2016
posted by soplerfo at 6:54 AM on February 18, 2016
Gotta second those costco lifetime chairs - neighbors have 4 that have sat out with nothing done to 'em for 5 years now, still comfy and good looking, and they are bulky/heavy enough to deter casual theft.
posted by k5.user at 7:05 AM on February 18, 2016
posted by k5.user at 7:05 AM on February 18, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
Definitely do not need cedar, treated pine great, straight-up pine ok -- they'll be painted.
posted by dancestoblue at 1:40 PM on February 17, 2016 [1 favorite]