Adirondack Chairs for a Fundraiser
Here’s an idea on how to use Adriondack chairs for charity fund raising. How fitting that it comes from Upstate NY - close by the birthplace of Adirondack chairs.
“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” is doing a project in the Syracuse, NY area. To help raise money for the family, Adirondack Colonial Furniture, a local stroe up there, donated a dozen chairs. The chairs were decorated by local area artists, making them even more valuable as works of art. (as you know from a previous post, if they wanted a real work of art, they would have gotten my neices involved)
They displayed the chairs at varioius local venus, and had press coverage to raise interest as well. Proving that this is the 21st century, the auction was held on eBay.
I thought is was a great way to both support a charity and give exposure to local artists. it’s something you could do in your own community to help a charity you’re involved with.
Adirondack Chair Design and Construction Points
Let me be upfront - I have a bias in favor of Adirondack chairs. I haven’t seen one I don’t like. But they do differ and I do like some more than others. I want to describe a few design and construction features you may want to look for when selecting you own chair.
First is overall design. Adirondack chairs can be made in various proportions, and what appeals to an individual is very much a matter of personal taste. I prefer very wide arms with smoothly curved sides while others like the arms narrow and straighter. This type of thing is a matter of personal taste.
Most wood chairs are made of wood that is ¾”-1” thick. This usually works best. I own a chair made predominately of 2x stock (actual measurement 11/2” thick) and it’s way too heavy. I bought it from a fellow making them in his shop and selling them at the side of the road. I suspect he was trying to make a sturdier chair, but all it really did was add weight. You’ll be fine with the thinner wood.
The connectors make a difference in both appearance and durability. The best for both regards is stainless steel screws and bolts. Capillary action draws water into the wood along fasteners. This leads to rot in softer woods and can be an issue even in hard wood. Countersinking the screws and filling the hole with a solid wood plug fixes this problem. Wood putty or filler doesn’t work as well.
If a manufacturer uses stainless steel screws, they’ll usually mention it prominently. Otherwise, they probably used exterior screws of the type used for deck construction. These work well enough, but ultimately are more susceptible to rust than stainless.
I prefer to see bolts used to construct the frame. The wood that the screw threads bear on tends to soften over time, especially when capillary action draws water in (those unplugged screws I mentioned). Bolts may draw water in as well, but the strength of the connection doesn’t depend on the integrity of the wood next to the bolt.
Another point affecting durability is the spacing of the back slats. On chairs with fan-shaped backs, some makers have the slats tight together at the bottom. This traps water and increases the likelihood of rot. Some space between the slats is preferable.
The original Adirondack chairs had straight seats and backs. The sloped sear and back make them surprisingly comfortable for a hard surfaced chair. Still most people find curved backs and seats more comfortable.
If you’re buying a chair where you can try it, that’s the best way to settle the comfort issue. For better or worse, we buy more and more things through catalogs or online and trying a specific chair out isn’t always possible. If you’re traveling or visiting and find yourself in an Adirondack chair that’s particularly comfortable, note the general design and if the seat and back are curved or straight. Use that as a guide when you buy your own from a catalog or online and can’t try it out first.
Having said all this, you can’t go too far wrong. I really haven’t seen an Adirondack chair I don’t like.
What Makes a Chair an Adirondack Chair?
At a bit over 100 years old, the Adirondack chair has stood the test of time to become a true American classic.� Nothing suggests summer leisure quite as much as a grouping of Adirondack chairs, ideally close by a body of water or on a sweeping porch.
Over the course 100 years, craftspeople of all skill levels have had made their own versions of an Adirondack chair.� Some of these designs have been more successful than others but all pay homage to the original.� The variations are so diverse that it makes it difficult to even define just what makes a chair an Adirondack chair.� It is, however, one of those things you know when you see it, even if you don’t know exactly why.
Having said that, let’s take a stab at listing the defining characteristics of an Adirondack chair.
First, it was originally intended as outdoor furniture for summer lounging in the Adirondack Mountains of New York.� However, some designers have used Adirondack chairs to good effect as indoor chairs.
The original Adirondack chairs were made of wood.� The purist in me feels that still defines a classic Adirondack chair, although I won’t quibble with those who admire chairs made of metal, plastic, composite, fiberglass or whatever.� I’ll call them Adirondack chair wantabes and leave it at that.
A few aspects of design characterize an Adirondack chair.� The seat tends to be somewhat low to the ground – the better for lounging.� Also, the seat slopes downward from the front, encouraging one to slide in and settle down.
The posture of repose is also aided by the backward lean of the chair back.
Finally, an Adirondack chair must have wide arms.� These serve all manner of purposes, most importantly providing a resting place for a cool drink and a good novel.
But you don’t need to pay attention to all that.� You’ll know an Adirondack chair when you see one. The only real question is just where you’ll use it.