What is the difference between a Cape Cod and Adirondack chair?

In 1905, Harry C. Bunnell of Westport, New York, received a patent for a chair suitable for use on porches, lawns and at camps, and to be durable enough to be exposed to the elements. It had broad arms and its seat and back — each built of a single piece of wood — were slanted.  

Thus was born the first Westport chair.

Wesport is located on Lake Champlain, about 120 kilometres south of Montreal, in New York state. And if you look way off to the west, you’ll be able to see the Adirondack Mountains. In those mountains, there was a convalescent home for tuberculosis patients, where caregivers figured the chairs would be perfect for guests to sit out on and enjoy the recuperative powers of the fresh mountain air.  

Thus the term “Adirondack chair” was born.  

Soon, the chair design found it's way over to Canada and the term "Muskoka chair" was born, after the name of the quintessential cottage district.

What’s the difference between a Cape Cod, Muskoka, Westernport and an Adirondack? The simple answer is: Nothing.  

Free Adirondack chair plans

We often get asked if we sell or can supply Adirondack chair plans, for the keen woodworker. The answer is no we don’t, but instead we have searched the internet for free Adirondack chair plans which anyone can use.

If you fancy building your own Adirondack chair, then check out these plans:

Lowe’s Let’s Build Something Together: Excellent video instuction for each stage of construction.

Popular Mechanics: Includes 3D images and master level blueprints.

Build Easy: This one is made using mostly fencing material.

Adionrack Plans: This site includes 20 free Adirondack chair plans in a variety of styles.

Make it a day trip to The Porch

Did you know The Porch is located within 500m of many of the Dandenongs best tourist attractions? Many of our visitors make a day of their trip by combining a visit to see our furniture with tea and scones, a walk or feeding the local wildlife.

Here are just some of the things you can see and do, which are just a stroll from us.

Grant’s Picnic Ground: If you want to get away from suburbia and enjoy our lovely countryside, you could visit Grant’s Picnic Ground, where you can hand-feed sulphur-crested cockatoos and rosellas.  There is a cafe, walking tracks and lots of photo opportunities. Distance from The Porch: 500 metres.

Kallista Village Market: On the first Saturday of each month, Kallista holds a village market focusing on organic, hand-made art and craft.

Distance from The Porch: out the back gate and across the main road.

Kallista Tea Rooms: The Kallista Tea Rooms are located in a gorgeous 1930s art-deco building. You can sit inside the circular tearooms and have beautiful Devonshire tea while watching the birds that visit from feeders located just outside the windows. Distance from the Porch: 500m

George Tindale Gardens: This public garden houses a unique collection of exotic plants set beneath a canopy of large mountain ash. It is a great place to have a picnic on the lawn, or just to wander through the meandering paths. Distance from The Porch: 300m (but you’ll need to drive as it is a very steep hill to get there!)

How to keep your outdoor wood furniture looking like new

Proper maintenance of your wooden outdoor furniture will help keep it looking good over many years.  But, wood is a natural product, so like all organic products when exposed to moisture and changes in temperature and humidity, it reacts in a number of different ways.  

With four simple steps you can keep your outdoor wooden furniture looking great for many years:

1.      Re-oil stained furniture every six months: Oiled furniture needs to be re-oiled every six months to keep them in optimum condition. The oil helps to prevent decay and fading, which can occur if exposed to harsh weather environments. Your local home and garden store will have many options from which to choose.

2.      Clean once a year: Painted and oiled wood furniture should also be cleaned once a year. Mix one tablespoon of bleach, five tablespoons of a gentle dishwashing liquid and a 3 litres of water, and softly rub the surface of your wood furniture with a soft bristle brush. Wash the solution from the furniture, and allow it to dry completely in the sun.

3.      Re-paint painted furniture every few years: Just like your house weatherboards, your painted outdoor furniture will benefit and be protected by a lick of paint every couple of years. The new paint will not only make the furntirue look fresh, it also re-protects the underlying wood.

4.      Cover or re-position: All woods are susceptible to rot and decay if left in damp, humid and shady areas for a long time. Wood that becomes saturated with rain water is more likely to warp and rot, so using waterproof protective covers when your furniture is not undercover will keep your wooden furniture in good shape. The bases of furniture legs are definitely the most susceptible when it comes to water damage. If wood furniture is kept on the grass, or on a surface that collects rain water, the legs can become saturated. Covering the bottoms of each furniture leg with rubberised material or small sections of cedar fencing material will help protect your furniture from rotting from the bottom up.

Properly maintaining your outdoor wood furniture can make it last for many years and maximise your investment. Outdoor wood furniture makes a charming addition to any backyard, deck, patio, or garden, and with care, it will continue to make a great impression for years to come.

What's so good about HDPE lumber?

Environmentally friendly, cost efficient, resistant to mould - what's not to love about HDPE lumber. Our new Eco White chairs are made from HDPE lumber and we couldn't be more excited about adding this product to our range. Here is what you need to know about HDPE lumber so that you can see why we love it so much!

1. HDPE lumber is environmentally friendly: It is made from recycled high-density polyethylene retrieved from recycled water bottles, milk jugs, detergent bottles and other plastic containers. It saves space in landfills because it is made of post-consumer recycled plastic. It reduces the demand for wood lumber, thus saving forests, and it can be seen as fighting climate change by reducing the demand for trees, which filter the harmful greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. The material reduces soil and water degradation by reducing the use of pressure-treated wood from which harmful chemicals can be released.
2. HDPE lumber looks like wood, but is better: While it closely resembles wood lumber, it is denser, heavier and more flexible. It does not require waterproofing, staining or painting.
3. HDPE lumber doesn't rot: It is extremely resistant to mold, bacteria and mildew. It does not absorb water, so it will not warp or rot. The material is maintenance-free even in extreme weather conditions.
4. HDPE lumber is cost efficient: Because of the material's unique characteristics, furniture built with HDPE plastic lumber can be expected to cost less over its lifetime than the same project made with wood. HDPE lumber does not deteriorate at the same rate as wood, and it does not require maintenance.

So, when considering which chair to buy, take a look at our Eco White chair, made from genuine HDPE lumber.

To fold or not to fold?

Folding Adirondack chairs - a good idea or not? At The Porch we have flirted with the folding Adirondack chair like many other outdoor chair companies. After many design trials we have come to the conclusion that to make the chair fold comes with comfort and durability compromises. At least they do in the case of some we've seen sold at other outlets.

Many folding Adirondack chairs sold elsewhere are flat across the back rather than have the curve which we prefer for comfort. A curved back means that you can sit back in comfort without a cushion.

Folding Adirondack chairs are mostly made lighter so that they can be lifted easily. This can make them unstable.

The paint finish can also be an issue for folding chairs as the legs of the chair are rubbed against in the folding action.

Our Adirondack chairs have been designed to withstand the elements, so there is no need to bring them in 'under cover'. We use an acrylic paint similar to the paint on the outside of your house, with the same durability. The wood is a hardwood so not likely to split and warp. So, if you want a chair without compromises then the non-folding Adirondack chair is the right choice.

In the meantime, we will keep working on making a folding Adirondack chair that doesn't compromise design, comfort and durability.

Launch of new kitchen garden at Kallista Primary school

We just spent a lovely afternoon at Kallista Primary school for the launch of their new kitchen. The school is part of Stephanie Alexander's Kitchen Garden Foundation. The aim of the program is for children around the country to get their hands dirty and learn how to grow, harvest, prepare and share fresh, seasonal food. At Kallista Primary School the new kitchen overlooks the vegie garden, so the children can walk directly from the garden into the kitchen to start cooking.

The Porch supplied the custom-made cypress pine tables which sit on the verandah between the kitchen and the garden, and we are very proud to be part of such a fantastic program.

Alternative eco materials for our chairs

We are very close to introducing a new range of chairs made from alternative materials, such as strand woven bamboo and plastic lumber, which looks and feels very much like painted timber. Very excited. Watch this space.

Plastic lumber

Woven bamboo

Important factors to consider when buying an Adirondack chair

Important factors to consider when buying an Adirondack chair.

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