Important factors to consider when buying an Adirondack chair

This article could be called "What’s the difference between The Porch’s Adirondack chairs and mass produced department store Adirondack chairs?". You may have seen that there are Adirondack chairs selling in chain stores for around $100, but it is the old story of you get what you pay for. The important points to look out for when choosing an Adirondack chair are the following:

1. The wood. Make sure the chair you are considering is made from a hardwood, like shorea, or a treated pine. Other types of wood are not suitable for long-term outdoor use and will split. Often cheap Adirondack chairs sold in Australia are made from rough sawn timber, which will have knots in them. These knots will affect the appearance and the structure of the chairs.
2. The paint. If you are looking for a painted chair, ensure that the paint is indeed suitable for outdoor use. Many department store chairs are painted with a polyurethane paint, which will often split and peel in outdoor conditions. Go for an acrylic-based paint, like they use to paint houses, which will withstand Australian conditions.
3. The warranty. Check that the warranty is longer than 1-3 months. If it is not longer than that, what are they worried about?
4. The backrest. The whole point of an Adirondack chair is to be able to relax comfortably. Make sure that the backrest has a curve in it, and is not just flat. The curve ensures that you can sit back without discomfort, which really is the whole point of the chairs!
5. The armrests. The armrests are a defining feature of the Adirondack chair. Check that the armrests are at least 14cms across which gives you enough room to rest you drink and even a plate.

Comments

[The Adirondack Chair Guy]

On top of providing information on wooden Adirondacks, can you add some content on considering plastic Adirondack chairs? I plan on buying several chairs to place around my pool, however, I think plastic maybe the better choice due to lower maintenance. Thanks!

[Julie @ The Porch]

Hi, Did you see this post we put up: http://www.theporch.com.au/blog/2011/2/18/whats-so-good-about-hdpe-lumber.html It might just be the information you are looking for. Cheers, Julie @ The Porch