The Adirondack Chair: A Timeless Classic

First conceived around the turn of the 20th century, the Adirondack chair has remained a fixture of patios, porches, and beach houses ever since. The Adirondack chair is the perfect marriage of comfort and style, a timeless classic, equally at home on the finest estate as circled around a fire pit in a cozy bourgeois backyard.

How to shop for an Adirondack Chair

Style:

The basic design that makes a patio chair a traditional Adirondack is universal: low-slung, deeply slanted seat, wide armrests, and signature Adirondack fan back. However, the popularity of this style has expanded beyond the typical chair to include Adirondack bar stools, Adirondack rocking chairs, Adirondack benches, Adirondack porch swings, Adirondack dining sets and more, all available in a rainbow of color options. Finding the perfect look for your outdoor space has never been easier.

Construction:

One might be tempted to purchase an inexpensive, molded plastic Adirondack chair at a big box store, but beware: you get what you pay for. These chairs will crack and fade over time, sag under any significant weight, and look, well, cheap. Here is a summary of the top materials we recommend for a handsome, long-lasting Adirondack chair:

Polywood / Trex Recycled Plastic Lumber

• • Eco-friendly (made from recycled plastic bags)
  • Won’t rot, crack, splinter, or fade
  • Easy to maintain; never needs to be painted or stained
  • Available in a variety of colors
  • 20-year warranty

Eucalyptus

• • Eco-friendly, 100% plantation grown
  • Strong, durable, decay-resistant
  • Requires frequent treatments with linseed oil to maintain brown tone
  • Available only in natural wood color (no color options)
  • 3-year warranty

Teak

• • Eco-friendly, 100% plantation grown
  • The ideal material for outdoor furniture- extremely dense, durable, weather-resistant
  • Requires annual / biannual treatments with teak care products (depending on climate)
  • Available in golden brown tone, weathers to handsome silver patina (no color options)
  • 5-year warranty

Special Features:

Some Adirondack chairs offer special features that you might find useful, including:

• Matching ottomans
• Hideaway ottomans (they retract under the chair)
• Collapsible design for easy transport and storage
• Glider or rocker motion

Footprint:

A quality Adirondack chair is a fairly substantial piece of furniture and can take up a larger footprint than the average patio chair. Keep this in mind when planning your outdoor space to ensure there is enough room to accommodate Adirondack chairs, side tables, fire pit, etc. and the proper amount of walking space to navigate around those objects. This is less important for a large patio or backyard but critical when furnishing a deck with specific entry and egress points.