digest
Short Summary
Main recommendation: Build an Adirondack chair this summer as a beginner-friendly weekend project using only a few basic tools, . Steve Ramsey shows the cutting, marking, sanding, pocket-hole assembly, and armrest mounting, and notes that the build is surprisingly easy, though he made several fit errors along the way.
Key Points
- A miter saw is the easiest cutting tool for the seat and back pieces, but a jigsaw or circular saw also works.
- Use a random orbit sander to smooth the jagged edges of the curved ends, or use sandpaper if you do not have one.
- Pre-drill and countersink screw holes to prevent the boards from splitting.
- Plan the armrests carefully: the arms are 6" wide in his build, and the pocket screws must be positioned from the inside, which he got wrong and had to redo.
- Dry-fit the back support and armrest supports against your plans before gluing, since he mounted a support on the wrong side of a leg and had to correct it.
Details Worth Noting
Concrete instructions:
- Cut all seat and back pieces first, using a miter saw, jigsaw, or circular saw.
- Mark the cross brace locations before cutting the curved ends; for the curve, Ramsey used a glass with a 3½" diameter, and any glass or round object of that size works as a template.
- Smooth the curved ends with a random orbit sander or sandpaper.
- Line the cross braces up with your marked lines and clamp them in place, if you have clamps, before driving screws.
- Space the 1½"-wide back slats apart using a piece of plywood as a spacer. Only one side of each back slat is curved.
- Pre-drill and countersink all screw holes to prevent splitting.
- Attach the brace connecting the two front legs. To attach the armrest rails, leave a ¾" gap at the front, and check that the assembly is square before inserting the next screw.
- Mount the armrests with a bolt through the arm, a washer, another washer on the reverse side, a lock washer, and a nut.
- Consider painting all pieces before assembly, since it is easier to reach between the slats.
- Have a friend help join the two main pieces together.
Additional notes:
- Ramsey's arms are 6" wide; he notes you can make them any width you like.
- He called the wood glue's holding strength on one misaligned piece a testament to its strength, and described the errors as a "character-building exercise."
- The chair turned out comfortable, and he describes the project as surprisingly easy to build.
- He jokes that the mis-drilled arms would make nice skateboards if he didn't finish the chair.
Bottom Line
Adirondack chairs are an accessible, low-tool summer project, but following the plans exactly and checking orientation of pocket screws and supports before gluing will save rework.
