Adirondack chairs has a way of stopping a person in they’re tracks. Place an Adirondack chair on a wide porch overlooking the mountain or find a spot along a lake where you can place an Adirondack chair. Once you are sitting in your Adirondack chair, you will find that the afternoons slows down for you.
The high back of an Adirondack chair is designed to tilt you enough to look at the sky without needing to crane your neck. The arms of the chair are wide enough for you to rest a glass or a book while your back rests against the high backrest and your legs rest on the floor. Adirondack chairs may appear simple to someone who passes by a park or a backyard with one of these chair in the foreground.
However, every angle and curve to an Adirondack chair have a specific use or purpose. The original design of the chair used wooden plank to create the look and feel that is still used today with dozens of other design innovations. Knowing the different types of Adirondack chairs allow a potential buyer to determine what type of chair will last longer in the environment it will be used in.
Additionally, knowing the different types of chairs allow a potential buyer to select the right one for their home decor. The differences between the chairs can vary in such a way that will inform the buyer why certain chairs may be more appropriate for specific environments. Adirondack chairs come in multiple types and designs that serve different function.
For instance, wooden Adirondack chairs are one of the most popular type, but not the only type available. Adirondack chairs also come in poly lumber, folding, oversized or double, rocking, moddern, children’s, and even hybrid types. Each of these will be discussed in greater detail to help inform a potential buyer about what type of chair might be best for their specific need.
Popular Types of Adirondack Chairs to Consider
1. Classic Wooden Adirondack Chairs
Classic wooden Adirondack chairs are the most common and traditional type of Adirondack chair. These types of chairs were the first to be made in 1903 near Lake Placid. The wooden planks that make up classic wooden Adirondack chairs is usually made from cedar, pine, or teak wood.
The advantage of these types of woods is that the flat armrest are perfect for placing a glass or a book. The low seat and the gentle slope of the backrest of classic wooden chairs encourage individuals to lie back and take a nap. If left untreated, the classic wooden Adirondack chairs will naturally weather to a soft silver-gray color over time.
These wooden chairs are heavy enough to stay in place during the wind but can be easily moved when necessary. The primary disadvantage of wooden chairs is that they require treatment every few season in areas where there is alot of precipitation. Otherwise, the wood may develop mildew.
The solid feel of the wood is unmatched by any other chair material.
2. Poly Lumber Chairs
Poly lumber chairs have the same look as classic wooden chairs but use recycled plastics to create the poly lumber. The plastics used are high-density polyethylene from detergent and milk bottle.
Because plastics do not react to the weather, poly lumber chairs will last for decades outdoors. The chairs can be almost the same weight as wooden chairs because the plastic is very strong. The colors of the poly lumber chairs range from barn red to forest green to oranges and turquoises.
The poly lumber chairs will retain their color over time rather than fade with exposure to sunlight. Poly lumber chairs are cool to the touch, even after being exposed to the sun all afternoon. This is beneficial for individuals with bare feet.
The downside to these chairs is the sound they make. Instead of the knock a wooden chair make, you will hear a plastic thunk each time you shift in the poly lumber chair. However, for those looking for the look of an Adirondack chair without the maintenance that wooden ones require, poly lumber chairs are hard to beat.
3. Folding Adirondack Chairs
Folding Adirondack chairs has a similar design to classic wooden chairs but are constructed in such a way that they can fold up to be stored when not in use. Many folding chairs use lightweight cedar or aluminum for their frames. One person can easily transport them.
The joints between the frames has become increasingly strong over time. The folding feature of these chairs comes at the cost of some of the comfort of classic wooden chairs. The seat is shallower, and the back does not recline as much.
However, folding chairs are much more useful for individuals who have limited space for furniture or who travel from one location to another. For instance, an individual who lives in the city and owns a cottage in the country can use a folding chair to take to the cottage to enjoy the outdoors.
4. Oversized or Double Adirondack Chairs
Oversized or double Adirondack chairs has a larger seat and armrest to allow two individuals to sit at once.
Many of these chairs can take up to five feet of seat space. The frames are often constructed of poly lumber or lumber that is thicker than classic wooden chairs to support the extra weight of two individuals. The seats are often curved to distribute the weight of two individuals.
The designer preserved the height of the backrest to maintain the look of the chair. The benefit of these chairs is that two individuals can share the same view of the outdoors. The downside to these chairs is the amount of space that they take up in an outdoor area.
For the same reason, these chairs are not well suited for patios or porches that may be smaller in size. However, if the patio or porch is large enough to accommodate such a chair, few things will encourage individuals to spend their evenings hanging out in the outdoor area.
5. Rocking Adirondack Chairs
Rocking Adirondack chairs have a base that allows for the individual to rock or sway while seated.
The base material is often the same as the remainder of the chair. The rocking chairs are often placed on covered porches where the legs of the individual will not fall asleep on the porch floor or where a baby needs to be comforted. Many rocking chairs come with an ottoman that rocks in the same movement as the rocking chair.
These chairs require a bit more space to allow for rocking. However, once an individual has learned to rock in a rocking chair, they will find themselves unable to sit in any other type of chair.
6. Modern Adirondack Chairs
Modern Adirondack chairs have been reimagined with sleeker lines.
The materials used for the chairs are often resin, stainless steel, and aluminum. Instead of a wooden structure, these chairs has a metal frame. The high backrest and the wide arms are still present on these modern chairs.
Some of the modern chairs have a metal panel or a fabric sling for the seat. Modern chairs may have sharp angles rather than the rounded corners of wooden chairs. Modern chairs do not use as much wood as classic wooden chairs.
This makes them easier to move to the swimming dock or even a rooftop terrace. Most modern chairs have cushions to conform to the body because the metal frame does not have the natural contours of wood. Many people may be surprised by the look of a modern chair.
However, the chairs offer excellent comfort. If an individual is looking for a chair that features the function of an Adirondack chair but with a more modern look and feel, modern chairs are the best choice.
7. Children’s Adirondack Chairs
Children’s Adirondack chairs is smaller in size and have a height of around ten inches from the ground.
These chairs are made with all of the same features as classic wooden chairs, but on a smaller scale to accommodate children. These chairs are often made of cedar wood to allow children to pull the chairs across the lawn. However, cedar is strong enough to allow the children to sit on the chairs and even to climb on them.
These small chairs help to give children a feeling of importance and inclusion in the outdoor activities of the adults in the home. However, most children will outgrow the ability to use these chairs by the age of eight or nine. Hence, one option for parents is to purchase a model that can fold for storage while the children are not using the chairs.
8. Hybrid Adirondack Chairs
Many Adirondack chairs combine materials in their construction. Some are poly lumber with metal frames. Others use poly lumber for the seat and backrest but use teak wood for the armrests so that the children or adults who sit on the chairs have a place to rest their arms with a touch of natural wood.
These types of chairs are for those who is interested in sustainability yet live in areas that are subject to salt water damage. Since different materials expand at different rates with the climate, the joints of these chairs must be constructed carefully. However, such chairs are designed to offer the benefits of all of the different materials with no compromise in the comfort that the chair provides to the individual who sits on it.
Adirondack chairs come in a variety of types that serve different function for their owners and for those who use them. Knowing each of these types can allow an individual to make the best choice for their specific location and their needs. From wooden chairs to folding, oversized or double, rocking, modern, children’s, and even the innovative use of hybrid materials, there is a type of chair for everyone who enjoys the outdoors or would like to entertain others in their own home.
No matter which type of Adirondack chair you choose, the goal is the same. You want an Adirondack chair that effortlessly dissapears into the background of that perfect afternoon. The original designers of the chair, who were searching for fresh air in the Adirondack Mountains, would probably smile at all the different directions that the chair has traveled since its creation.
Choose the type of Adirondack chair that best suits your climate, your space, and your personal preferences for how to enjoy a chair. Then sit back, take a deep breath, and let the remainder of the day unfold slowly.
