Be Careful! Two Things to Avoid When Looking for Adirondack Chairs

by: articlesiac
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Outdoor living is becoming more and more popular. As folks head out to their local big box store (Home Depot and Lowe's come to mind) to shop for outdoor tables, chairs, tent awnings, and other items for their outdoor space, the temptation is to buy it all then and there without carefully examining how well some of those items will hold-up. Among the most comfortable of outdoor furniture is the Adirondack chair, and among the sometimes most sloppily manufactured and cheaply sold furniture at these stores is yes, you guessed it, the Adirondack chair.

While there are many things to look for when purchasing an Adirondack chair, I will focus in this article only on a few aspects of construction that you should avoid. Watching out for these red flags will make a huge difference in the safety and longevity of life of these fine, comfortable outdoor wood products.

Many budget Adirondack chairs found at big box stores are constructed exclusively with nails and glues. These chairs are usually made with quantity of production in mind rather than quality. Thus, they sell for an extremely low price and are in most cases no better than the cheap metal-framed folding lawn chairs we all have hanging in our garages and sheds.

A well made Adirondack chair is assembled with screws appropriate for the wood they're going into. Screws hold several advantages over nails: they hold the pieces of wood more tightly together, they will not loosen as much over time causing wobbles and a potentially unsafe situation, they can be tightened if parts do begin to loose their snugness, and they can be easily removed if the chair must be knocked-down for transportation or storage.

For the same reason, glued outdoor furniture should be avoided as well. If a part of your Adirondack chair becomes damaged, and it is glued to the frame or another part, removing and replacing the damaged part just became that much more difficult to do. Not only that, but without a guarantee that the glue used in the chair is outdoor grade, you could be purchasing an Adirondack chair assembled with glue not meant to be used on items placed outside year-round -- another potentially dangerous proposition.

Better than glues is mortise and tenon joinery combined with screws. If you're not familiar with the woodworking term "mortise and tenon," this technique is similar to the "Put tab A into slot B" concept... essentially there is a groove cut into one piece (the mortise), and the other piece has cut into it a tab (the tenon) that fits into the mortise. This method of joinery takes time, but is worth every penny when it comes to making your Adirondack chair last a long, long time.

Purchasing Adirondack chairs at your local hardware store (or even a home furnishings shop) can be a hit and miss proposition. Most times, the sales associate helping you will have no more clue than you do about the chair's construction. For this reason, I have always recommended purchasing outdoor furniture from the specialists in the field. These days, there are many qualified and knowledgeable retailers online offering prices comparable to the big box stores, and with the added benefit of quality guarantees and manufacturer warranties.

About the Author

Jay Gerth writes extensively about patio furniture. Specializing in adirondack rockers, chairs, and other furnishings, his expert opinions have helped others find satisfaction with their outdoor living spaces.  

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