subject: Three Factors To Follow When Building Your Own Adirondack Chair [print this page] Three Factors To Follow When Building Your Own Adirondack Chair
The very first chair was designed in 1903 by Thomas Lee for the use of his family while on holiday in their summer house in the Adirondack Mountains. Later on, Lee shared the design with a carpenter friend in Westport named Harry Bunnel. Seeing the marketing potential that the chair has, Bunnel secured a patent for it in 1905, behind Lee's back, and dubbed it the "Westport Chair". Eventually, Lee was recognized as the chair's creator and was since called the "Adirondack chair". Nevertheless, thanks to Bunnel's underhanded tactics, the Adirondack chair has emerged as one of America's most beloved furniture creations.
There are key features that define the Adirondack bench. These features are the backrest and seat constructed at a slant and the wide armrests (which is the characteristic feature of the chair). However, Adirondack chairs can be very expensive, depending upon the type of material which is made from. Thankfully, there are Adirondack chair plans available which will enable individuals to build their own chairs.
Adirondack chair plans can be downloaded from several sites on the Internet. Some basic plans are offered for free to first time visitors to sites. The more detailed chair plans are sold at affordable fees. Having an Adirondack chair plan will not only allow you to build your dream chair, you can also make the necessary modifications to meet your needs and tastes. Basically, all Adirondack chair plans have a simple design.
However, there are three factors that you should always keep in mind if you are planning to build your own chair or going to modify the design. These factors are...
1) Comfort - Make sure that the backrest and seat are set at a comfortable angle. It should be great to relax in, but at the same time, easy for you to stand and get up from. The seat should also be comfortable even without a cushion.
2) Beauty - If you want your Adirondack chair to be appealing to the eyes of your guests, choose a chair plan with a beautiful, eye-catching design. While aesthetically you cannot go wrong with wood Adirondack chairs, even plastic or steel chairs can be visually appealing if you throw in a colorful cushion or two.
3) Durability - A good Adirondack bench should be able to withstand heavy weights. Some chair plans come with information on the maximum load that the chair could accommodate. Additional factors that you need to consider in terms of durability are the quality and grain of the wood that you will be using.
You can use any type of wood to build your Adirondack bench. If you are the "eco-friendly" type, you can also use recycled timer. This will help to minimize your costs in constructing the chair, so that you can purchase extra fittings and varnish. By using an Adirondack chair plan, not only will you have a lot of savings, there is also the personal pride and satisfaction that you made your own Adirondack chair.
