Saturday Morning Workshop: How To Build A Folding Adirondack Chair

Crosscut and rip boards to length

• Crosscut and rip the 1×8’s to finished size for the arms (B)
• Crosscut the 1×6’s to the other lengths given in the cutting list and rip to width

Mark and drill the bolt holes

Mark and drill the 7/16-in. bolt clearance holes on middle brace (K), bottom brace (L), arm supports (M), hinge bars (N) & legs (C) only, as shown in the tech art illustrations. Gang up any like boards for consistent hole locations. You’ll drill the remaining clearance holes later.

Draw and cut out the curved boards

Following the tech art (fig. 1 and 3), draw the arcs and shapes on the seat supports (A), arm rests (B), legs (C), arm braces (D), back slats (F, G, H), middle brace (K), bottom brace (L), and arm supports (M). Make templates using the grid shown, if you like. Cut the pieces just outside the line with a jigsaw. For matching parts, use the first board as a template, tracing it onto the other blank.

Sand to finished size

Sand up to the line with a belt sander or sanding block. Clamp like boards together [such as the back slats (F, G, H)] to get the same arcs.

Attach the back slats to the braces

Drill pilot holes into the ends of the middle brace (K) and bottom brace (L), and then screw in the hanger bolts. Tighten two nuts against each other on the hanger bolts to make a “head” on the bolt, making it easy to drive. Evenly space the back slats (F, G, H) along the bottom brace. Drill countersink clearance holes through the slats and pilot holes into the brace, to avoid splitting. Fasten the slats with 1-1/2 in. screws. Mark a line 10-in. from the bottom brace on all the back slats. Mount the middle brace to the back slats at this line, just as you attached the other brace.

Assemble the chair

Attach the seat spacer (O) 6-in. from the back end of the seat supports (A). Fasten the seat slats (E) to the seat supports (A) with 2 in. screws, starting with the front slat. Be sure to locate the second and third slats on the flat surfaces of the seat supports.

Assemble the arms

Glue and screw the arm rests (B) to the arm supports (M) (use waterproof glue, such as Titebond III). The arm rest overhangs the support 1-in. relief on the inside of the arm. Mount the small arm braces (P) with glue and 2-in. screws, 6-in. from the ends of the arm support.

Assemble the legs

Mark a line 1/8-in. from the top of the arm braces (D) (see fig. 3). Clamp and fasten the arm braces to the legs (C) with 2-in. screws.

Attach the hinge bars to the seat

Clamp the hinge bars (N) to the seat supports (A) and drill the 7/16-in. clearance hole from the hinge bar into the support. Fasten the hinge bars (N) to the seat supports (A) with a 1-1/2 in. carriage bolt and washer in between the two parts. Fasten the bottom brace (L) to the hinge bar via the hanger bolts, washers and nuts.

Fasten the arms and legs to the assembly

Attach the arm supports (M) to the middle brace (K) with washers and 1/4-in. nuts. Clamp the legs to the seat supports (A) (see fig. 3 for placement) and check them for square. Drill the mating holes from the legs to the seat supports and fasten with 3/8-in. x 1-3/4 in. carriage bolts, nuts, washers and the 5/8-in. diameter dowels. Clamp the arm supports to the legs so that the arms are level. Match the 7/16-in. hole from the legs to the arm supports and fasten them with 3/8-in. carriage bolts, washers and nuts.

Attach the seat spacer

Take one of the leftover 2-1/2 in.-wide boards, scribe the length from the inside of the legs, and cut to length. Set the front brace on a piece of 1x, to keep it off the ground, and attach the seat spacer (J) with 2-in. screws.