Adirondack Chairs

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Splinter

New User
Dolan Brown
I finally made the Adirondack Chairs for our dock. See photo gallery. I start on the foot rests tomorrow. I bought the cypress at Turn Bull Lumber. This was my first expierence with cypress. It was 4/4 x 6" x 12' air dried #2 common for $.90 a bf. Almost 1/2 of the boards were almost totally knot free. I thought that was a good price. What have you guys paid for similar wood?

I want the wood to age naturally but I thought I should put some type of weather treatment on the chairs to extend the life of the wood. I plan to test a scrap with Thompson's Water Seal to see if it leaves any residue on the wood that would get on clothes. I also thought about cutting some spar poly so I could spray it. Anyone have any thoughts on the subject of finishing or should I just let it age naturally?
 

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Ken Weaver

New User
Ken Weaver
As I understand cypress it turns a natural gray over time. Not sure I'd put anything on it, but will defer to those who know more. Really nice work Splinter.
 

DaveO

New User
DaveO
Very nice chairs :eusa_clap :eusa_clap I would either let the Cypress grey naturally or use a oil finish and re-apply when looking dry. Thompsons sucks IMO, and a spar poly with eventually peel and have to be sanded off to refinish. An oil finish like Penofin can be recoated when ever it needs to be refreshed.
Dave:)
 

NCPete

New User
Pete Davio
Good looking chairs! Thanks for posting the photo's. I have just figured out what wood trimmed out the house I just stayed in on Hatteras. Thanks!
 

dancam

Dan
Corporate Member
Great looking chairs and the level arm rests are sure to keep the beer can handy. As far as finish, I'd agreed with the other comments about Thompson' and diluted spar. Thes are both surface finishes to repel water. I'd suggest leaving them to weather to gray or use an oil such as Penofin (www.penofin.com). I just built a timberframe home in Asheville and used Penofin products inside and out. The interior was eastern white pine and spruce T&G ceilings and the exterior was cypress and the penofin made the grian pop. I also used it on the Ipe decing and it looks like mahogny. Anyway, my .02, great chairs and enjoy.

Dan C.
 

Splinter

New User
Dolan Brown
DaveO said:
What plans did you use, I really like the look of the back on those?
Dave:)

Dave, I use a plan from Lee Valley/Veritas. Link -->>
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32755&cat=1,46158,46162&ap=1

I have had the plan for 2-3 years and just got around to using it. The chair is really comfortable. The plan had full size paper patterns for all the shaped pieces that were not straight cuts. They even tell you how many and what size screws to buy. It also has a inlcuded pattern to make the chair a little lower for shorter people and a pattern to make it a rocker.

I traced the patterns onto 1/4" hardboard and made a set of patterns so I can reuse them plus I attached them to the pieces after I rough cut them and then used the router table to trim the pieces to the shape of the pattern.

There are a lot of pieces to cut and shape but I have compared the chair to other Adirondack chairs and I think this is a great looking chair and very solid. I timed myself on this project. Not counting making the hardwood patterns, It took 25 hours to make both chairs. I know you wipe this stuff out faster than me so you should be able to do it in less time. :lol: It takes 25BF of wood for each chair.
 

Splinter

New User
Dolan Brown
Dave/Dan, the Penofin sounds like a good product but based on their web site the nearest dealer in 90 miles from me. Where do you get it?
 

WoodWrangler

New User
Jeremy
Splinter,

Nice looking chairs! I too have made a pair of Adirondacks made of Cypress. I finished mine with deck protection and it's worked great -- the only fault is that is was colored and thus took the beauty of the wood away. If that's not a concern, then it will work and has done my chairs well. Another option (dare I say :slap:) is to paint them. While I don't like painting wood often, it does look classy with Adirondacks.

Let us know what you end up doing ...

Jeremy
 

cpowell

Chuck
Senior User
I can't help with the finish but I love the chairs. :eusa_clap

I'm sure you will spend many relaxing hours enjoying them.

The cypress price is a LOT better than anything I've seen around the Rocky Mount area. If I could find some for a buck a bd ft I'd have more outdoor furniture.

Chuck
 

DaveO

New User
DaveO
Splinter said:
Dave/Dan, the Penofin sounds like a good product but based on their web site the nearest dealer in 90 miles from me. Where do you get it?

I have got it at Tarheel Wood Treating in Morrisville. You might be able to find an online source and they could ship it to you. If you are meeting up with Sapwood in Wilmington on Monday, he might be able to stop by Tarheel, it's near his house and hand deliver some. You might have to ask him really nice :-D

Dave:)
 

Splinter

New User
Dolan Brown
DaveO said:
I have got it at Tarheel Wood Treating in Morrisville. You might be able to find an online source and they could ship it to you. If you are meeting up with Sapwood in Wilmington on Monday, he might be able to stop by Tarheel, it's near his house and hand deliver some. You might have to ask him really nice :-D

Dave:)

Dave,

I checked their web site. They have several exterior products. Which one of their products do you use?
 

DaveO

New User
DaveO
I've used the Exotic Hardwood on Ipe decking. But for your application either the Blue Label or Red Label would be best. Choose your color, but I would think to show the beauty of the Cypress the Transparent Cedar would be your best bet.
Dave:)
 

walnutjerry

Jerry
Senior User
Splinter-----I just recently built a well house door using cypress and finished it with a 50/50 mix of pure tung oil and mineral spirits. The tung oil is impervious (water proof). It was brushed on liberaly and wiped down after about 20 min. It sinks into the wood pretty good and leaves the natural beauty to enjoy. It will also eventually turn a silver-gray. Just another opinion.:)

Really nice looking chairs BTW.


Jerry
 

D L Ames

New User
D L Ames
Great looking chairs Dolan.:icon_thum I can't offer any suggestions on the finish but look forward to hearing what finish you end up using and seeing how it turns out.

D L
 

dancam

Dan
Corporate Member
I had my builder order it and it was delivered to him. With all the timber trusses and posts plus all the T&G ceiling boards and interior pine trim I used about 30 gals (double coated all the interior posts and beams, single coated the T&G and all the interior trim).

I have about three gals of Golden Oak Penofin and would be happy to share some if anyone wants to try it. I've also used the Penofin Marine oil as a double finish coat on my shop floor (we had enough scraps and leftovers of some beautiful #2 white oak that we are able to have a wood floor in a 580' shop).
 

yellofins

Ron
Corporate Member
Slinter,
Thanks for posting the pics of your chairs. They look great. I ordered the same plans a few days ago and am waiting for them. I need to build a few chairs and planned on going the hardboard pattern route also. I was planning on building the rockers also.
Did you find any problems with the plans I should look out for?
Ron
 

DavidF

New User
David
yellofins said:
Slinter,
and planned on going the hardboard pattern route also. I was planning on building the rockers
Ron

Just a note of caution when using hardboard as a router template, especially with a smallish (1/2") bearing bit. If you happen to push too heavely on it, maybe to change direction, then the edge of the board will dimple and ruin the next pass - DAMHIKT!!:BangHead:

Best bet is MDF or maybe 1/4 ply -just a thought.
 

skeeter

New User
Charles
Good job! The chairs really look nice and I like the pattern. I have to build a couple pretty quick and I think I will use the same style. Let us know what finish you come up with!
 

sapwood

New User
Roger
Great work Dolan :icon_thum
Excellent design choice and the knot-free wood is awesome.

And I will work on getting the Penofin ;-)

Sapwood
 
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