Outdoor Furniture — On a Quest for the Perfect Adirondack Chair
June 4, 2012 § 9 Comments
With renters arriving in a couple of weeks, I am on a hunt for Adirondack chairs that will replace the rickety old painted wooden ones we have currently at the cottage. There is such a difference in quality and price — I can’t seem to figure out what’s best.
The traditional wooden ones seem to last only a few years. Even reviewers at LLBean are sending theirs back for replacement chairs. After surveying the other offerings online, I went looking for Amish craftsmanship hoping to find something to last a decade or two. What did I find there? Plastic.
This white “poly” chair is made out of plastic bottles and it is guaranteed to last many years (the Amish guarantee is 50!), but I can’t seem to bond with a plastic facsimile of the hand-crafted old originals. Although the “poly” is not supposed to fade, I’ve heard that some colors do. White works for me so that’s not a big issue.
The price is extraordinary — twice or three times that of a wooden Adirondack chair. So that’s another sticking point. Is a plastic chair really worth almost (and in some cases over) $300?
If you have any experience with these Polywood chairs and would like to share that with me, feel free to comment. I’m kind of a purist when it comes to chairs, but they are comfortable. (My husband claims he can tell plastic from the road…). What to do…
Your Home & Color Coach 
I have the “fancy” white plastic and am happy with it. My favorite feature is that it cleans up so easily. Those white chairs get yucky sitting out in the rain in the grass and under a tree with the pollen blowing around; a quick squirt with the pressure washer and/or some detergent and they are spotless with no paint flaking off!
Thanks for your feedback, Jamie. I do like the easy maintenance. Hmmmm…
I’m for wood. Orvis has a sale right now on folding wooden chairs. I am planning to get one.
Andy,
Let me know how you like them. The reviews were kind of 50-50.
Thanks to my pal Jessie for an excellent Adirondack chair referral. I bought two heavy (substantial) wooden chairs that fold up and are made by the Amish in Pennsylvania (nice craftsmanship!). And they were each $125. An excellent price.
Tell me more! Can I purchase these chairs online? All I can find are the plastic chairs – now $500, or the plastic Adirondack chairs in front of Walmart for $20!
Hi Carolyn,
I really despise plastic stuff. It fades and bends and cracks over time. The composite material (in the expensive chairs) is much better and will hold up longer. But I opted for wood chairs that I polyurethaned. They will last forever.
Good luck in the search.
-Barbara
Your Home & Color Coach
Hi again Carolyn. I bought my chairs locally. But there may now be an online option if you Google folding wooden Adirondack chairs. So easy to store — I love them. Good luck.
Thank you!