Buying new outdoor furniture can be fun, but also confusing. Deciding which style is right for your needs and which pieces will increase the function of your outdoor spaces takes a lot of consideration. One of the most versatile options you have is the Adirondack chair.
Adirondack chairs have a long history in the U.S., but their popularity has never waned. Enduring style, comfort, and aesthetic appeal combine to create furniture that’s classically American.
Whether you use your chairs on the deck, the patio, the beach, or around the fire pit, these tips for choosing the best Adirondack chairs will help ensure you are 100% satisfied with your purchase.
What Are Adirondack Chairs?
You’ve seen them, and maybe even sat in one, but you may not know how these iconic chairs got their name. As the name suggests, Andorak chairs originate from the Adirondack Mountains located in upstate New York.
Thomas Lee, the inventor of what would become one of the most recognizable styles of outdoor chairs in the U.S., wanted comfortable seating for his Westport summer home. His quest for the perfect chair led Lee to design and build his own lawn chair. He crafted the first prototype from locally sourced wood in 1903.
The wide armrests, contoured seats, and slanted backrests for ultimate comfort are hallmarks of these chairs. But Lee also sought to create a chair that could exist in harmony with the natural landscape of the Adirondacks, where he loved to spend leisure time.
The design has been refined through the years, and today, Adirondack chairs feature several materials, including polywood, plastic, and wood.
Why Are Adirondack Yard Chairs Popular?
The Adirondack chair is a staple in American culture. You can find them in gardens, patios, vacation homes, and backyard decks all across the country. By the mid-20th century, Anorak chairs had become a symbol of leisure. There’s something about the inviting shape that encourages you to relax.
Styles come and go over the years, but the Adirondack chair has never fallen out of favor. Some of the reasons this unique style of chair remains popular include:
Versatility
Adirondack chairs complement almost every style of home and landscape. Thanks to the stability of the design, you can safely place these chairs on grass or gravel, on a wooden deck, or on a concrete or tile patio. People also enjoy using these chairs on sandy surfaces, such as lakeside areas.
Amish-made Adirondack chairs made from polywood are also light and easy to move around. Their easy maintenance requirements mean you can use them in any environment. They can even stand up to salty sea breezes and blazing hot sun without fading, cracking, or rotting.
Comfortable Design
Comfort and outdoor seating don’t always go hand-in-hand, but the best Adirondack chairs allow for relaxation in any environment. Children and adults of all sizes can lean back and enjoy their natural surroundings without fear of tipping over. The broad design of the chair, gently sloped back, and sturdy armrests offer exceptional comfort.
Need a place to rest your drink, a plate of snacks, or that book you keep meaning to read? The armrests of an Adirondack are generous enough to hold it all, plus your phone.
Iconic Appeal
Nothing says “sit and relax” like an arrangement of Adirondack chairs gathered around a fire pit or nestled together in the garden. It’s not overstating to say Thomas Lee’s comfortable chair is an American icon. Adirondack chairs appear in vintage vacation photos and famous paintings, and they’re still an iconic piece today.
If you’ve ever been to camp, rented a cabin, or walked the deck of a cruise ship, you’ve seen an Adirondack chair. The traditional style is a piece of design history. When you want something timeless for your outdoor seating, consider investing in Amish Adirondack chairs.
Durability
Not all Adirondack chairs share the same level of durability. Styles may be similar, but the quality of materials and manufacturing can differ. Polywood Adirondack chairs are made from durable high-density polyethylene (HDPE). HDPE comes from post-consumer recycled plastic. It does not contain allergens, heavy metals, or BPA.
Considered the most stable type of plastic, HDPE won’t crack, attract insects, or rot like chairs made from wood. By using long-lasting material like polywood, your Adirondack chair is practically indestructible. With built-in UV resistance, the colors resist fading and look fresh year after year.
Easy Maintenance
The laid-back style of an Adirondack chair makes it easy to clean. Unlike wicker furniture, there are no intricate weavings to catch dust and debris. Adirondacks are naturally comfortable and don’t need cushions or pillows. That means there’s one less thing to wash and maintain.
Amish Adirondack chairs made from polywood stand ready to offer comfort whenever you need them. An occasional wash with soap and water is all they need to keep them looking clean and fresh all year long.
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Adirondack Chairs
The best Adirondack chairs are the ones that fit your needs, but what does that mean exactly? It means everyone uses their outdoor spaces differently. The “best” chairs are the ones you will use over and over because they function well and look great.
These tips will help you select from the different styles and types of Adirondack outdoor furniture that are available today.
Decide the Purpose
Before buying Amish outdoor furniture, consider how you will use your lawn chairs. Do you want single chairs for gathering around a fire pit, or would you prefer an Adirondack style that seats two? If you host a lot of outdoor parties, you may need a dining set or furniture for several different parts of the yard.
Choosing from the variety of available options can be confusing. Take a look at your space and decide which basic pieces you need the most. Once you have the foundational pieces in place, you can choose which extra or accessory chairs and tables will make your outdoor spaces the most functional.
Choose Colors Carefully
The best Adirondack chairs last for many years. Trendy colors can be fun, but thanks to the durability and fade-resistance of polywood chairs, you’ll be living with them for a long time. That doesn’t mean you’re stuck with neutral colors, but staying with classic tones may be helpful.
It may also help to consider your outdoor living spaces to be a continuation of your home’s interior. Take color cues from your indoor furnishings and accessories to help ensure you’ll enjoy your chairs for the long run.
Opt for Low-Maintenance Materials
Once upon a time, Adirondack chairs were only available in natural wood. Today, you have many different materials to choose from. Cheaper plastics are easy on the budget, but they aren’t durable. Replacing lawn chairs every few years isn’t good for your bank account or the environment.
On the other hand, chairs made from high-quality wood are beautiful, but maintaining that beauty can require a lot of work. Wood is prone to mold and mildew and can attract pests like termites. Metal chairs can last a long time, but some are heavy. Rust can also weaken the metal, making the chairs unsafe to sit in.
That’s why the best outdoor Adirondack chairs are made from polywood. Polywood is durable, light, and easy to maintain, and the colors are fade-resistant. When you buy polywood Adirondack chairs, you’re also doing something good for the environment.
Where Are Amish Adirondack Chairs Manufactured?
Amish poly furniture at ProCut Firewood is made from 100% recycled plastic in the USA. Each piece is artisan-crafted with traditional building methods. Features of Amish polywood furniture include:
- UV-ray protection
- Hidden screws where possible
- Aluminum bracing
- All stainless steel hardware
- Powder-coated steel swivel
Unlike plastic materials manufactured in other countries, polywood from the USA has been stringently tested to be weather- and fade-resistant.
How Is HDPE Manufactured?
HDPE is also known as plastic lumber. The manufacturing process begins with heating chemical elements to make polyethylene, the most common type of plastic in the world. Turning polyethylene into high-density polyethylene involves cooking the mixture at low heat while pouring it into metal molds that contain shredded wood fiber.
Once the plastic-wood substance has cooled for at least 8 hours, boards of HDPE can be shipped to retailers and makers like the Amish craftsmen who make our line of Adirondack outdoor furniture.
Purchase Your Furniture From the Best Adirondack Chairs Company in Minnesota
If you’re searching for beautiful and durable Amish-made Adirondack chairs, look no further than ProCut Firewood. We have been supplying the Rochester, MN, area with high-quality firewood and outdoor furniture since 1989.
We take pride in helping customers find the perfect pieces of Amish Adirondack outdoor furniture to enhance their outdoor living. Call ProCut Firewood or visit our Rochester showroom to see our best-rated Adirondack chairs in person today.