Adirondack chair design. Leg thickness.

[Gene Davis]

I am planning to make a couple of these, and wondering whether the legs can be made using 3/4" material. Cypress or WRC will be used.

Go to YouTube and find the video of Norm Abrams building one on a New Yankee Workshop show from what looks to be around 1980. He looks at a number of designs and settles on one that uses 3/4" for everything. It is fun to see his shop and tools from that era, no dust collection happening.

Here is one I drew up by taking one from the 3D Warehouse and modifying it to get the lines and wide boards I saw in a photo spread in a recent design magazine. I liked the 3 wide board look for back and seat, and the slanted front legs that mimic the back angle. My model has all in 3/4, but with 5/4 (1") leg stock.

I did not yet add the back supports at base, arm connections, and maybe an additional bracer up higher.

Is the extra leg thickness needed?

[Don Orr]

That's a very nice design for an ADK chair. I like the angled front legs a lot. You will be just fine with 3/4" thickness for the back legs. All the chairs I have ever seen, read many, use that thickness. You can go to 5/4 but consider the weight factor.

[Patrick Harper]

I agree with Don. 3/4 material will be fine. I have a pair on my front porch that are about two years old and doing fine. If you've never worked with Cypress before, watch out for splinters!