Plans for 'Old folks Adirondack Chair'?

[Jesse Cloud]

I've built a couple of Adirondack chairs from the Lee Valley plans - and we love them, but now I need something that my 85 year old mother can get in and out of. Anyone built anything like this or know of a source for plans?
Thanks in advance.

[Jim Becker]

The only design specifically for this that I've seen is one that Ian Barley (an SMC member) markets in the UK. You might PM him for advice on what potential changes to make to existing designs, etc. That said, the NYW design is a bit easier for older folks than many of them. IMHO, of course.

[Gary Keedwell]

Jim is right about Norm's chair. My father enjoyed his chair to the day he died. I built about 6 or 8 of them in the early 90's. It was one of my first projects.

[Ian Barley]

The only design specifically for this that I've seen is one that Ian Barley (an SMC member) markets in the UK. You might PM him for advice on what potential changes to make to existing designs, etc. That said, the NYW design is a bit easier for older folks than many of them. IMHO, of course.

I don't have plans to provide. I have attached a pic of the chair I make with this audience in mind. Hope that helps.

[Jim Becker]

If I remember clearly from actually sitting in Ian's "mature person's Adirondack chair", the major differences are the seat is higher and with less slope, making it easier for physically challenged folks to get in and out of it. This will not translate easily to all Adirondack designs, but should be doable for some. For the NYW design, it would entail making the front legs a little taller and making the main side pieces longer and with a little different profile on the top to reduce seat slope a little, adjusting the front and bottom angles of the same to suit. Do a mock-up using scrap plywood of the front leg and the side piece so you can establish the angles, lengths and profiles to suit your needs. And then make templates out of scrap plywood or MDF to make "production" quick and easy.

[Charlie Plesums]

The traditional Adirondack chair (i.e. the ones I recall from growing up in upstate New York) has the side supports continue straight back - there is no separate back leg or brace.

Note that Ian's design has more traditional chair-like rear legs. That should allow the angle and height of the seat to be adjusted fairly easily.

Some of the cheaper chairs have a brace from the top of the back to the traditional rear leg, so the stress on the rear leg and back are less. I believe Norm's design also uses that shortcut.

Some Adirondack chairs have the curved front of the seat, like these, while others are straight/vertical in the front. When the straight front chairs are sold, there is often an option for a foot rest - I don't know if that is a marketing opportunity, or a necessity (my users like the curved front and don't look for a foot rest). The straight front may make it easier for an older person to get out of the chair.

[Ian Barley]

Jim's summary is about right. Basically I use a "vertical back support" style of chair. The more upright version absivally has the back leg about 4" longer and the front leg about 2" longer. This takes a few degrees out of the rake of the seat and places the whole seat a couple of inches higher all round. Think about the difference between an armchair and a dining chair. The angle of the seat and the back is exactly the same as it is in my "Classic" style chair so the fact that your back is held slightly "open" against your legs when you sit in it is maintained. The side piece of the seat squab is actually cut a little shorter than normal as the footprint of the chair on the ground is slightly smaller.

I am afraid that I don't have plans for this, and even if I have would not supply them as this is effectively my product. I have posted another pic below though which shows the difference between the two styles.

Charlie also points out the curve at the front of the seat and the fact that some designs have a vertical front. If you have users with real mobility difficulties the length of the seat can be important. If you wanted to reduce the length I would still leave the curve at the front but reduce a bit of length in the body of the seat.

Jim is also on the money as far as getting your design right. Find a chair that your mother comfortably gets in and out of and use the dimensions of that to guide you. Make mock ups in ply and take it from there. Experimentation is more than half the fun.

Charlie - I assume that you are making a comparison with the style of chair which uses the tension of the arms and front legs as a support for the back. In my experience it is the cheaper types of chairs which adopt this design. If I went that route I would have two less components to make and a little bit less material to supply, but I don't go that route because in my experience the design is slightly less durable.

[Von Bickley]

Jesse,

Everybody around here likes the NYW chairs. You can pull yourself right up pretty easy.

[Jesse Cloud]

I'll try to take the best of all these great ideas and mock it up before I cut any wood. I'm thinking of a product with only a slight rake and not much depth as mom is short. Important thing for here is that it look somewhat like the other chairs so she won't feel self conscious, but I think I see how to do that. I'll post pics as the project matures. Thanks again to all, especially Ian and Jim for your extensive advice.

[Bruce Freeman]

I would think that you could add some feet on the back bottom of most any style without much problem. 4-6 inches at the back of the chair would make the rake of the chair much easier to deal with.

[Greg Narozniak]

Jesse,

Everybody around here likes the NYW chairs. You can pull yourself right up pretty easy.

Jim, Gary and Von are right. I have built several of the NYW ones and have had serveral "seniors" say how easy it was to get out of them.

Greg