Adirondack Chair, Rustic

Step 1:
Attach the front of your adirondack chair to the chair's seat, and use the dowels, screws, washers, and nuts to join the two pieces together as shown to the right.

Step 2:
Attach the back of the chair to the two arm rests, using the washers and nuts that came with your adirondack package to secure the pieces together as shown.

Step 3:
Now, put together the two assembled pieces that you made in the previous steps as shown. Use the hex-drive assembly screws, washers, and nuts to attach the pieces together as shown in this illustration.

Step 4:
Attach the two connecting bars to either side of the adirondack chair, connecting them to the seat back rod that you'll see at the base of the back of the chair (when looking from the back). These pieces assemble together using washers and nuts.

Step 5:
Measure and mark 3/4" from the top of the adirondack chair leg. Swing the connecting bar down so that the hole in the bar then lines up with the mark on the leg you have just made. You can then attach the bar to the leg using the wood screws and washers that came with your chair. See illustration to the right for details. Congratulations - you've completed assembling your new adirondack chair!

In our article on the History of the Adirondack Chair, I mentioned the Betsy-Tacy series of books by Maud Hart Lovelace. This series was set in Pre-WWI America and chronicled the life of the lively and charming Ray family. Every summer, Mr. and Mrs. Ray take their family to a lakeside retreat much like Lake Champlain - birthplace of the Adirondack chair. The idyllic picture of the outdoor life, puttering about in canoes, eating marvelous lunches and resting on the porch still speaks to modern Americans of the need to slow down, to enjoy the small things, to take a breather.

In the stories, the Rays return home refreshed and revitalized and ready for new episodes of life's adventures. But, they don't leave their family traditions behind them at the lake. Sunday evenings are family time, too, when Mr. Ray makes his famous onion sandwiches and everyone gathers around the piano to sing. The author created an enduring picture of the simple pleasures of family life and the small kindnesses that make home a place of refuge for all. The continued popularity of these books into the 21st century attests to how people still long for the kind of quiet pleasures our grandmothers and grandfathers knew.

10 Simple Steps For Create Old-Fashioned Family Time

Step 1) Turn off the video games, the radio, the TV, the telephone and yes, even the computer. The world will still be there when you come back in an hour or two.

Step 2) Make up a plate of your family's favorite sandwiches. They don't have to be fancy. Just something everybody likes. Mr. Ray's specialty was thick slices of onion, seasoned with salt, pepper and vinegar between two slices of bread. Boys seemed especially fond of these.

Step 3) Make a pitcher of your family's favorite iced tea, lemonade or fruit punch. Use plenty of ice and remember to get glasses for all so each family member feels invited.

Step 4) Put the beverage, glasses and plate of sandwiches on a tray and take them outside to wherever you've created your family's outdoor room. Of course, we recommend our Adirondack chairs!

Step 5) Call everybody out to the yard for refreshments and a rest on a warm summer's day.

Step 6) Start up a conversation you know will be pleasant and inclusive of everyone. Maybe you're planning a vacation, or a family party, or your family's favorite subject is mountain climbing, or astronomy or music. Whatever it is, choose a subject that creates a good feeling.

Step 7) Do something silly. Tell jokes. Talk Pig-Latin. Share a silly story from your childhood. Laugh.

Step 8) Do something fun. Have an informal spelling bee. Play 20 Questions. Play a round of Go Fish or Old Maid. Even little ones can get in on this.

Step 9) Sing with your family. It may sound silly, but the unity that singing together brought to families in the 'olden days' was very real and true. The Ray family sang the songs of their times, such as Come away with me, Lucille, in my Merry Oldsmobile and We Were Sailing Along, On Moonlight Bay. Don't worry if you don't know the words to these oldies. The point is to do something together, and even dubious youngsters will rise to the challenge of trying to keep their part going if you attempt to sing a round like Three Blind Mice or Row, Row, Row Your Boat.

Step 10) Notice the outdoors. Whether your backyard is in a suburb or on a mountain top, the sky, the trees, the birds and the flowers are all sources of pleasure, when we take the time to notice them. Get your family to become observers of the outdoors. It will serve them well throughout life, and these special family times will become their most treasured memories.

Adirondack Chair FAQ

Q: Aren't Adirondack Chairs Hard To Assemble?
A: Not really. As you can see from the assembly instructions above, you're just 5 easy steps away from a perfect adirondack chair.

Q: What if I'm not happy with my adirondack chair after it arrives?
A: Just send it back to us and we will gladly refund your money or exchange your adirondack chair for something else. View our return policy.

Q: Do I have to stain or paint my adirondack chair to protect it?
A: No, not at all. Many people do enjoy doing this, but you can leave your adirondack chair untreated if you wish. It will weather over time to a soft, pearl grey. This is one of the benefits of cedar wood outdoor furniture.

Q: I saw this same adirondack chair somewhere else for a better price.
A: Please, show us this and we will beat the price. That's Cape Cod Treasure Chest's Low Price Guarantee.

Please, let us know if we can answer any further questions you may have about our Rustic Cedar Adirondack Chair and Furniture.