How to Build Adirondak Chairs

Prepare the wood. Cut the 2-by-6-inch board into two 34-inch pieces and draw a seat curve with a "bump" to support the back rail. Cut a 15-degree slant on the bottom, at the back of the rail, so it sits on a slant. If you want a curved back, rout out the front edge of the bottom back rail so it's slightly concave. Cut the arms wide at the front and slightly narrower toward the back. Cut one end of back legs at a 30-degree angle for the top back rail to sit upon. Sand all edges and corners to prevent splinters and cracking.

Lay one side rail flat and put a nail in the center of the intersection or midpoint of the front leg and the rail, about 8 inches from the front end of the rail. Stand the leg up and check to see that the back of the rail sits flat---trim it with a router or jig saw if it needs to be adjusted. Add a second nail to hold the angle on the front leg and trim the back of the opposite side rail, if necessary, to match. Attach the front arm on the opposite side of the second side rail. Set the two rails up so that the front legs are on the outside and nail the bottom back rail on top between the two base rails. Nail a seat slat across between the fronts of the base rails to hold them square. Attach the front legs with countersunk deck screws (or carriage bolts or dowels) and remove the temporary nails.

Turn the back legs so the angled ends are at the top, tilting down away from the rest of the chair. Attach the bottoms on the inside of the base rails about 2 inches from the ends with nails. Lay the top back rail across the back legs and trim, if necessary, to fit flush. Attach the top back rail to the legs with galvanized screws and attach the back legs to the insides of the base rail with countersunk deck screws, removing holding nails as you go.

Lay the back slats against the bottom back rail and the top back rail and attach, top and bottom with nails or galvanized screws. Lay the seat slats across the base rails, beginning in the front and attach with nails or galvanized screws.

Position an arm on top of the front leg and nail through the back leg to hold it in place. Tack the front of the arm onto the front leg and attach the bracket support with screws in the middle of the front leg under the arm. Adjust the arm's position and attach with deck screws to the bracket, front and back legs. Remove all temporary "holding" nails as you permanently attach the arms. Add buttons to countersunk screws or dowels, sand and seal or paint.