WEEKEND PROJECT
Sunset readers have always admired the Adirondack chair: its rustic
simplicity and straightforward, functional design seem appropriate for
an informal, outdoor-oriented lifestyle. But we thought it was time to
develop our own Western equivalent, so we invited several architects to
send us their designs for a new deck and patio chair. The chair we chose
was designed by Los Angeles architect Stephen Kanner of Kanner
Architects. He calls it “a modernist update” of the famous rustic chair
from upstate New York. The spare, geometric lines of the seat and back
give it an elegant, contemporary look. Anyone with intermediate
woodworking skills can build it in a weekend.
Only a few electric hand tools (a circular saw, saber saw, sander, and
drill) and standard-dimension lumber are required. It takes about two
days to cut, sand, and assemble the pieces. You can then seal the wood
with a clear exterior finish, or give it a colorful paint job (which
will probably require two coats).
The horizontal back and seat slats require exact and equal cutting and
careful drilling, since they screw to the edge of a frame made of 1-by
lumber. (Depending on what type of lumber is used, you’ll find the
thickness ranges from 5/8 inch to more than 3/4 inch.) The chairs shown
are built from clear, kiln-dried redwood, and the cost of lumber for
each chair was about $67. You could also use cedar, pine, fir, or a
durable hardwood such as mahogany.
PRINT THE PLANS:PLANS for the Sunset chair are available here in "pdf" format. You will
need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader software installed on your
computer in order to access this file (it's not difficult, and it's
free; there's a link to the download page below).
If you have the Acrobat Reader installed, it will launch automatically
once the file is downloaded: PLANS.
If you do not have the Acrobat Reader, click on link "Acrobat Downlaod"
for easy instructions on how to get it. Acrobat Downlaod
Then come back to this page to download the plans.
If you would like a printed set of plans, send a check or money order
for $3.50, payable to Sunset Publishing, to:
Sunset Chair
80 Willow Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Enclose a self-addressed, stamped (34 cents) legal-size envelope.
Plans include a materials list, dimensions, a cutting plan, and
step-by-step instructions.
