The Best Wood for Adirondack Chair - What Type of Wood is Best?

Adirondack chairs are one of the most identifiable chairs in the world. Thomas Lee invented them in Westport, New York. Lee spent every summer in the Adirondack mountains and wanted a chair that could withstand the rugged terrain of the Adirondacks while also being comfortable and sturdy. Thus, the wood Adirondack chair was born, and it has continued to gain popularity ever since.

One of Lee’s revelations during the three years he spent designing the best Adirondack chair was that the chair required quality wood that could withstand all of the elements of the Adirondacks.

Today, the requirements for a modern Adirondack chair haven’t changed, although you do have more options for outdoor furniture today as there are many recycled plastic Adirondack chair options to choose from.

A quality solid wood Adirondack chair requires the best wood to withstand elements and insects. Today, we’re going to go over what type of wood is the best for Adirondack chairs and give you our top picks for the best wooden Adirondack chairs on our website.

What Type of Wood is Best for Adirondack Chairs?

The best wood for Adirondack chairs will be teak, cedar, or yellow pine. Adirondack chairs need to use quality lumber that won’t rot, split, crack, or become infested with insects. Not all wood is the same, so it’s important to know that your Adirondack chairs are made of one of these types of wood so that you know they will last. 

Teak

Teak is the best wood for a classic Adirondack chair, and has been since the beginning. Teak is a water-resistant and insect-resistant hardwood. It keeps both moisture and insects from entering the wood, making it durable and resistant to deteriorating, perfect for an outdoor space. One of the best features of teak wood is its resistance to sand and salt. If you want to add Adirondack chairs to your beach house, teak wood is the best wood to choose.

For the appearance, teak wood can be stained or unstained, and it looks good either way. Teak is an expensive option, but it’s worth it.

Cedar

Cedar is the next best option for Adirondack chairs. Like teak, cedar is water-resistant and repels insects naturally. Cedar is grown in the U.S., so it’s more affordable than teak. Cedar has a reddish color that can be stained or unfinished.

Yellow Pine

The third best wood for Adirondack chairs is yellow pine. Yellow pine is strong and thick, making it a good choice for an outdoor chair. It isn’t as water-resistant as teak or cedar, so it will need to be treated with a water protective coating to keep water from entering the wood. Yellow pine is light in color and often covered with stain or paint.

The Best Wooden Adirondack Chairs

1. Solid Knotfree Yellow Pine Fanback Adirondack Chair

The Solid Knotfree Fanback Adirondack Chair is by A & L Furniture and is one of our best-selling Adirondack chairs. It is made of yellow pine and can be unfinished, stained, or painted in one of the many available color options.

The chair has the following dimensions: 

• Inside seat = 22” wide x 17” deep x 16” tall
• Back = 34” tall
• Arms = 5.5” wide x 7” tall from seat
• 300-pound weight capacity

2. Adirondack Chair with Ottoman

This Adirondack chair with an ottoman is A-grade solid teak wood. It is water-resistant and will repel insects, making it virtually maintenance-free. All you need to do is occasionally clean the chair with soap and water to keep it clean.

If Adirondack chairs couldn’t be more comfortable, this Adirondack chair has a built-in ottoman for added comfort.

The dimensions of the chair and ottoman are 27" wide x 48" deep x 40" tall and have a weight capacity of 250 pounds.

The chair and ottoman come unfinished to show off the natural colors of the teak wood.

3. Idaho Adirondack Chair

The Idaho Adirondack Chair by Wood Country uses all-weather western red cedar. It is rot-resistant and made to withstand the elements so it won’t rot, mildew, fade, or splinter. The chair comes either stained or unstained.

We like how wide the arms are on this Adirondack chair. The chair dimensions are 38″ deep x 28.5″ wide x 38.5″ tall, and it has a weight capacity of 300 pounds. The back of the chair is high, measuring 38.5” tall from bottom to top. You’ll sink into this seat and not want to leave!

4. Adirondack Chair

The Wood Country Adirondack Chair is made of western red cedar and has a gorgeous natural wood grain finish visible throughout the chair. You can choose between a stained or an unstained finish. The stain is cedar stain to bring out the colors and grain of the western red cedar.

The dimensions are 33" long x 31" wide x 38" tall. It has a tall back and a wide seat that measures 23 ¼ inches wide. It has four sturdy legs that are larger than all of the other options on our list, giving this chair a weight capacity of 300 pounds.

5. Pressure-Treated Pine Fanback Adirondack Chair

Our final best wooden Adirondack chair is the pressure-treated pine fan back Adirondack chair by A & L Furniture. It uses pressure-treated pine, so it’s weatherproof and mildew-resistant. The pressure treatment also keeps it insect-free, so you can safely keep the chair exposed to the elements without worrying about it deteriorating.

The dimensions are 33" wide x 38" deep x 39" tall, and it has a high back that measures 34” tall. It has a wide seat measuring 22" wide x 17" deep x 16" tall to give this chair a 300-pound weight capacity.

Conclusion

When choosing an Adirondack chair, you should look for one made of teak, cedar, or yellow pine. These are the top three best kinds of wood for Adirondack chairs. Each type of wood is strong, durable, and resistant to weather and insects. Thomas Lee knew that Adirondack chairs needed to use strong wood, and this hasn’t changed today!