Adirondack chairs are amazing. Their rustic, timeless design makes them a superb outdoor seating option, but unfortunately, there’s a problem.
While there are a few bargain-priced options available, buying a good Adirondack chair from a retailer can be an expensive proposition, which is why more and more people have started embracing the idea of trying their hand at making their own and looking for free plans online.
As diehard do-it-yourselfers, we love that, and the best part about making your own chair is that you can tweak the basic design and experiment a little.
Adirondack chairs really haven’t changed all that much since they were first developed in 1903. But there are some cool, fun, and interesting modern Adirondack chair plans out there that add a bit of flair and pizazz to the design.
We’ve scoured the internet on a quest to find the very best free modern adirondack plans on the web today, and have assembled a fantastic collection for your review, just below.
Free Modern Adirondack Chair Plans on the Web Today
Popular Mechanics
Any time we see a free plan offered by a big, recognizable name, we immediately perk up because we know it’s going to be a good, highly polished design, and Popular Mechanics certainly didn’t disappoint.
From seat slats to legs and everything in between, this plan steps you through the process of making your own. You can check out their outstanding modern Adirondack chair design right here:
Image by Aaron Wojack via Popular Mechanics
Rogue Engineer
Image by Jamison Rantz via Rogue Engineer
Although we love seeing free plans offered by big-name, iconic brands, a lot of innovation in the world happens in smaller shops and is often done by individuals who are passionate and apply their creativity and vision in new ways.
That’s certainly the case with the Rogue Engineer, and his take on the Adirondack chair is simply superb.
His is a great site, and definitely deserves a spot on your bookmark list (and be sure to check out the “Quarantine Ideas” section, too!). You can find his free, easy modern Adirondack chair plan right here.
Image by HarleyAndChristina via Ana White
Ana White
Another site that deserves a place in your bookmarks list is Ana White’s site. While we don’t love this design quite as much like the one offered by Rogue Engineer, it’s still exceptional, and if the two we’ve talked about so far hadn’t been exactly what you’re looking for, you should definitely check it out.
Ana has rated this as a “Beginner difficulty level,” and we agree with that assessment, so even if you’re a novice builder, you should have no difficulty completing this project.
Crafted Workshop
There are two main things we love about this design.
First is the fact that it’s very simple and straightforward, taking a minimalist approach.
Second, in addition to printable instructions, cut sheets, and parts list, the author has also put together a step by step video tutorial that will walk you through every phase of the project, giving you the best of both worlds.
The Design Confidential
Here’s another minimalist design. It’s a slight variant on the chair we just talked about, and we absolutely love the way the build instructions are laid out. This one’s almost like following a recipe. Very simple and straightforward. It’s an all-business, no-nonsense, or fluff format. Kudos to the owners of the Design Confidential!
#6 MyOutdoorPlans.com
#7 Famous Artisan’s Modern DIY Plan
This is actually the same minimalist plan we’ve talked about before, but the formatting and layout are a bit different. We wanted to at least give it an honorable mention because if you’re not a fan of the format and layout used elsewhere, you may prefer this one.
Image by Wojtek via MyOutdoorPlans.com
Collections
So far, we’ve talked about individual build plans, but there are also a number of sites around the web that offer collections of plans. If you’d prefer to browse through a variety of designs on the same page and access the plans that most interest you, all of the collections listed below are well worth taking a look at:
#9 Video Tutorials
Earlier, we made mention of one set of free modern Adirondack chair plans that incorporated a video tutorial. However, we found a few other very helpful videos and wanted to include them here because some people learn better and more effectively by watching; by seeing the chair come to life in the various stages of its construction. With that in mind, here are a few helpful video resources:
Crafted Workshop
The first video is from the Crafted Workshop, which we mentioned above:
Their YouTube channel is just all-around fantastic, and if you’re looking for more videos like this to help walk you through other projects you may have planned, give them a subscribe so you can keep up with all the latest.
Jackman Works
You may also want to check out Jackman Works’ channel, and here’s a link to his “How to build the Ultimate Adirondack chair” video.
Wood.Work.LIFE
Finally, this video, offered by Wood.Work.LIFE is well worth your attention. It’s a fun take on the chair that incorporates a hidden bottle opener and a drink holder!
Final Thoughts
The original Adirondack chair design is a timeless classic that’s fun to build and a joy to own. If you’re looking for something a bit more modern, though, any of the plans we mentioned above will serve you very well, and all of them represent updated “takes” on the classic design.
We’ll bring this roundup of modern Adirondack chair plans to a close by offering a link to a site that shows just how far you can go in terms of merging modern aesthetics with the original design. These aren’t plans, but rather, photos of Adirondack chairs people have built that really push the limits. While you may not like all of these, you’re sure to find a few that make your jaw drop.
Enjoy and happy building!
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