Saratoga Joinery

Class Description

Join us at the Joinery to build a classic Adirondack Chair from durable cedar wood.

The Adirondack chair is an iconic piece of outdoor furniture recognized for its wide armrests, slanted back, and deep seat. Designed over a century ago, it is celebrated for its comfort and rustic charm.

Cedar wood is an excellent choice for making Adirondack chairs due to its natural durability, appealing aesthetic, and resistance to the elements. The wood is lightweight yet sturdy, making it easy to move around while still providing strong support for long-lasting use. Cedar is naturally resistant to rot, decay, and insect damage, which is especially important for outdoor furniture that faces constant exposure to rain, humidity, and sun.

The chair design we will follow in this class includes a low, curved seat, high wide arm rests and a six slatted, curved backrest for outstanding comfort. It will all be fastened together with stainless steel wood screws and 4 stainless steel bolts on the front legs.

The 5 hour class will be presented as a single session class, on some dates, or as a two part class, taking place on 2 separate days, 2.5 hours each. Participants will be given an overview of the selected design features, choose specific cedar materials for their chair, and construct an Adirondack chair ready for a final finish at home or suitable for use as is.

Guidance will be provided on the use of a variety of woodworking tools at the Joinery, including; A jointer, planer, router table, table saw, miter saw, bandsaw, oscillating belt sander, orbital sanders and power drills.

This class is suitable for all levels of expertise, from beginner woodworker to advanced.

Tools Used

Jointer, planer, table saw, miter saw, band saw, belt sander, router table, hand drill

Experience Level

Beginner to Advanced

Ages: 14+. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.

About The Instructor

Dave Floyd has been with the Joinery since its inception in March of 2024. As a retired 1st grade teacher, he has had many decades of experience as a teacher, before arriving here at the Joinery. When not in the classroom, he spent a great deal of time on various woodworking projects over the past 30 years at his 1784 fixer-upper home on the Great Sacandaga Lake. He has built an entire sunroom addition, cabinets, countertops, refurbished molding, replaced window frames, etc.

And, now, as a member of the Joinery community, he has worked with hundreds of woodworkers as an instructor. He conducts one-on-one weekly training sessions with new members, on the various shop machines, and has lead a variety of group classes focused on cutting boards, charcuterie boards and Halloween themed projects.