Building Adirondack Chairs

(Note: this is part of a series of articles on building outdoor learning spaces and convivial landscape design.)

How I got started

Our campus pastors do a lot of good work for our students. When students need someone to talk with after a tough exam, during a parent’s illness, or when they’ve lost someone they love, our campus pastors are remarkably caring. They listen without judgement, offer a quiet place away from the fast-paced buzz of daily life, and offer caring words and assistance to those in need.

So when COVID hit, I wanted to quickly make a space where our campus pastors could continue to meet with students while minimizing the spread of germs. The solution? I made Adirondack chairs and gave them to the pastors.

My first set of Adirondack chairs, which I made for our campus pastors.

Why you should build some Adirondack chairs

There’s a lot to love about Adirondack chairs. They look good, and they’re comfortable to sit in for a long time. They’re easy to move around, allowing more flexible arrangements than fixed benches do. If you build them right, they’ve got a place to rest a book, a laptop, and a cup, and they invite people to rest together for a little while. And perhaps best of all, they’re easy to build, and easy to repair.