These DIY modern Adirondack chair plans put a twist on a classic outdoor chair, and you should be able to complete the entire chair – including any paint or stain finish – for under $100.

Materials

• 6 – 1x4x8 boards
• 1 – 1x6x8 board
• nails or screws
• 4 – 2″ carriage bolts, washers, and lock nuts
• wood glue

Tools

• Circular saw, miter saw, or table saw
• Drill and driver combo
• Kreg pocket hole jig (optional)
• Tape measure
• Square
• Clamps
• Sander and sand paper
• Pencil
• Pneumatic nail gun (optional)

Step 1: Cut the back legs

The first step in these DIY modern Adirondack chair plans is to cut the back legs. Both of these legs are exactly the same, so you’ll repeat these steps twice. Start by cutting a 1×4 to 38 3/4″ in length. Now on the end which will be the front, measure in 1 1/8″ along the bottom edge and make a mark. Connect this mark to the top corner of the same end by drawing a straight line, then cut along this line to form the slant needed for the face of the back legs.

Now from the bottom corner of the back end of the legs, measure 1 1/2″ in, and 1/2″ up. From the top corner, measure in 1″. Connect the three marks as shown in the image below and cut along these lines.

Step 2: Attach the leg face

Once you have the back legs of your Adirondack chair you will now want to join them together by attaching the face board. This board is another 1×4, cut to 24 1/2″ in length. To attach the face board to the legs you can either use pocket screws from the inside of the legs, or you can use screws or nails through the face of the board. In either case, be certain to use a liberal amount of exterior wood glue as this will provide the real strength of the joint.

Note, the front face board should be aligned flush to the top edge of the back legs. This will leave a small amount of the angled edge of the back legs showing, but not enough as to be concerned about.

Step 3: Attach the front legs

Cut two more 1×4 pieces to 20 3/4″ in length, and these will serve as your front legs. You will need to affix the back leg structure to these approximately 6″ from the top of the front legs. To find the exact position, set your back leg structure so the lower angle cut on the back of the legs rests flatly on the floor then set your front legs in position, offset from the front of the back leg structure by 3/4″ (the width of the front face board). Now glue and screw (or nail) the legs in place. The legs can be attached by pocket screws from the back side of the legs, or by nailing/screwing from inside the back legs into the side of the front legs.

Step 4: Attach the bottom seat slats

Measure back from the inside edge of your front face board 17 3/4″ along the top edge of each of your back legs, this is where your first of the five bottom seat slats will be attached. The slats should then be spaced 1/4″ apart, resulting in the last slat overhanging the front face board slightly. Use either two wood screws or brad nails on each end of every slat to fasten the boards in place while the glue dries.

Step 5: Build the back frame and attach the slats

The back frame is essentially a 28 1/2″ x 23″ box, with a middle support, built out of 1x4s. Cut the two side boards to 28 1/2″, the top and bottom boards to 21 1/2″, and then a single center support board to 27″. Use wood glue and either pocket screws from the inside of the frame, or nails/screws from the outside to secure the boards in place. Make certain to square all four corners as you go, otherwise the back of your Adirondack chair could lean one way or another.

Once the frame is built, secure the seven 1×4″ slats, starting from the top and spacing 1/4″, in the same manner as you secured the slats for the seat.

Step 6: Assemble the base and back rest

This step is probably the most difficult of all of the steps in these DIY modern Adirondack chair plans – but we can save you the pain of having to calculate the 110 degree angle at which the back of this Adirondack chair sits by a few easy measurements.  Start by measuring up 15″ from the top corner of the back leg and put a mark in this spot (“Mark A”).  Now, measure down perpendicularly 2 3/4″ from the mark you just made (Mark A), and put another mark (“Mark B”).  Finally, measure up another 1″ from the second mark you made (Mark B) and place a third mark (“Mark C”).  Draw a line from Mark A to Mark C, and this is the angle for the back edge of your back frame to follow when you attach it to your leg structure.  Repeat this process on the inside of the other back leg, then attach the back support to the leg structure using two 2″ carriage bolts, washers, and lock nuts per side. Drill the holes for the bolts through both the back support and the leg structure simultaneously by using clamps to hold both pieces in place.

Step 7: Armrests

The final step in these DIY modern Adirondack chair plans is to attach the arms of the chair.  Cut your 1×6 into two pieces, each 31 3/4″ long. To keep with the modern look of these plans, these armrests should be mounted with the front edge flush with the front legs.  The inside edge should overhang the inside of the front legs about 3/4″ to keep it parallel to the outer sides of the back support.

Use wood glue and either pocket screws from the inside of the front legs and underside of the arms or nails/screws down through the arms and into the front legs and from the inside of the back support.

Now that your build is complete, finish your new Adirondack chairs as you see fit.  Start with a light sanding to remove any rough edges or splinters, then either paint or stain and seal to protect the chair from the elements.

Please leave us a comment below if you try these plans, or if you have any questions in regards to the build. And don’t forget to check out our other free DIY furniture plans.

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