Hello lovelies!!
I am *thisclose* to finishing the latest DIY that has taken over my life, the patio/firepit project! I shared this photo on Istagram yesterday of the last piece of the puzzle…..figuring out angles to cut on these slabs of bluestone to create a top for the firepit. I’m beyond excited about this part!! I’ll post about finishing the fire pit and creating the pea stone patio soon but first, let’s talk about one of the plans for this space…..seating!
I’ve been mulling over seating options the entire time I’ve been working out here. I really want the patio to be a social place that we linger at, where long conversations transpire, laughter abounds, music is enjoyed, and my teenagers don’t feel compelled to look at their phones every 30 seconds. That has been the driving force behind this project all along, to maximize the quality time we spend here as a family and with friends.
With all that in mind, when it came to seating I knew I could fairly easily and inexpensively build a few benches to go around the fire pit, but I really wanted seating that was comfy. I resisted the idea of adirondack chairs at first because it feels like EVERYONE has them, but in the end this style won out for lounge-ability. There is a reason they are so popular.
I went searching and it turns out this is actually an amazing time of year to buy outdoor furniture! There are some crazy sales going on right now and free shipping here, there and everywhere. As far as cost, adirondacks range from super cheap (the stackable plastic version sold at the grocery store) to chairs that necessitate selling organs to afford. We’re in the market for six for the patio, so I’m looking for budget-friendly, as well as chairs that can fold for winter storage. I think I have read every review of every chair sold out there, and these are my top picks for decent quality, weight and affordability, with affiliate links for your convenience. Read my full disclosure policy here.
1 | Wayfair Trex Cape Cod | Composite
2 | Ace Hardware Folding Adirondack | Wood
4| Hayneedle Shine Company Marina | Wood
5 | Hayneedle Highwood Hamilton | Composite
7 | Joss & Main Winston | Wood
8 | Joss & Main Adirondack Chair | Cedar Wood
9 | Overstock Ivy Terrace | Composite
10 | Joss & Main Norris | Composite
A few quick things to consider –
1 | The material. I was completely opposed to a synthetic material until I sat in an adirondack chair outside of a Cape restaurant, and was surprised that at close inspection it turned out to be some kind of heavy composite material like what is used on decks, and not wood. No painting or staining ever?? That is attractive, right?! On the other hand, some of the really good quality composites are exxxxxpensive ($400+ per chair. Times six for us? Ouch.) If you are going the wood route, cedar is one of the most durable species, resistant to rotting, splitting and warping.
2 | The size and weight capacity. I need chairs that will hold little munchkins all the way up to refrigerator-sized high school and college football players. 🙂 Some of the low-cost chairs are lightweight and can be on the smaller size, so keep an eye on the dimensions and weight cap before ordering.
3 | Your ability to assemble. All the chairs I shared above need to be assembled so if that’s not your thing you may consider bribing a family member or neighborhood kid to do this for you.
I’ll be back soon with the final steps in the fire pit build and installing the pea stone patio.
Hope you are having a great week!
If you have wood outdoor furniture you might be interested in this post on cleaning and sealing teak!
