Care and Cleaning of Adirondack Chairs

Important tips

There are plenty of things to think about when caring for your Adirondack chair. Consider the weather in your area.  You may or may not need to finish your Adirondack chair, but you might want to anyway if you want to change the look.  The look you want is important.  You can leave many woods unfinished and they will have a natural beauty, but often you will want to stain or finish the chair to match its environment.

To paint or not to paint

There is nothing wrong with putting a nice coat of paint on an Adirondack chair. Use a quality primer on freshly cleaned wood before you start. Paint will probably offer the best protection to your chair in the short run, however it might be more trouble in the long run. Adirondack chairs usually need to be refinished every 1-3 years. So if you apply finishing or paint, you'll commit to caring for the chair. 

Baking in the sun

UV protection is an important feature to have in your Adirondack chair, as hopefully you'll be spending plenty of time in the sun. Most finishes you might apply to your Adirondack chair will have UV protection, or you can leave the wood unfinished. Unfinished chairs fade to a silvery gray which many people find attractive, and once aged, the wood will be safe from the sun's rays.

Cleaning

A pressure washer makes Adirondack cleaning a snap, or a simple cloth and mild soap and water will do the trick.  Wipe the surface and allow the chair to drip dry and you'll keep the chair looking new for a long time.

Spills are dangerous to Adirondack chairs, particularly if the spill is a carbonated beverage.  These spills should be washed with a wet cloth and mild soap, then wiped clean with a damp cloth to keep the chair's integrity intact.

Winter months

Putting an Adirondack chair in the garage for the winter or indoors somewhere will protect it from the harsh elements of nature.  Be sure to store the chair dry to prevent mildewing and decay.

More information on adirondack chairs