Adirondack Chair Maintenance Tips

There’s nothing better than spending the summer on your porch, patio, or in your backyard sipping sweet tea, relaxing in your Adirondack chair, and listening to your favorite tunes. Even kicking back after raking the yard in the fall, you can sit down and enjoy the fall colors fading around you from the comfort of your favorite piece of outdoor furniture. 

However you choose to use your Adirondack chair, one thing is for certain: it is one of the best investments you will ever make. Just like all good investments, you will want to ensure that you take good care of it so it can be enjoyed for years (or even a lifetime!) to come. At The Best Adirondack Chair Company, we construct quality outdoor furniture that is handcrafted, and built to last through anything Mother Nature brings. 

Each of our four base materials are naturally rot and insect resistant. We have specially chosen these options because we want our customers to have choices when it comes to furnishing their outdoor space, but also when deciding how much maintenance they would like to do when it comes to their chairs. 

Of course, we offer a guarantee on all of our work because we know our products are made superior, but maintenance is always important when it comes to items that can be left outside year-round. Spring is a great time to clean your outdoor furniture so it is in the best condition possible for the seasons to come. Here are our maintenance tips for each one of our materials so you can ensure you are giving them the best care possible so they last well into the future.

Materials and Maintenance

Poly Luxe

Our 100% recycled plastic chairs come in all hues of the rainbow, making picking the perfect pop of color for your backyard easy! This material is unique to our wooden options as it is completely weather-resistant and won’t warp, splinter, or fade. This is our most minimal maintenance option, with no need to stain, oil, or even paint. Each piece of this unique lumber is treated with a color-stable UV pigment technology, which means exposure to the hot sun or harsh weather won’t fade or dull the tone. 

We recommend a simple wash-down with mild soap and water every few weeks to avoid any unnecessary buildup of dirt or grime on these Adirondack chairs. Ensure you rinse them down with the hose thoroughly afterwards so there is no chance of soap mildew. If you love the look of wood but want the maintenance of plastic, you are in luck! Consider our poly-luxe woodgrain option, which comes in a range of earthy tints.

Cedar

This wood is renowned for its beauty and can easily complete the look of any outdoor seating area. We use only western red cedar when it comes to the material of these Adirondack chairs, and we offer clear or knotted options to our customers depending on the look they are going for. We ensure the knots in our wood are exceptionally tight so that there is no risk of them falling out. Our unstained option, which if left untreated, will turn a lovely silver-gray color, or you can choose one of our stained options which can look like light honey, soft mahogany, or burnt caramel. 

A simple hand-wash with soap and water a few times per season will keep this material looking its best. However, we do not recommend pressure washing our chairs as it can damage the wood and leave them splintered. If you purchase an unstained chair, you can place a protective sealant, paint, or stain on it that suits your needs. We suggest a follow-up treatment yearly to maintain the look you are going for. If you notice the wood grain begins to lift after several years, you can simply sand down the surface to make it smooth again. As for our stained chairs, they all undergo a rigorous, four-step staining process with Cetol 1 by Sikkens Proluxe, which can be applied annually after washing to maintain their shiny, finished look.

IPE Brazilian Walnut

IPE outdoor furniture maintenance is minimal because of the quality of this wood. Hard, strong, insect and water-resistant are just some of the features of this material. It is nearly twice as dense as other hardwoods, meaning it is impervious to scuffs and dents. Our unoiled option will age to a silver-gray patina, a similar look to other aged and untreated woods. Naturally water and rot-resistant, you don’t have to worry about treating this wood if you don’t want to. Our oiled option seals the wood to enhance the color and works to protect the material one step further, sealing it from the inside out. 

Equipping yourself with mild soap and a soft cloth is ideal for IPE outdoor furniture maintenance. Finally, finish it off with a thorough rinse of warm water to eliminate any possibility of soap residue. We recommend storing these chairs indoors once patio season has ended to further extend their longevity. Once a year, you can apply an IPE hardwood oil deck finish or paraffin-based oil to help protect these Adirondack chairs from the elements and reinforce their strength.

Pine 

This wood has a sophisticated look to it that is highly sought after in the outdoor furniture world, which is why it is a commonly used material. It’s also an economical choice since it is so readily available. However, pine lacks the resistant qualities of other woods and as a result, requires a bit more upkeep to ensure it looks and functions at its best. Our pine chairs are knotted, and unstained to allow our customers their choice of stain, paint, or sealant that matches their outdoor furniture vision. 

It’s difficult to provide a specific maintenance plan without knowing how you are going to treat your pine Adirondack chair, but we do recommend washing it down a few times per season with soap and a rag to remove any dirt or debris. A warm water rinse will ensure a good clean, and untreated chairs should also be dried with a microfiber cloth so as to not promote any mold growth in the wood. 

If you are intending to paint your chair, ensure it is fully dry before applying the first coat. Over time, you will likely notice some peeling or bubbling. Before repainting, ensure you sand off any bumpy surfaces so the paint can lay flat and adhere to the wood properly. Similarly, if you decide to stain your chair, ensure it is dry and apply a clear coat or stain treatment to it when you get it, and every spring thereafter to maintain the overall appearance.

Plenty of Options

At The Best Adirondack Chair Company, we pride ourselves on providing materials for our famous chairs that are low maintenance and durable for all kinds of usage. While some of our materials require even less maintenance than others, we encourage our customers to pick the look and finish that is right for them while ensuring they know the upkeep that is associated with the substance they are choosing. All of our chairs are foldable and thus easy to store if your region encounters harsh weather or cold seasons. 

In general, we recommend all spills are cleaned up in a timely manner, and holes or cracks are filled and sealed to prevent further damage. A regular cleaning schedule is a great way to keep your Adirondack chairs in good condition, no matter the material you choose. For pieces that are stained or sealed, we suggest using Cetol 1 from Sikkens ProLuxe once a year to touch up your finished chair. Just remember that it does not need to be put on perfectly as you are simply refreshing the finish. This will ensure your veneer lasts longer and keeps that shiny, new feel.

About The Best Adirondack Chair Company

We have been handcrafting our chairs as a family tradition since 1955. Our process has only been perfected over time and we continue to source premium materials to ensure our Adirondack chairs are your forever pieces of outdoor furniture. Whether you are looking for something that will fit seamlessly on your patio, or stand out as statement pieces that will be the envy of all of your neighbors, we have you covered. 

Our wood products are selected through sustainable forestry methods and are known to outdoor furniture buyers for their durability and beauty. Our recycled plastic is responsibly sourced from our FTC GreenCircle certified supplier and has incredibly low maintenance without compromising on quality. While you can choose to care for your chairs as much or as little as you would like, we hope you use them to relax and enjoy as much time outdoors as weather permits!

For more information about maintaining the finish on your chair, please check out our product care page. If you have further questions about maintenance or are looking at purchasing one of our chairs and need help deciding on a material, don’t hesitate to contact us!