best wood & plans for outdoor furniture

Dan,

You could try cypress, i has most of the same characteristics of cedar. Im not terribly sure about the availability in your area but its a fairly easy wood to work with.

-- "there aren’t many hand tools as awe-inspiring as the #8 jointer. I mean, it just reeks of cast iron heft and hubris" - Smitty

IMO – the best wood for outdoor furniture is ipe. It is VERY hard and durable. I think it as teak at half the price. Finishing it is optional. Without a finish it will turn gray which some people like. With or without finish it will last forever.

I built a 400 square foot deck with it and then built all of my outdoor furniture with it. It’s 10 years old with no signs of any deterioration.

B.t.w – it’s hard on tools, especially drill bits.

-- Rich, Cedar Rapids, IA - I'm a woodworker. I don't create beauty, I reveal it.

If you can get away with not painting the chairs, that’s a plus. They are very difficult to paint and repaint.

If you must, try painting as you go.

If you can do with a clear finish, make sure it is spar varnish.

The curved back is a great idea. The big honkin’ wide center splat in the traditional Adirondack puts pain in every vertebra. Dumb idea. They’re also very hard to get in and out of when you crest the Speed Limit Age.

Sorry I can’t source the curved back plan for you, but I know they’re out there; I built the loveseat years ago from a plan. Sold it. The seat, not the plan. Not comfortable.

In any event, when you find the plan, I suggest you slam together Proto #1 out of cheap stuff and then plot your modifications from there. It will be cheap tuition for lotsa learnin’.

-- "...in his brain, which is as dry as the remainder biscuit after a voyage, he hath strange places cramm'd with observation, the which he vents in mangled forms." --Shakespeare, "As You Like It"

Try this link: http://www.internetwoodworking.com/w5/chair.html
Or this one: http://www.jakeschair.com/

It should lead you to Woodcraft plans. This is a neat type of Adirondack called a Jake’s chair and is much more comfortable than a standard Adirondack. It has a neat history. The plans are free and the only stipulation is that you call it a Jake’s chair and share the story of how it came to be. He doesn’t even care if you build them to sell. He just wants the history known.

-- I grow ever more accomplished at turning a perfectly good piece of wood into sawdust.

I think a great wood for outdoor use is teak.

-- Wayne - Plymouth MN

Well It isn’t teak but wicker is a decent option. Yes, I know, it isn’t wood in the traditional sense. But it is less expensive. And I have learned that sometimes you have to go with something in the ballpark that is less expensive. Also another option would be to get the teak furniture “nude”(unfinished) and finish it yourself with stain and protectant. It is amazing how much you can save with a little bit of do it yourself know how and of course having the time to actually do it.buttler accents

And then there is always Polywood. Any color you want and no painting.

-- Backer boards, stop blocks, build oversized, and never buy a hand plane--

The best suited wood for outdoor furniture is ipe.

I would suggest white oak. It is not as hard on your tools as ipe and it very rot resistant. Check woodfinder.com to locate it in your vicinity. HTH

P.S. Completed pix are required! :)

-- Art

I’m currently making an Outdoor Bench, based on the Fine Woodworking plans (Nov. 2008, I believe). This article recommends Teak, White Oak, or Jatoba. I’m using Jatoba, and have milled approximately 50 bf into approximately 30 pieces – it machines clean and square. The wood is very dense; has a 2,300 lb (vs. Teak of about 1,000) strength on the Janka Hardness Scale – it’s very good wood to work. It will chew HSS blades, though – I’ll need to replace my bandsaw, jointer, and planer knives when I’m finished. Jatoba does not require a finish, when used indoor or outdoor; though, everyone recommends sealing the ground-contact feet.
The cost, in Baltimore, is $8/bf; Teak about $20; and White Oak at $5.
MJCD

-- Lead By Example; Make a Difference

By the way, FW has several Outdoor Furniture plans. Most are marked “Intermediate” level.
MJCD

-- Lead By Example; Make a Difference

It is a good wood furniture for outdoor. This is solid wood furniture and coloring becomes a bit tedious on such kind of furniture.

hi dear,
One thing that you can do to get your hands on good plans for outdoor furniture is to browse through every single online option that is available to you. You can get ideas for wood projects off these online sources. To ensure that you can complete the project of your choice, make sure that you avoid taking on projects that are too difficult for your skill level.
funique

Here is a link to a great set of plans for a curved back Adirondack chair.

-- Bondo Gaposis

Ipe if you have loads of dough. Cypress for splinters, and white oak finished with Epifanes for durability. Redwood is in the pricey range too, but it will last a long long time, but it is fairly soft. Epifanes ia great outdoor finish, made in Holland for yachts. They have a spar varnish and a clear marine finish among others. A little pricey, but top quality reviews and excellent protection.

-- Improvidus, Apto quod Victum-- Improvise, Adapt, Overcome