Building Adirondack Furniture: The Art, the History, & How-To [Paperback]

John D. Wagner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1994

As they sometimes are known to say in New England, "You can't hardly get this anymore!" And that is the truth, for John Wagner tells how to build beautiful, rugged Adirondack furniture that is a pleasure to use and oh-so-comfortable to "set awhile" in. Complete, clear, step-by-step directions with exploded-view illustrations and how-to-photographs of John making each piece of furniture. Nothing is left to chance, guaranteeing your success.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The classic design and comfort of the Adirondack chair has appealed to generations of Americans since it first appeared over 90 years ago. Almost anyone could produce a copy of that chair by following Wagner's excellent instructions, which are geared to beginners. A profusion of photographs, drawings, and illustrative diagrams supplement the text. Also included are plans for other objects: a bench, table, leg rest, and more chairs. Wagner provides information on wood selection and finishing plus a history of the Adrondack style. Instructions for making a set of children's blocks using leftover scraps from other projects is a nice addition. Recommended for public libraries.
Jonathan Hershey, Akron-Summit Cty. P.L., Ohio
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Williamson Publishing Company (October 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 091358987X
• ISBN-13: 978-0913589878
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,004,916 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John D. Wagner has been involved with the construction trade for over 20 years. His work has appeared in numerous magazines, including Journal of Light Construction, Builder, and Today's Homeowner. Wagner is the author of two other Creative Homeowner books: Drywall: Pro Tips for Hanging & Finishing and Barns, Sheds & Outbuildings. He lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Educational history, but not for the serious wood worker., September 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Building Adirondack Furniture: The Art, the History, & How-To (Paperback)

Maybe it's the engineer in me but I felt that the plans in this book were lacking. The furniture dimensions were difficult to find. The exploded diagram if dimensioned would have been of great help. The historical accounts were interesting reading but if your looking to build some Adirondack Chairs/Furniture this is not the book for you.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for the beginner!, March 26, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Building Adirondack Furniture: The Art, the History, & How-To (Paperback)

Need a good, detailed, simple-to-contruct chair plan? This is it. (Wish I'd had this book last year when I made my first chairs.) No patterns to enlarge. Everything is made with stock lumber. Great pictures (B&W), very basic design, step-by-step instructions. And once you understand the basic chair construction, you can tweak it anyway you want. Directions included are for a chair, footrest, table, and bench. No fancy tools needed either! I can't wait to build a couple!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy book to follow; great for beginners, November 26, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Building Adirondack Furniture: The Art, the History, & How-To (Paperback)

Great book. Clear. Well illustrated. Starts from scratch and brings you all the way through the building process for a number of porjects. Couldn't have asked for more here, in terms of clarity and explicit narrative. Crisp drawings are backed up with instructive photos. I would HIGHLY recommend this book. Great history section too!

Greg Sanders, Atlanta