Choose a folding chair woodworking plan by its chair style, open and folded dimensions, the detail of its drawings and instructions, and the pivot hardware it specifies. There is no single standard folding-chair design: the examples below differ in size, folding depth, and what comes with the plan, so select the design before buying materials or hardware.
What to compare before choosing a plan
- Chair style and use: Decide whether you want an Adirondack-style lounge chair, a lawn chair, or a more upright folding chair. Check whether a footrest is part of the design or sold separately.
- Open and folded size: Compare the listed dimensions with the space where the chair will be used and stored. Folded depth is especially useful when planning storage, but it is not a substitute for checking the full measurements.
- Plan documentation: Look for templates or full-size drawings for shaped parts, a materials or cutting list, assembly instructions, and diagrams. A plan may provide some of these without providing all of them.
- Pivot hardware: Confirm the exact bolts, nuts, washers, and any sleeves called for by the design. Hardware details are not interchangeable assumptions across plans.
How the listed plans differ
| Plan | Listed open dimensions | Listed folded depth | Documentation and hardware notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Valley Veritas Adirondack Plus Folding Chair Plan | Not stated in the cited listing. | 12 inches | Uses standard lumber sizes and adds bracing. Its optional pivot pack contains six custom bolts, matching locking nuts, and flat washers. Lee Valley cautions that fully threaded bolts at pivots can wear wood prematurely. |
| Lee Valley Folding Chair Plan | 36 inches high × 31 inches wide × 24 inches deep | 12 inches | Includes templates for shaped pieces, step-by-step instructions, and general notes on hardware, materials, tools, and finishing. |
| Woodcraft Folding Adirondack Chair plan | 30 inches wide × 32 inches deep × 39½ inches high | 10 inches | The listing describes full-size drawings and curved parts, a bill of materials that also serves as a cutting list, hardware requirements, and an exploded diagram. The diagram takes the place of project-specific assembly instructions. |
These measurements and included materials are the plans’ listed specifications, not a common standard. Check the current plan listing for the version you are buying.
Choose documentation that fits your experience
For shaped parts
Curved arms, backs, or other shaped components are easier to lay out when the plan includes templates or full-size drawings. Lee Valley’s Folding Chair plan lists templates for shaped pieces; Woodcraft’s Folding Adirondack plan lists full-size drawings for curved parts. Check whether the patterns are included and whether you will need to transfer them to your stock.
For a guided build
If you want assembly explained in sequence, look for explicit step-by-step instructions. Lee Valley lists them for its Folding Chair plan. Woodcraft’s Folding Adirondack listing instead says its exploded diagram stands in place of project-specific assembly instructions, so make sure that level of guidance suits you.
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- MATERIALS NOT INCLUDED; PLAN ONLY
- Overall size: 30" wide x 32" deep x 39-1/2" high
- This is a blueprint style plan which is heralded by beginners and experts
- A bill of materials doubles as an exact cutting list - The exploded diagram is detailed enough that project specific assembly instructions are not provided
- Get hands on this Christmas! Woodcraft is proud to be America’s leading supplier of high-quality woodworking hand tools, power tools, domestic and exotic wood, shop supplies, project plans and kits, plus so much more! Our family of brands include Highpoint professional-grade fasteners and hardware, and precision-engineered Pinnacle tools. Our products make the perfect holiday gift for anyone that loves woodworking.
For planning cuts and purchases
A materials or cutting list helps you estimate the lumber and hardware needed before starting. Woodcraft describes its bill of materials as also serving as a cutting list. The Veritas Adirondack Plus listing notes standard lumber sizes and added bracing; confirm the actual stock requirements in the plan itself.
Plan pivot hardware before buying it
Folding chairs depend on pivots, but the cited plans specify different arrangements. The Veritas Adirondack Plus plan offers a design-specific pack of custom bolts, locking nuts, and flat washers. Another published folding Adirondack plan calls for carriage bolts, nuts, washers, and plastic tubing sleeves at the pivots; that plan says the sleeves are intended to reduce wear from repeated folding. These are design-specific instructions, not a universal hardware recipe.
Rank #2
- Adirondack Chair Templates & Plan: This classic tall Adirondack chair plans includes pre-cut full-size templates in your choice of durable 1/4'' MDF or budget-friendly cardboard. With wide arms to perch your drink on, and a contoured seat and back that conforms to your body, this design is the pinnacle of relaxation.
- Build You Own Outdoor Adirondack Chair: Pre-cut, full-size templates make building this chair as easy as trace, cut and assemble! Perhaps no woodworking project is so immediately rewarding to the tired craftsman as a comfortable, welcoming Adirondack chair.
- Easy To Follow Instructions: The wooden Adirondack chairs for adults plan includes step-by-step instructions to walk you through the entire construction process. For bandsawing to the line, or to make your own hardboard templates, choose the cardboard template option
- Template Pattern Included: Our workshop accessories retained the same easy-to-build qualities of the classic Adirondack chair, but designed the frame and armrests for even better durability. This unfinished Adirondack chair is proudly made in the USA!
- Material List Included: Cardboard templates
Lee Valley’s listings caution that fully threaded bolts at pivot points can wear wood prematurely. Follow the chosen plan’s pivot details rather than substituting a bolt size or adding sleeves based on another design. Buy hardware after selecting the plan and checking its requirements.
Use a build-and-storage checklist
- Choose the chair type: Match the design to its intended use and check whether any footrest is included.
- Check the dimensions: Compare the open size with the space where the chair will sit and the folded size with your storage area.
- Review what the plan provides: Verify templates, drawings, cut or materials list, assembly guidance, and finishing information against the product listing.
- Identify every pivot component: Note the specified bolts, nuts, washers, and sleeves, if any; confirm whether special hardware is optional or included.
- Read the plan before cutting: Confirm lumber sizes, part shapes, and assembly sequence in the purchased plan rather than inferring them from a product description.
What plan listings do not establish
The cited product listings and plan descriptions do not establish a tested load rating, a universal safety standard, or independent performance testing for these designs. Do not treat a listed size or hardware pack as evidence of a particular weight capacity or certification.
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Quick Recap
Best Value
- MATERIALS NOT INCLUDED, PAPER PLAN ONLY
- Build it yourself! Finished size of chair is 24"W, x 36"H, x 36"D.
- Large blueprint style plan
- A list of materials, instructions, measured drawings, and full size patterns for all pieces - Table saw, jigsaw, plus basic handtools are about all you need
- Get hands on this Christmas! Woodcraft is proud to be America’s leading supplier of high-quality woodworking hand tools, power tools, domestic and exotic wood, shop supplies, project plans and kits, plus so much more! Our family of brands include Highpoint professional-grade fasteners and hardware, and precision-engineered Pinnacle tools. Our products make the perfect holiday gift for anyone that loves woodworking.
Rank #4
- MATERIALS NOT INCLUDED; PLAN ONLY
- All patterns are full size and traceable.
- Many photos are provided which were taken during the construction process for clarity
- You also get a list of the lumber you need and detailed instructions for building. - All lumber is standard sizes, so there's no need for planing or mill work.
- Get hands on this Christmas! Woodcraft is proud to be America’s leading supplier of high-quality woodworking hand tools, power tools, domestic and exotic wood, shop supplies, project plans and kits, plus so much more! Our family of brands include Highpoint professional-grade fasteners and hardware, and precision-engineered Pinnacle tools. Our products make the perfect holiday gift for anyone that loves woodworking.
Rank #3
- Completed chair size: 30" W x 32" D x 39-1/2" H
- Completed footrest size: 22-3/8" D x 21" W x 14-3/4" H
- Great paper woodworking plan
- Get hands on this Christmas! Woodcraft is proud to be America’s leading supplier of high-quality woodworking hand tools, power tools, domestic and exotic wood, shop supplies, project plans and kits, plus so much more! Our family of brands include Highpoint professional-grade fasteners and hardware, and precision-engineered Pinnacle tools. Our products make the perfect holiday gift for anyone that loves woodworking.
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