Pine
You can easily identify this wood by its light, unfinished look that fades with time to a grayish tone. Pine is softer on the spectrum of wood and will be prone to dents and scratches.
The softness of this wood makes it prone to sponge up water. This prolonged dampness can lead to wood rot and makes it at the top of the menu for wood-eating insects.
Pine is widely available and is a classic choice for making Adirondack Chairs.
Cedar
Great for first times because it easily takes in screws and cuts well with hand or power tools. This wood is less durable than Teak wood, but stronger than Pine wood. It contains heartwood that ranges from dark chocolate brown to earth pink at first cut, and as it ages turns to light gray.
Cedar is naturally resistant to insect and fungal attacks, but is better protected from decay with the coating of Cedar-wood oil.
Oak
Oaks’ natural strength and beauty has made it the most popular material used in Adirondack chairs. It’s basically the best bang for your buck in comparisons with the other materials on this list.
To persevere this wood, it needs yearly maintenance in the form of a protective coating. With no protective finish, you will need to be careful to avoid permanent stains from accidental spills.
Oak wood is nearly as strong as Tweak wood, but can be found at Cedar wood prices. The downsides to Oak is its less than stellar ability to ward off water.
Polywood (Synthetic Wood)
This is pseudo-wood because it’s a mix of recycled plastics that gets mashed up together. Polywood is low maintenance, Eco-friendly and almost indistinguishable from real wood.
It requires less maintenance because the composite plastic is corrosion resistant.
Teak
Known for being arguable, the strongest used wood and can last up to 70 years with proper care. Using Teakwood oil every few seasons can help deter insects and makes it more water resistant.
With so many exceptional qualities, Tweak wood has become the most expensive.
Synthetics
Sometimes designed as a monobloc chair, these types focus more on economics than ergonomics. They are suitable for typically one season and will become brittle if left outside over the winter.
Easy to clean, will not decay, and is economically viable.
Wicker
Aesthetically unique to the rest of these designs, Wicker is a technique that goes back to ancient Egyptian times. It’s woven together like a chain-mill to make much furniture. Known for its toughness, they make it from aluminum, natural, or synthetic fibers.
There are different varieties of wicker, so look for materials graded for outdoors. This material is excellent for patios and porches.
