Okay, guys – I’ve finished 6 total children’s adirondack chairs – most for Christmas presents. The plans for these chairs specified glueing the joints.
I’ve started on my first adult chair – the only mention of glue is for the arms which are too wide to be made with a single board. No where in the supply list (which did include the screws) or in the instructions did it mention glue.
Needless to say these are all simple butt-joints with countersunk screws that you plug. Should I be glueing these joints in addition to the screws? I know when you order adirondacks for shipping they come partially assembled – I’m guessing the sides are put together and you have to add the slats – seat and back.
Robin
And NO, it’s NOT football time in Tennessee – I’m not real sure who those fellas were that looked so sad against Clemson?
Replies
It's always better to glue, than to screw, at least in furniture-making.
Always? Even when attaching solid wood table tops? I'll bet I can think of other exceptions, too, given a little time.
I read her situation as glueing edgegrain to edgegrain ,thus glueing is superior than long screws to hold it all together. Screws have their place,especially where removal or movement is desired.Of course, glueing AND screwing can work too in this situation,especially on paint-grade furniture.
Edited 1/6/2004 8:47:31 AM ET by JACKPLANE
Edited 1/6/2004 9:07:59 AM ET by JACKPLANE
Thanks for all the responses. We're certainly not too far along to take apart the sides and glue and re-screw. My take on this is certainly won't hurt to glue and certainly may help in the long run.
Edited 1/6/2004 9:31:54 AM ET by TN-LabGirl
Apparently I read your 'always' as including more than you meant for it to include. Sometimes I miss these little shades of meaning. :)
Wellllll, there was also a little pun intended.Don't know how it went over.But you're right, one doesn't always want to glue every part of a cabinet or piece of furniture.
The glue won't do much more than seal the endgrain, but that alone make it worthwhile.
Steve
A couple of years ago I made a run of chairs along the lines of Adirondacks. I made the first batch with plugged stainless screws and marine expoxy. The next lot I used "weldbond" PVA. So far none have come back or even elicited a call so it must work.
Next time round however I may go with the marine epoxy despite the cost as that stuff is virtually indestructable. I did notice that sealing the end grain with a coat of glue greatly limited the amount of checking, dunno how it would go if the customer wanted to paint them later however..........that issue has never arrisen.
Wood Hoon
Lab-girl,
The classic Adirondack chair design uses joinery that will be plenty strong without resorting to glue for additional strength. Glue on furniture heavily exposed to weather doesn't hold up very well in any case and it shouldn't be relied on for outdoor furniture if at all possible.
Describing the joinery as butt joints is inaccurate, almost all of the joints are, in fact, lap joints where the screws are going into the edge grain of supporting cross pieces where the screw holding strength is quite good. If you do glue up the chairs, and want to maintain the glues strength, the chairs should be painted and occasionally repainted to prevent the glue line from deteriorating over time.
I wouldn't bother with gluing an Adirondack chair's joints and I would try, if at all possible, to get wide enough stock for the arms to avoiding gluing those up from narrower stock. For long term survival of the chair it is definitely worth using stainless steel screws.
John W.
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