Best Poly-Resin Adirondack Chairs
Poly resin Adirondack chairs have become more and more common over the last few years, and are slowly taking over the Adirondack chair market. The feature set is so strong: maintenance free, color-through material, recycled, eco-friendly structure, and often long warranties make these units very compelling. After much time spent analyzing the Adirondack chair market, we have determined that the best poly resin Adirondack chairs are the Polywood Classic folding Adirondack chairs [Amazon Link] [Wayfair Link].
Available in 13 colors, with folding capabilities and a comfortable design, this chair is ideal. It is made in the USA and is backed by a 20-year warranty.
These are the best poly Adirondack chairs available.
- Built to withstand a range of climates including...
- Polywood lumber is a proprietary plastic...
- Weatherproof. Will not splinter, crack, chip,...
- Easy to store. Folds flat for easy transportation...
- Comfortable. Contoured to provide the comfortable...
Last update on 2024-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
For a complete review of this chair, please see our Product Reviews section below.
Runner Up: CPVC Adirondack Chairs
Our runner-up poly resin Adirondack chair is the Highwood Hamilton line [Amazon Link] [Wayfair Link] of Adirondack chairs.
These units are of similar quality to the Polywood chairs but come in a more muted color palette. They do have one nice extra feature: they recline. The reclining feature comes at a higher cost, though, and when it comes down to it, we prefer the colors available on the Polywood line.
These units are covered under a 12-year warranty, which is nice, but not as good as Polywood’s 20-year warranty.
For a complete review, please check out our Product Reviews section below.
Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Budget Pick: Polywood Adirondack Chair
The Lifetime Adirondack Chair 60064 [Amazon Link] [Wayfair Link] is a great poly Adirondack chair for those on a budget. This unit is comfortable and attractive, with a simple design and a slightly curved back.
Available in only two colors, and with no folding mechanism, there are a few features lacking on the Lifetime 60064, but overall it is well built and will last a lifetime. If you don’t want to spend a ton and don’t care too much about color, the Lifetime 60064 is the chair for you!
For a full review, please take a look at our Product Reviews section below.
Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Resin Wood Adirondack Chair Product Reviews
In this section, we look in depth at the top five poly resin Adirondack chairs. We’ll start with a comparison table to get the lay of the land, and then we compare and contrast their features, prices, and qualities, and pick our favorites.
Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1. POLYWOOD Classic Folding Adirondack Chair [Amazon Link] [Wayfair Link]
Rest, relax, and rejuvenate outside in one of Polywood’s outstanding folding Adirondack poly chairs. This excellent classic line of chairs are extremely high quality, and have virtually no maintenance required!
Polywood’s chairs come in a wide variety of colors, with 13 vibrant colors to choose from (shown here in Sunset Red). These beauties are made in the USA and are built with environmentally-friendly recycled materials.
When opened, they are super comfortable, stylish Adirondack chairs. When it’s time to go inside, they fold up for easy storage!
To cap it off, these chairs are guaranteed under with a 20-year warranty, which always nice.
Dimensions
- Length: 35 3/4″
- Width: 29″
- Height: 35 3/4″
- Inside Seat Dimension: 24″ x 20″
- Weight: 37lbs
- Weight Capacity: Rated for 300lbs, but likely more than that.
The Details
Polywood’s Adirondack chairs are built using high quality recycled HDPE CPVC wood, which is a mix of recycled wood and resin material. It is eco-friendly!
The fasteners used to hold the chair together are made of marine-grade 316 stainless steel, and will not rust even if left outside in the rain or snow.
The bolts are colored the same as the chair for a clean look. No shiny metals getting in the way of the fun colors in the Polywood line!
These units are lightweight, easy to assemble, and fold up for storage. Unfortunately, there is no recline feature available on these chairs.
There are a couple of coordinating accessory furniture pieces produced by Polywood: ottomans and side tables. The matching furniture sets are great for those looking to outfit a backyard space in an eco-friendly manner.
Assembly
Assembly of the Polywood Adirondack chair is extremely simple. There are two bolts that need to be screwed in with a screwdriver, and two pegs inserted. To fold the chair, simply remove the two pegs and the unit folds up for storage. To open, unfold the chair, and replace the pegs. Easy!
Maintenance and Care
These maintenance-free Adirondack chairs don’t get particularly hot when placed outside in a sunny environment for a long period of time, though some of the Polywood tables have been reported to have gotten hot.
For cleaning, spray down with a garden hose every so often, and attack any stains with a brush and some mild detergent.
The Bottom Line
Polywood’s chairs are virtually identical to the Trex-branded chairs reviewed below, though they are definitely cheaper and come in a more interesting range of colors. In fact, Polywood manufactures chairs for the Trex brand, and many of Polywood’s colors will match Trex’s colors.
The most significant aspect of these chairs that send these to the top of our ranking is the 20-year warranty on the furniture pieces. It’s hard to beat such a warranty, and it shows that Polywood really stands behind its products.
Be sure to check the price on Wayfair before you purchase!
- Built to withstand a range of climates including hot sun, snowy...
- Polywood lumber is a proprietary plastic containing recycled milk jugs...
- Weatherproof. Will not splinter, crack, chip, peel, or rot when...
- Easy to store. Folds flat for easy transportation and storage.
- Comfortable. Contoured to provide the comfortable seating expected of...
Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
2. Highwood Hamilton Folding and Reclining Adirondack Chair [Amazon Link] [Wayfair Link]
If you’ve got a family with different size needs, the Highwood Hamilton line of poly resin Adirondack chairs may be what you’re looking for. Available in three sizes (Adult, King, and Kid) and in several color options, these reclining, folding Adirondack chairs are great!
Made of eco-friendly recycled wood pulp and a poly resin material, these chairs are maintenance free, sturdy, and well designed.
Made in the USA, and covered under a 12-year warranty, The Hamilton line of Adirondack chairs are an excellent choice for many families.
Dimensions
Adult Size Chair:
- Length: 36″
- Width: 29″
- Height: 34″
- Seat Height off the ground (highest point) 14″
- Inside Seat Dimension: 19″ x 18″
- Weight: 33lbs
- Weight Capacity: Not published, but much over 400lbs starts to push it.
King Size Chair:
- Length: 40″
- Width: 36″
- Height: 33″
- Seat Height off the ground (highest point) 16″
- Inside Seat Dimension: 24″ x 18″
- Weight: 45lbs
- Weight Capacity: Not published, but much over 400lbs starts to push it.
Kid-Sized Chair
- Length: 25″
- Width: 21″
- Height: 28″
- Weight: 17.6lbs
The Details
The Highwood Hamilton line of Adirondack Chairs is comfortable, with a gracefully-sloping back and three reclining settings. The reclining settings don’t make a huge difference in the comfort of the chair, but they are better than having no reclining features!
At its extreme, the Highwood chair will recline almost to a horizontal bed level of flatness.
The Highwood Hamilton is made of eco-friendly CPVC and features 304-grade stainless steel hardware for the fasteners. Even the dark colored chairs don’t get particularly hot in the prolonged sun.
Assembly
Assembly is not terribly difficult, but you should have a drill handy, and an extra set of hands is always helpful. The instructions are decent, but those who are unfamiliar with putting together furniture may have a difficult time.
If you want to take a look at the general complexity of assembly, you can view the instructions here.
The Bottom Line
Highwood Hamilton’s Adirondack chair line has a great deal to offer, with three different scales, a folding option, a reclining option, a good warranty, and several colors to choose from. Compared to some of the other pieces on our list today, these colors are a bit… conservative, but they are attractive.
As an additional feature, Highwood sells matching side tables and ottomans for these polyresin Adirondack chairs, which is always helpful!
Be sure to check the price on Wayfair before buying!
No products found.
3. Lifetime 60064 Adirondack Chair [Amazon Link] [Wayfair Link]
Sit back and relax and look out at the quiet yard. Sink down into the Lifetime 60064 Adirondack Chair, a line of classic poly resin Adirondack chairs. These chairs, made of recycled wood pulp and poly resin, are held together with stainless steel fasteners.
Dimensions
- Length: 37″
- Width: 31″
- Height: 37″
- Seat Height off the ground (lowest point) 11″
- Inside Seat Dimension: 21″ x 18″
- Weight: 35lbs
- Weight Capacity: Not published, but at least 280lbs.
The Details
The Lifetime 60064 CPVC Adirondack chair is a best-seller on Amazon.com and is positioned at an aggressive price point. In fact, we chose it as the best budget CPVC chair in our overall Adirondack chair buyer’s guide. It has some excellent features given its price, but it has a few downsides as well.
This chair is fairly comfortable, which is important! It features a gently curved back, which makes prolonged sitting in the chair much more pleasant than sitting in chairs without a curved back.
The finish is only available in two colors, a natural cedar color and a pale gray. All of the other pieces on our list today are available in several color options, so this is a significant downside to us.
Still, the colors are fine, and the material does not get hot in the sun.
Overall the Lifetime 60064 Poly Resin Adirondack Chairs are solidly made and feel good to sit in.
Assembly
Assembly of these chairs is pretty simple and will take about 30 minutes if you use a power drill and are somewhat familiar with furniture assembly. The instructions are well made.
Maintenance and Care
Maintenance is pretty practically non-existent! Just wash the chairs with soap and water, or a power wash if you have a power washer. Use a mild detergent to get off any persnickety stains.
Some owners have left outside in the winter, uncovered, without any damage to the finish. We suggest you bring them inside or pick up a chair cover to be safe.
Should you decide you don’t like the color of this chair, you could consider painting it, but then you’ll have to maintain the paint. Should you want to paint, start with a high-quality exterior primer, and follow an exterior paint like Benjamin Moore’s Regal Select Low Lustre. Be sure you remove all the steel fasteners before you paint, as you don’t want to get paint on the fasteners.
The Bottom Line
The Lifetime Adirondack Chair 60064 is a good choice for a poly resin chair, as long as you don’t want any stacking, reclining, or folding mechanisms.
These Chinese-made chairs are sturdy, solid, well designed, and comfortable: the key qualities of an Adirondack chair. If you’re seeking a poly resin Adirondack chair that is nearly the same price as a wooden chair, these are the chairs for you.
- Classic comfortable design; Constructed of weather-resistant simulated...
- UV-protected will not crack, chip or peel
- Some assembly required. Please watch assembly video
- Stain resistant and easy to clean
- The beauty of wood without the maintenance
Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
4. Furniture Barn USA Poly Folding Adirondack Chair with Cup Holder [Amazon Link]
The Furniture Barn USA Poly Lumber wooden folding Adirondack chair is a good quality line of poly resin Adirondack chairs. They are available in a wide variety of colors that go through the resin (shown here in Orange) and include a cup holder, which is a fairly nice feature.
With 13 colors to choose from, you’re guaranteed to find something you’ll love.
These units are custom made to order in the USA by Pennsylvania Amish. Cool!
They feature a slightly-contoured back for great comfort and are an excellent choice for those looking for a fold-up Adirondack chair.
Dimensions
- Length: 34.5″
- Width: 30.5″
- Height: 28″
- Seat Height off the ground (lowest point) 11″
- Inside Seat Dimension: 20.5″ x 16″
- Weight: 40lbs
- Weight Capacity: At least 225lbs.
The Details
These chairs are built with stainless steel hardware for a rust-free finish, and all of the fasteners are not visible when the chair is viewed from the front. This gives a completely solid color facade, which is nice. One can see the screws on the seat, however.
Poly Lumber offers matching footstools for these units, for those who are looking for a matching set. Combine the contoured back with a footstool, and you will be resting comfortably for years to come.
These units can be left outside year round, though Poly Lumber advises that in areas of significant heat (110’+) they are taken in or put in a shaded area. Winter weather is no match for these chairs! However, given that they fold up, you might as well take them inside.
Assembly
Assembly is quite simple and can be completed in about 10 minutes. You’ll be relaxing outdoors in no time!
Cleaning and Care
These units require no care other than a good wash down with water every so often. Just spray them down with a hose and you should be good to go. If there are any stubborn marks, just clean with a brush and some mild detergent to remove the stain.
The Bottom Line
The Furniture Barn USA Poly Lumber line of poly resin Adirondack chairs is quite nice and will last a lifetime. The cup holder may be a nice bonus for some, though we rather like the uninterrupted plane of the traditional Adirondack arm a little better, and typically those arms are wide enough to rest drinks upon.
Unfortunately, these are not currently available on Amazon Prime, and shipping is extra.
No products found.
5. Trex Outdoor Furniture Cape Cod Folding Adirondack Chair [Amazon Link] [Wayfair Link]
The Trex Outdoor Furniture Cape Cod line of Folding Adirondack chairs is similar in design to the Polywood chairs above, though with a little bit sleepier and more classic design.
In fact, Polywood produces these chairs for Trex.
Unfortunately, Trex’s chairs come in a more traditional color palette. Trex is one probably the biggest brand name in the poly resin material market and is one of our favorite outdoor furniture brands. They have been selling porch decking and flooring for decades.
These chairs are very high quality, just as the Polywood pieces are, and if you like the colors Trex offers, these chairs are a great choice.
Dimensions
- Length: 35 3/4″
- Width: 29″
- Height: 35 3/4″
- Inside Seat Dimension: 24″ x 20″
- Weight: 37lbs
- Weight Capacity: Rated for 300lbs, but likely more than that.
The Details
In practice, these are almost identical chairs to the Polywood line of poly Adirondack chairs, but the color palette is slightly different. We definitely favor the Polywood line’s colors, but if you find a color you like and the Trex one is cheaper, go for it!
These units are made in the USA by Polywood and branded with Trex’s name and are of very high quality.
Assembly
Assembly is simple: screw in the two bolts on the sides, and insert the pegs into the sides. Voila, Adirondack chair ready for sitting! To fold the chair up, remove the pegs and you’re done.
Cleaning and Care
To clean the Trex Cape Cod line of Adirondack chairs, just spray down with some water to clean off pollen and dust. For more difficult stains, scrub with a scrub brush or sponge and a bit of a mild detergent, and your stain should go away.
The Bottom Line
The Trex line of chairs are great, they are just like our top choice the Polywood chairs! However, the color palette is staid, and you are paying a bit of a premium for the Trex brand name. They have the same 20-year warranty that Polywood does.
We would suggest looking at the Polywood chairs and the Trex chairs as one unit, and whichever color you like best at the best price, go for it!
Be sure to check the price on Wayfair before buying.
- DURABLE CONSTRUCTION. Constructed with genuine POLYWOOD lumber, the...
- . POLYWOOD lumber is a proprietary blend of plastics which includes...
- WEATHERPROOF. Will not splinter, crack, chip, peel, or rot when...
- EASY TO STORE. Folds flat for easy transportation and storage.
- EASY MAINTENANCE. Cleans easily with soap, water, and a soft bristle...
Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Adirondack Chair Buyer’s Guide
Adirondack chairs are probably the most iconic design to be found in American outdoor furniture history. These wonderful chairs (occasionally misspelled as andronik chairs or andronik chair) will blend into almost any style or decor. They offer an enthusiastic yet relaxing vibe, with a focus on nature and a great deal of optimism.
These chairs can be quite comfortable, though they are often used without chair pads. The sloping seat design commonly found on Adirondack chairs, coupled with a curved back that is usually present, results in a nice, comfortable outdoor chair. The flat, wide arms always present on these chairs make it easy to rest a glass of wine upon, or perhaps just some elbows while reading a book.
Most iconic chairs are extremely expensive to purchase. No so for Adirondack chairs! Given the ubiquity of these chairs, the variety of material types, and classic universal look and feel, these are a must in virtually any backyard. They are available in many designs, from cheap plastic to classic wood to beautiful poly resin materials, and hit every budget.
Adirondack Chair History
The Adirondack chair (also called the Muskoka chair in Canada) was crafted of 11 flat wooden boards and had the classic straight-back seat and wide wooden armrests. This chair was originally designed by Thomas Lee while vacationing in Westport, New York — a small town in the Adirondack Mountains.
In the late 1800s, the Adirondack Mountains were fast becoming a popular location for retreat among the wealthy of New York City. The publishing of Adventures in the wilderness; or Camp-Life in the Adirondacks by William H.H. Murray, spurred on the tourists. Willliam H. H. Murray is identified as the founder of the Outdoor Movement, and wrote the book for those who, “pent up in narrow offices and narrower studies, weary of the city’s din, long for a breath of mountain air and the free life by field and flood.” This book started the trend among city dwellers to vacation in the country.
After settling on a design, he hired a local Westport Carpenter named Harry Bunnell to make a set of the chairs. Impressed by the design, Bunnell saw the commercial potential and began selling the chairs to Westport’s other visitors. Unfortunately, he… forgot… to ask Thomas Lee’s permission to sell the chairs. Bunnell filed for a patent on the design, and received one in 1905, despite not actually designing the chair. Bunnell sold the “Westport chairs”, made of Hemlock, for the next 20 years. Typically he would paint them green or brown, and he sold them directly to buyers.
Over time, the design has been tweaked and improved upon. Often contemporary Adirondack chairs will feature a seashell style rounded back, and a sloping seat base for comfort. These modifications were originally the idea of Irving Wolpin, who redesigned the chair in 1938 and also received a patent on it.
Modern Designers now often construct these chairs out of poly-resin, and these chairs are quite high quality, maintenance free, and extremely resistant to the elements.
Adirondack Chair Cushions
Some find Adirondack chairs to be sublimely comfortable as they are, though others prefer to sit on them with a cushion for added softness. We tend to lean toward no cushion, but we can completely understand those who want that extra padding!
See here for Adirondack Chair Cushion information.
Poly Resin vs. Wood
Wood is the traditional choice for Adirondack chairs, going back to the late 1800s. When properly maintained, wood can look gorgeous, and give a classic flair. However, the reality is that keeping your wooden Adirondack chairs in good shape takes work! Sanding, painting, staining, cleaning, patching broken slats, etc. are all painful.
Enter Poly Resin!
High heat and excess sun can damage poly resin, and if you’re in an environment where the weather gets very hot, say over 100′ regularly, you may want to bring your poly resin chairs to a shady area in those times.
This material is becoming more and more popular due to is maintenance free, environmentally friendly nature, and will last a lifetime!
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