A pair of Terry's Adirondack chairs with matching footstools and side table
Handmade in Perth, Western Australia

One craftsman. One obsession: quality, nothing else.

Terry has been building Adirondack chairs for 60+ years, the last stretch of it alone, by hand, in his own workshop in Western Australia. No factory, no flat-pack, no shortcuts.

60+ yearsAt the bench
10,000+Chairs made, no complaints
65 screws, 8 boltsEvery chair, solid timber only
Made to orderNo stock, ever built ahead
One of the lastHandmade Adirondack chairmakers in Australia
One of Terry's handmade Adirondack chairs
The Maker

The born of a chairmaker.

Terry, 83, was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He built his first two Adirondack chairs over 60 years ago, for the deck of his father's motel. Before that, he was a builder of houses, back in New Zealand. After moving to Western Australia, he spent about a decade running a crane truck, pulling out palm trees.

He sold that business when it got too demanding, and went back to the chairs he'd first built decades earlier. This time, on his own terms.

"I've done my thing. I sold all the gear, and now I'll just go make my chairs."

There is no second maker here. Every chair that leaves the workshop has passed through Terry's hands alone, from board to finished seat, a limitation he chose on purpose, having already run a bigger, busier business once before. Every single one is handmade to order, right here in Australia. There is no stock sitting around waiting to be sold.

As far as Terry knows, he is one of the last people in Australia still building Adirondack chairs the traditional way, entirely by hand. Good timber costs more, and a chair built this way takes far longer than anything off a production line. That combination has pushed most other makers toward cheaper materials, machines, or out of the craft altogether. For Terry, it was never really a business decision. This is what he plans to keep doing until he stops breathing.

The Timber

Solid hardwood, chosen by eye.

The timber comes from Malaysia, through a mill Terry buys from directly, dealt with in person, order by order. It's Meranti hardwood: strong, light enough to move around easily, and treated against wood pests. It arrives in bulk, hundreds of metres at a time, and every board is solid, never finger-jointed.

Terry only learned that the hard way. Years ago, when solid stock ran short, he had a batch made with finger-jointed timber instead. It's the only time in decades of chairs that customers complained, and the only time he agreed with them. Every chair since has been built from one continuous piece per slat. Nothing else goes on the bench.

While the timber begins its journey in Malaysia, every cut, join and finish happens right here in Terry's Perth workshop. Proudly designed, built and finished in Australia.

Meranti hardwoodSourced from Malaysia, bought direct from the mill
Solid onlyNo finger-jointed timber, ever again
Australian madeEvery chair built and finished in Perth, WA
The History

A design over a century old.

The Adirondack chair takes its name from the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. It was designed around 1900 to 1903 by a holidaymaker named Thomas Lee, who wanted something sturdy and comfortable for the rocky ground around his summer home in Westport, New York, on Lake Champlain. A local carpenter friend, Harry Bunnell, later built and patented the design himself, in 1904, and it slowly spread from there. More than 120 years on, the shape has barely changed: wide arms, a high slatted back, and a seat angled just enough to make it hard to want to get up.

It's an American design, born on the shore of a mountain lake, now made entirely by hand on the other side of the world, in a workshop in Western Australia.

Terry once had a customer who'd grown up near the Adirondacks herself. She confirmed the story was true before he'd even finished telling it.
The Craft

Every chair, sixty-five screws.

Terry reworked the original plan almost from the start: bigger armrests, extra bracing underneath, adjustments made a little at a time across 60+ years, and never written down anywhere but memory.

It is also slow, deliberate work. Solid timber costs more than manufactured board, and a chair built this way takes far longer than anything off a production line. It's a large part of why so few people still build them entirely by hand.

01

Choosing the timber

Solid hardwood only, selected from the bulk shipment. Nothing finger-jointed, nothing pieced together.

02

Cutting to his own pattern

Terry's own modified version of the original plan, with bigger arms and added strength, refined over decades.

03

Assembling by hand

65 two-inch screws and 8 bolts go into every chair, all non-rusting, so the chair stays weather-tight for good. Each one is put together individually, on the bench.

04

Finishing

Two coats of Danish oil, one before assembly and one after, the same finish Terry recommends touching up once a year, brush in hand, wherever the sun hits hardest.

A pair of Terry's Adirondack chairs with matching footstools and side table

Every piece, on its own or together.

Every piece is handmade to order, by hand, in Australia. There is no stock kept on hand. The chair, footstool and table are each sold individually, as a pair, or as a complete set. Get in touch for current timing.
One of Terry's handmade Adirondack chairs

The Chair

Wide arms, a reclined seat, and a seat height built to get in and out of easily, no cushion needed. Sold on its own or as a pair.

115cm high · 85cm wide · 90cm deep · 15kg
Matching footstool made by Terry

The Footstool

Built to match the chair exactly, in the same timber and finish. Sold on its own or alongside a chair.

Inquire for current lead time
Solid timber coffee table made by Terry

The Coffee Table

Built low, in the same timber, finished to match, with enough room for a coffee or a drink, close at hand.

Inquire for current lead time
Complete set: chair, footstool and coffee table made by Terry

The Complete Set

Chair, footstool and coffee table, built together in the same run of timber. Also available as a pair with everything included.

Inquire for current lead time
FAQ

A few honest answers.

How much do the chairs cost?

Pricing depends on the timber run and exactly what you order. Send us an inquiry and we'll get back to you with an exact quote for what you're after.

How long does an order take?

Everything is made to order, there's no stock sitting ready to go. Lead times depend on how many orders are already in progress, we'll confirm a realistic timeframe with you before you commit to anything.

Do I have to buy a pair, or can I order just one piece?

Any piece, the chair, footstool or coffee table, can be bought on its own, as a pair, or as a complete set. Whatever combination you want is fine.

Do you deliver, or is pickup available?

Both. Pickup from the Perth workshop is available, and delivery can be arranged too, cost and timing depend on where you are, and we'll sort that out with you directly once your order is confirmed.

How do I look after the timber over time?

Danish oil, once a year, brushed on wherever the sun hits hardest. Left untreated for years it will bleach in the sun, a quick yearly coat keeps the colour and grain looking the way it did on day one.

Inquire

This is not a shop. It's a waiting list.

Tell us a little about what you're after and where it's going. Every message is read personally, and we'll get back to you about timing and cost.