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Woodwork By Stan
Adirondack, deck, cabin, patio, porch, lawn, camp, garden and man cave furniture.
 

Woodwork By Stan
14411 Ranch Road
Elk River, MN 55330

Call Us At:
(763) 241-9643

Contact Us by Email

 
Cedar and redwood outdoor furniture designed for relaxation, built to last! Woodwork By Stan
Woodwork By Stan
Frequently Asked Questions

Why choose cedar?

You simply can't beat the rich warmth and stunning beauty of wood. Our wood of choice is Western Red Cedar, which is commonly found in the northwestern United States and Canada. Its natural beauty and durability have been valued for centuries. Native Americans named it the "Tree of Life."

Unfinished cedar's richly textured grain boasts colors that range from mellow ambers and reddish cinnamons to rich sienna browns. Fully biodegradable, Western Red Cedar is virtually pitch and resin free, so it easily accepts a wide range of finishes, from oils and stains to solid coatings and paint.

Western Red Cedar furniture -- especially of the heirloom Adirondack variety -- compliments any architectural design, from turn-of-the-century to contemporary. It's one of the few wood species naturally at home in the outdoors. Properly finished, Western Red Cedar will last for decades, even in harsh environments.

Cedar's aroma -- you should smell our workshop! -- comes from natural thujaplicins in its heartwood. These compounds resist moisture, are toxic to insects and decay-causing fungi and preserve the wood. Western Red Cedar is a softwood, yet it has about 80 percent the strength of oak, making it ideal for lightweight, but sturdy furniture. It's also pocketbook friendly.

Surround yourself with the beauty of cedar and enjoy classic heirloom-quality Adirondack and outdoor furniture for many years.

(Information from the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association)

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Why choose polywood?

Polywood -- 100% high density polyethylene (HDPE) -- is virtually maintenance free. It's manufactured from recycled milk jugs and is recyclable.

Yes, it is plastic lumber, but it's not that flimsy stuff that blows away in a slight breeze. This plastic is one-inch thick and weighs almost twice as much as cedar.

This lumber won't fade, crack, rot or splinter. Mold and fungi can't penetrate it. It will never require painting or staining. It won't absorb moisture or chemicals.

This polywood is one solid color through to its core, so scrapes and scratches are practically invisible. It's also protected by advanced ultra-violet stabilizers, so it fights off the effects of sunlight.

In other words, you can leave your polywood chairs and tables outside 365 days a year -- anywhere.

If your chairs do get dirty, a quick hose or mop are all they need. No special chemicals or sealants required. This plastic lumber can even stand up to pressure washing for a thorough, like new clean.

Polywood chairs and tables are the perfect choice for a lifetime of care-free enjoyment.

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How do I finish my cedar furniture?

I've had excellent success using Cabot's, Behr's and Sikkens stains.

Cabot's Australian Timber Oil is available at Hirshfield's and Lowe's. It's available in five wood-toned hues: Natural, Amberwood, Honey Teak, Mahogany Flame and Jarrah Brown. I'm partial to the Natural hue. Cabot's also has semi-transparent, semi-solid and solid stains in just about any color under the sun.

Behr's (available at Home Depot) is available in clear-natural, wood toned, semi-transparent and solid color. For more information about Behr's Wood Stains and Waterproofers check out Behr's website.

Sikkens Cetol SRD is a one-coat, translucent exterior wood finish that is available at Hirshfield's. Check out Sikkens website for more information.

Cedar also can be painted. To paint cedar you must first utilize an acrylic water based primer followed by a water based acrylic enamel top coat; if you do not use a primer, the cedar will always “bleed through” your top coat.

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What will happen if I don’t put any finish on my cedar furniture?

Over time -- as quickly as six months if your furniture sits in the sun all day -- your cedar chair will change to a silver/gray color.

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How can I find out about your new products?

Visit our What's New in Stan's Shop page often and by signing up for our newsletter below.

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Who invented Adirondack chairs?

An Adirondack chair -- or Muskoka chair in Canada -- is a type of chair favored in rural, outdoor settings, according to Wikipedia.

The precursor to today's Adirondack chair was designed by Thomas Lee in 1903. He was on vacation in Westport, N.Y., in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains, and needed outdoor chairs for his summer home. He tested the first designs on his family.

The original Adirondack chair was made with 11 pieces of wood, cut from a single board. It had a straight back and seat, which were set at a slant to sit better on the steep mountain inclines of the area. It also featured wide armrests, which became a hallmark of the Adirondack chair.

Today's Adirondack chairs usually feature a rounded back and contoured seat. The style has also been translated to other pieces of furniture, from gliders to love seats. It takes approximately 40 linear feet of 5 1/2-inch wide cedar to build one standard Adirondack chair.

After arriving at a final design for the "Westport plank chair," Lee offered it to Harry Bunnell, a carpenter friend in Westport, who was in need of a winter income. Bunnell quickly realized the chair was the perfect item to sell to Westport's summer residents, and apparently without asking Lee's permission, Bunnell filed for and received patent 794,777 in 1905. Bunnell manufactured his plank chairs for the next 20 years. His "Westport Chairs" were all signed and made of hemlock in green or medium dark brown. Adirondack Mountains, which Westport is near.

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How do I sign up for your newsletter?

Just click on "Sign up for our Email Newsletter." We e-mail the newsletter roughly once a month.

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