And armchairs), which, after time, fell into disrepair. “It’s a pity to throw it away, and buying a new one is not always enough money,” many people immediately get upset about this, not even suspecting that old furniture can be restored and restored. As an example, in this article we will reupholster an old chair with our own hands.
Let's move from words to action. In order to restore an old chair, we will need the following tools:
- Hammer, pliers, screwdriver (flat),
- Manual stapler, staples from 4 to 6 mm, scissors,
- Wide sling (textile),
- Foam rubber, batting, synthetic winterizer,
- Fabric (1.5 – 2 m),
- PVA glue, gauze.
Chair disassembly
Before you start working, you need to disassemble the old chair and see what's inside.
As a rule, this is a wooden frame, foam rubber on the back and seat. It is held by rubber or textile slings.
Also included in the components are legs and armrests (polished or fabric-look). Back wall the chairs are secured with plywood. That's probably all.
After parsing:
- We determine what needs to be replaced. Carefully knock out all tenon parts rubber mallet to avoid damaging the edges and maintain the polish.
- Using a scalpel or a knife with a thin tip, we clean the grooves so that there are no glue residues inside.
- We coat the tenon parts with PVA glue, and then wrap the bandage directly onto the tenon.
- We carefully hammer everything into place and wait a day for it to dry completely.
Do-it-yourself chair reupholstery
Let's take a step-by-step look at the process of reupholstering a chair
Foam rubber replacement
The next stage of do-it-yourself chair restoration will be replacing the foam rubber. List of brands used in furniture production:
- EL – has a medium degree of hardness,
- HS - soft type,
- HL - extra hard,
- HR - low degree of rigidity, most often used in the manufacture upholstered furniture.
In our case, HR is the best option.
It is best to cut foam rubber with a knife with a long blade sharpened on an abrasive stone. We cut in several stages.
Replacing passes (belts)
After we have decided on the foam rubber, we check the passes. They can be made of rubber or thick tarpaulin.
They are fixed on wooden frame with the help of nails, in rare cases they break through with staples.
We remove the old belts, measure their length and, with a little tension, replace them with new ones. The edges of the belt must be wrapped (folded at least in two). In this position they will last a long time and will not stretch under heavy weight.
The belts are tight, now you need to fix the foam rubber. We coat the passes with foam glue and carefully adjust the seat first, and then the back.
After we have the frame ready, we proceed to the choice of fabric.
Chair upholstery with fabric
Today, the textile industry offers a wide range of fabrics for repairing and upholstering chairs.
Fabric for upholstery:
You need to remember one simple truth: if the fabric has a pattern or abstraction, you need to make sure that the image does not move during the pattern.
We cut out the front and back parts of the backrest from the first meter of fabric, and the seat from the remainder.
Having made the cut, we need to check whether we have maintained the dimensions correctly by covering the seat with a cut piece of fabric. Having set the angles correctly as shown in the figure, we begin to “shoot” our cover to the frame of the chair.
We fix the rest of the fabric with staples, make a mandatory stretch - to ourselves.
The corners can be sewn by machine or, if not essential, by hand, using a fine seam.
At the moment of fixing the cover to the frame, we punch the staples at intervals of 3-4 cm. If these are nails with a wide head, then the distance should be slightly less.
Once we have changed the seat upholstery, we do the same with the backrest.
You should always remember that restoring a chair with your own hands always requires consistency in work, as well as attention.
When removing each of the parts, you need to remember where and how it stood. Some craftsmen use a camera for such purposes.
Restoration of frame parts
The concept of “restoration” includes not only reupholstery, but also restoration of the wooden parts of the chair. After time, decorative details (armrests, turned elements, curly legs chairs) become unusable, that is, they become dull, the varnish surface wears off, and small cracks appear on the furniture frame.
What can be done in this case?
To solve this problem we will need:
- Sandpaper,
- Scraper,
- Blade from a stationery knife.
- Varnish, stain.
Every part needs to be sanded. You need to start with coarse grains, gradually moving to smaller ones.
Sanding should only be done in the direction of the grain. If you make movements against the grain, the varnish will definitely show transverse lines.
Many master restorers use drill with special emery drums. They come in different widths and lengths, very convenient for grinding in hard-to-reach places.
- After the parts are sanded, carefully remove dust with a damp cloth or foam rubber sponge.
- Apply with a soft brush nitrolac until completely dry.
- After the varnish has dried, you can run your hand over the surface and feel how the pile has risen. With the finest sandpaper, we carefully “knock down” the risen fibers, that is, we make the surface smooth.
- Then you can apply a stain (alcohol, water or based on white spirit) and only then cover it with any varnish available in the production.
Video: do-it-yourself restoration of an old chair
That's the whole wisdom - how to easily and efficiently restore the chair at home.
Good luck to all masters!
Furniture company 366 Concept has returned forgotten Soviet armchairs to the market
During Soviet times, this armchair was in almost every living room of a Polish family. It was designed in 1962 by Joseph Chirowski and has been in production for 30 years. The designers of 366 Concept really wanted to revive the forgotten symbol of their childhood in the hope that it would gain new market demand.
The once popular Soviet armchair gets a second chance and opens up to the whole of Europe, whereas before its market was only Poland. 366 Concept received exclusive rights to manufacture the chairs, which sold 500,000 units between 1960 and 1980.
Besides classic design a version for children, a rocking chair, a love seat and a larger version of the classic model were developed. The furniture brand has also developed a variation of the basic model - the “bunny chair”, the legs of which are turned in such a way that they form the shape of bunny ears.
All chairs are manufactured in Poland and sold throughout Europe, 90% of deliveries are made outside the country. Company representatives believe that the chair has become popular largely due to its compact size. Young people in Paris and London live in small apartments and do not have the opportunity to install a large sofa, so they are looking for something small but at the same time comfortable. Size original chair with wooden armrests was one of his key parameters- 72 cm high and 62 cm wide. The reason for this is not the design, but the needs of the market, because Poland was a fairly poor country with small apartments. That's why a chair was designed that uses a minimum of materials, nothing superfluous.
These minimalist pieces of furniture are made from natural ash that is at least 7 years old. The company complements the wooden base with stain-resistant fabric reminiscent of retro materials - tweed and corduroy. The fabric is available in various colors, the main ones being gray, olive, orange and blue.
Chairs and armchairs are used more intensively than many other pieces of furniture. As a result, they wear out faster and more severely. And what can we say about the old samples!
Chair upholstery diagram
The most vulnerable parts of their design, as a rule, are the load-bearing parts. They fail faster than other elements. Today, do-it-yourself chair restoration at a high-quality level, thanks to the availability of excellent tools and materials, is accessible even to a beginner.
But in order to either partially repair a chair or completely restore it, you don’t need to call a carpenter at all. You just need to know a few technological features this process.
Materials and tools needed to remake an old chair
To reupholster the chair you will need: a screwdriver, self-tapping screws, a stapler, staples and a screwdriver.
For the convenience of the master and excellent quality of work, you will need the following:
- upholstery fabric;
- foam;
- wooden (plywood) shield;
- furniture varnish;
- stain;
- wood glue;
- electric drill;
- vibration grinding machine;
- stapler;
- pliers;
- wire cutters;
- screwdrivers;
- spanners.
Partial restoration of the chair
It often happens that it is not necessary to completely restore a chair. For example, if he has well-preserved tissue or leather upholstery, but the legs are very loose, then a major renovation of such an item is not required - just take care of the legs.
Let's look at the most common cases of breakdown components chairs, the restoration of which will give a second life to the entire product.
Leg attachment diagram.
The first case: the legs are very wobbly. The simplest restoration option is to put the legs in their original places with glue. The main disadvantage of this option is the fragility of the glued legs. To eliminate it, it is recommended, in addition to gluing the legs to horizontal bar, additionally connect the parts to be fastened, for example, with dowels.
To do this, the entire unit being repaired must be slowly disassembled. It is advisable to replace the spike. In this case, the joints are covered with fresh wood glue, the spike is inserted into seat. For a tight connection, the joint is tightened with a clamp.
After this, 2-3 holes are drilled in the leg, into which dowels are driven. These auxiliary parts, which are also coated with glue, must be made of wood hard rocks and in diameter be slightly larger than the diameter through holes. Holes are drilled on the seat body corresponding to the location of the dowels on the legs. The legs are connected to the rest of the chair, the parts being fastened are tightly pulled together and left in this position until the glue dries.
Stages of attaching upholstery fabric to the chair frame.
Second case: the seat belts are stretched too much. Because of this, an impressive “pit” is formed in the seat. Another defect will have the same effect - the loss of nails that hold the belts in the seat body. If it's all about fastening the belts, it needs to be restored by driving in new nails. If the reason is stretched old belts, then replacing them with new ones is impossible.
When installing new belts, they must be tensioned. You can do this using wooden block. In this case, one end of the belt is attached to the seat frame, while the other end is tightly tensioned with a block, clamping the belt between the block and the frame of the chair. Keeping the belt taut, nail it to the base.
This must be done so that after this there is a free section of the belt 30-40 mm long. It is bent and nailed for greater reliability. Gaps of up to 100 mm are left between the tensioned seat belts.
Complete restoration of an old chair: work order
If a very old chair has been standing in the room for a long time, showing no “signs of life,” this is not yet a reason to throw it away.
Of course, in many cases it is better to buy new item, but often the owner really doesn’t want to part with the old thing.
Chair-bed frame.
After all, it can be very beautiful, stylish, and finally turn out to be a real historical relic for the whole family. You shouldn’t discount the monetary savings factor either.
In this case, you should try to restore the chair yourself. Complete restoration begins, of course, with disassembling the furniture. To do this, having removed the calico from the bottom of the seat, you need to unscrew the nuts hidden under it. By removing the corresponding fastening elements, the armrests are dismantled.
Disassembly is followed by the removal of old, worn-out upholstery. If it can still be useful for something, it should be done carefully, gradually removing the staples with pliers. But often the fabric is simply torn off. In any case, remember that under the old upholstery, most likely, a lot of dust and debris has accumulated.
Next, all internal wooden parts are inspected. The cracks should be impregnated with wood glue, and the defective part itself should be secured with staples. If the part cannot be restored, it is replaced with a new one, using blanks with the same properties and dimensions. Also (if necessary) from wooden shield Figured elements that have become completely unusable are cut out according to the appropriate sizes and shapes.
The varnish is removed from all old elements of the chair by sanding them with a drill with a special attachment. Final sanding is done with a grinder. Wooden parts covered with stain. After it dries for 5-6 hours, these parts are varnished. After this, you need to let the varnish dry for 24 hours. And only then can you assemble the wooden frame of the product.
Assembly is carried out using metal fasteners, wooden dowels and wood glue. The entire assembly assembly must stand until the glue dries completely.
To reupholster a chair, it is better to use wear-resistant fabric.
When we completely restore an old chair, we most often have to update the soft filling. Whether the foam rubber needs to be changed or can be restored can only be judged after a careful examination of it.
If you have to lay a new filler, you should first determine the thickness of the old one and add 2-3 cm to its actual thickness (this is approximately how much foam rubber sags when there is frequent pressure on it). Then a new soft component is cut out to the same shape and size as the old filler. Moreover, its density should be no less than 22-25. If the density is lower, then you can increase it by placing a layer of spunbond (calico) between a layer of new foam rubber and old foam rubber.
New foam filling or filling from another suitable material glued to wooden base seats or fastened with brackets around its perimeter.
On final stage repairs are carried out by upholstering the chair with fabric. To do this, you need to tear apart the old upholstery, first carefully removed from the chair. individual elements. Having placed these fragments on the prepared fabric, they cut out new flaps.
Gradually, by placing individual pieces of fabric on the corresponding parts of the chair, adjacent fabric fragments are sewn to them. At the same time, you should always remember that furniture upholstery is done under good tension.
The corners of the chair are hammered last. The fabric is attached to wooden frame using staples nailed at intervals of 2-3 cm from each other.
If the craftsman wants to radically change the design of the chair being restored, then patterns for the new upholstery cannot be made from the old one. Measurements for cutting will have to be taken in place after laying the new filler.
It is necessary that the quality and density of the new upholstery be combined with the quality and density of the filling. So, if the filler is too soft, the hard and not very elastic fabric may burst due to excessive tension.
When choosing a stapler for repair work For furniture, preference should be given to mechanisms with the most powerful springs.
Restoring an old chair is a reason not only to revive a half-forgotten product, but also a chance to change the style of the entire room furnishings. Therefore, you should not be afraid to experiment.
Restoration old furniture with your own hands – the process is complex, but very exciting! How to give new life loved ones chairs , in which they listened to grandmother's tales. How to make an ancient one sparkle with gentle matte highlights dresser , which stores many “precious” masterpieces - pieces of hand-made lace, velvet pieces, from which you can sew a ball gown for a doll or make an exclusive lampshade for floor lamp .
Restoration of old furniture: giving new life to wood
Restoration wooden furniture is a process that requires a lean approach and a lot of patience. An old tree can be eaten by worms into dust. But if you want to revive a neat table with unique inlay or a bureau with tons of secret compartments, try getting creative.
Wooden furniture is quite durable. But before starting the restoration, you need to carefully remove all the drawers, shake off the dust, and remove moldy areas with sandpaper. This applies not only to living rooms and bedroom sets . Restoration kitchen furniture - a process that will bring no less pleasure.
Interior in country style today in a special trend. So don't throw your grandmother's closets in the trash. Remove old paint or varnish. Carefully treat the wood with special compounds that protect against insect pests.
Doors kitchen cabinets can be painted and slightly blackened, giving a touch of elegant age. If the wood is valuable, carefully remove the varnish and coat it with a new compound. You can bring old varnish back to life if it is not affected by mold. There is a wonderful recipe: wax! This is a magical remedy that will revive a tree 1-2 centuries old.
Shimmering velvet caressing the skin
Restoration of upholstered furniture will help bring true masterpieces back to life. An antique chair can be thrown into the trash because of the velvet worn to holes and protruding springs. But what if we do it differently?
Carefully remove the old upholstery. You will have to tinker with the springs longer. But if there is no other option but to throw it away, do so. Replace the inside with soft, thick foam rubber cut from the pattern. Furniture after restoration is no worse, and even better and more comfortable. The covering can be made of brocade or velvet. The main thing is not to fall out of the time frame of history.
This also applies sofas , canapes. Restoration occupies a special place leather furniture . The interior can also be replaced with porous foam. But the external coating cannot always be left as expensive. If the leather is not torn, try carefully sliding it onto the frame. If you have to completely replace the top cover, don’t worry. You don't have to use new fabrics. Try to find an antique one tapestry or brocade.
Sometimes mirrors are inserted into the backs of the sofa. If the reflective field has not faded and the amalgam layer is without significant scratches, simply renew frame around the mirror . If you need to replace the field itself, don’t worry, remove the old mirror information. This is recommended by Feng Shui experts.
New faces of old furniture
The updated furniture after restoration looks very creative and elegant. If you turn on your imagination at full speed, you can remake cabinets and chairs beyond recognition. There are several unique technologies: cover the wooden sides acrylic paint, insert the mirror mosaic , change the fittings. The main thing is, try not to fall out of general style. Handles and locks should either shine like real gold or shimmer dullly in candlelight.
There's another one interesting technology. You can decorate the cabinet doors with bright chintz and varnish them. How to paint side walls manually? It is not difficult.
- Remove old varnish or paint with sandpaper.
- Sand it down.
- Apply the pattern with acrylic paint.
- After drying, varnish the surface.
Restoration of furniture at home is an artistic process of spiritual creativity. You can paint the doors of your grandmother’s closet with ornaments or floral patterns. There is an update option: after preparing the surface, plant dried flowers, herbs, and fresh flower petals on the glue. Then open everything with varnish in 2-3 layers.
You can decorate a chess table with mother-of-pearl that someone threw away as unnecessary. People sometimes don't realize how valuable some items are. You can make a headset: round table With stone countertop and a mantelpiece made of the same material. It is advisable to decorate the mirror above in the same style. fireplace. To do this, you can separately cut a stand from stone with permanently built-in candlesticks.
