New life for an old stool with your own hands. How to restore an old wooden chair at home with your own hands. Adhesive tape or film

In any home there is furniture that no longer looks particularly attractive, but it’s a pity to throw it away. Old chairs were made strong enough to last for more than one generation of one family, so they perform their functions with a bang. This, however, does not mean that you need to sacrifice your modern interior and fill it with old, shabby things that smell like the last century. To save money and at the same time not lose in the beauty of the environment, you just need to adopt a few tips that can completely transform old furniture without much effort.

1. The simplest option

In order to update old furniture, you first need desire. And inspiration and beautiful results will definitely follow. The simplest life hack that can be suggested for updating furniture that is generally in good condition is to re-varnish it. To do this, you first need to remove the old coating using sandpaper and carefully sand the surface of the wood so that the new coating lasts well and for a long time. After cleaning the stool, you need to wash and dry it, and only then open it with a clear or tinted varnish using a brush.

Interesting information from the site: The first prototypes of chairs with backrests appeared in Ancient Egypt. The very first traces of this piece of furniture that were discovered by archaeologists date back to the 3rd millennium BC. At first, chairs were simple in design and were massive cubic household items. After establishing contacts with Middle Asia, more sophisticated chairs with carved legs and cushions, metal stools and folding chairs with leather seats began to appear in the household. At first, the backs of the chairs did not exceed 10-25 cm, which was good for the back, but not as comfortable as in later times, when the chairs began to be pompous: the ancient carpenters especially tried to make thrones for the Egyptian pharaohs.

2. Color matters

Furniture restoration can be carried out not only when it is old, but at the moment when the environment needs to be updated. For example, new wallpaper has been hung in the room, a new carpet has appeared, or the doors have been changed, but the furniture does not fit into the new picture of the interior. Or you might just want it without special costs change the environment, then painting chairs is one of best options. A new bright color, an imitation of antiquity, or an update to the wood structure can completely transform a room with just the purchase of a jar of the right paint.

3. Option for a cottage or living room

Where do old pieces of furniture most often go, if not to a landfill? That's right, to the dacha, where they are no longer so beautiful and comfortable, they live out their lives, trying to bring at least some benefit. So why not make the experience of chairs and their owners more enjoyable when it just takes a little effort? Several unnecessary chairs can be easily converted into a comfortable bench for a terrace, gazebo or open space relaxing in the garden. To do this, you need to connect the furniture frame together by removing the top upholstery, and then build a common seat from a covered board.

Another option will be easier to implement. By securing the chairs with nails or screws using connecting strip, you can make a comfortable bench or mini-sofa with a back.

An important role in the new invention is played by color combination upholstery and wooden parts, as well as the comfort that can be achieved with the help of several sewn or purchased pillows.

4. Pattern

Any furniture can be easily updated. If you add a harmonious pattern that blends beautifully with the surrounding environment, the interior will become more cozy, individual and special. All you need for such an update: a suitable stencil, paint and varnish for the finishing coat. The pattern can be applied with a brush or sponge, which more thoroughly paints small details.

5. Original solution

To those who are not afraid complex tasks, we can recommend an eco-style life hack. Can be completely changed old chair and give it to him new life, instead of the usual back and seat, making a beautiful weave. To do this, you first need to get rid of the old parts, and then attach small hooks for a rope or a special harness to the frame. You need to choose a durable material that can withstand the weight of anyone sitting. And then, fastening and intertwining the rope, make the desired pattern.

6. Get creative

When updating furniture, it is advisable to go beyond banal solutions. By making a chair in two or three colors, you can achieve unexpectedly beautiful and original solutions that will become a real highlight of the interior and give it individuality and special charm.

7. Warmth and comfort

You can update your furniture in style, bright colors or special comfort. This life hack falls into the latter category. Simple fabric upholstery is beautiful, but not as original and distinctive as hand knitting.

Beauty is often expressed in details, so when updating furniture you should pay close attention to them. The backrest can be updated not only with fabric, but also with bright lacing, which will add color to any setting.

9. More comfort

Old wooden chairs can be made more attractive and comfortable by adding new seat cushions. You can buy them and secure them with ties, or you can make them yourself using filler and beautiful material.

Sometimes there is no point in buying new chairs at an inflated price. Often refined designer furniture created from old blanks restored beyond recognition. Restoring chairs with your own hands will help you “breathe” second life into your apartment decoration with the help of the following instructions and tips experienced craftsmen. Ultimately, you will get a product that is durable and comfortable, knowing how to repair it. An updated Soviet chair will become a real asset to your home interior.

Even high-quality furniture elements are subject to mechanical breakdowns and surface abrasion. It is often our fault that our favorite items home furniture become unsuitable for further use. The legs and back suffer the most - other parts are more or less unharmed. Old chairs are often twisted and decorated into first-class poufs and armchairs. It costs a lot of money when ordering a service from professional designer restore the chair.

At home, you can restore wooden chairs with backs and stools without the help of a professional carpenter - it is not necessary to have extensive experience in decorative and applied works. It is enough to see at least once how to reupholster the soft part. What you see will help you figure out how long it will take to restore your chair.

The experience gained will help you experiment with more in the future. complex structures(hallway, sofa, wardrobe, table, bed, chest of drawers and other wooden attributes of the house). A completely unnecessary and aged item can be turned into a real functional decorative element. All this can be done from an old chair in a new way.

Craftsmen know different ways to restore furniture - remaking a chair and restoring a stool depend on the degree of damage to the parts. The most common chair breakdowns:

damaged legs, loose back, loose seat, other defects in wooden parts;
worn out upholstery of old furniture;
severe abrasions paint coating.

The repair scheme should be selected depending on the availability of certain problem areas. In many cases, it is enough to fasten the parts new fittings. The same renovation trend extends to worn upholstery. Worn fabric and foam rubber need to be replaced with new elements: sheathed with a new flap. In fact, there are no antique chairs that are unsuitable for restoration, even if your grandmother painted them. In the master class below you will learn how to update an old chair and how to tastefully paint its surface.

Upholstered chairs “Before and After”

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Refreshing the color and design of old wood

The complete or partial transformation of a restored chair directly depends on the availability of certain tools and materials. Not many people know how to properly restore old chairs at home. In the process of restoration kitchen furniture you can’t do without a drill (screwdriver), a small hammer, two different types screwdrivers, scissors, brush, clamp, stapler with mounting brackets, sandpaper, small mallet and scissors. As the last component you will need:

self-tapping screws;
wood glue;
foam pillow;
varnish and coloring agents;
flap upholstery fabric.

At the first stage of repair, the surface should be restored. The furniture is cleaned of dust and thoroughly wiped with a wet sponge. Next, the seat and back of the body are removed and the components are disassembled. Sometimes it needs to be fixed. Use a rubber mallet instead of a metal hammer to avoid damaging the parts.

If the chair is assembled with screws, the structure can be disassembled without much effort with your own hands. It is enough to unscrew them for complete dismantling. You need to fold them in such a way as not to confuse them later. To clean any remaining epoxy glue, use a dampened rag, then carefully scrape it off with an old dull knife. The cleaned frame is left to dry for some time. Only then is the structure restored and remodeled.

To remove epoxy adhesive in labor-intensive areas, use steam jet pressure instead of water. In the absence of a special device, a proven “old-fashioned” method is used to perform the delicate procedure - using a hose with a tip that is placed on the spout of the kettle to transform the tree.

Changing the look of furniture: the best example

The step-by-step process of restoring the old stool should be carried out as follows:

Treatment with putty against all kinds of chips and cracks.
Sanding wood with different types of sandpaper (first coarse-grained, then fine-grained).
Inspection of the complete structure being repaired (correction of looseness by gluing and other methods).
Seat restoration (with soft upholstery or with a hard seat).
Decorating the surface of a wooden chair base (varnishing or painting).

Removing old varnish A sanding machine will speed up the process of removing the old layer. You can securely fix the legs using wooden scarves. You will also need studs with nuts and washers. Polishing and painting are best done on fresh air
We stretch the upholstery, securing it with a construction stapler at a distance of no more than 1–2 centimeters. Depending on the shape, the fabric at the corners can be fixed like this. Another way to secure the fabric at the corners

How to Repurpose and Paint an Old Wooden Chair

Do-it-yourself restoration of old chairs is aimed not only at updating the frame. The upholstery of an antique chair can be decorated in different ways with your own hands:

Fabric covering of the soft part or removable top cover.
Updating the back with a decoupage pattern to match antique chairs.
Restoring the back with durable textiles (a piece of denim, rope, tapestry, jacquard or velor).
Additional decoration for upholstery - macrame.
Belting the back too soft (needs to be removed) old upholstery, change to a simple grid with square cells).

You can find it online huge amount photos and videos different ideas craftsmen who restore furniture. The new back of an old piece of furniture can be decorated with a hand-sewn fabric cover. Individual capes and covers can be changed based on the interchangeable design of other home attributes. Each master decides for himself what can be done using old wooden chairs. By choosing what to paint, you will restore the product in an individual style.

Decorating in the decoupage style has become very popular. The technique is a process that allows relatively short term and decorate any surface for little money. Often, old pieces of furniture that have retained functionality but have lost their functionality are chosen as decoration items. appearance. Decoupage stools are a popular way to give old things new life.

The decoupage technique was known back in the 17th century. Then, as now, paper or fabric were used as materials for decoration. Today, three-layer napkins are a popular material for decoupage.

You can purchase special napkins or cards for decoupage in specialized stores, art stores and online stores.

Over time, stools in the kitchen become unusable. Many people do not like to part with old furniture - it can be convenient to use. Such furniture can be brought back to life. To do this, you need to decide on the materials and style in which the restoration will be carried out. Even a novice craftswoman can make decoupage. But first you need to familiarize yourself with the step-by-step actions.

Master class on decoupage of a wooden stool:

Clean the surface of the stool from old varnish and paint.
Treat the furniture surface sandpaper.
Seal cracks, if any. To do this, you should use putty, which can be bought at any hardware store.
Cover the stool with acrylic paint - the color should not be too dark.
Cut out selected images from napkins. Separate the top layer from the two bottom ones. Stick to the surface of the stool.
Cover the stool with decoupage varnish.

The pasted image can be outlined. One of the options for additional decor could be coating the stool with craquelure varnish. The choice of decor style depends on general design the room in which the furniture will be located.

Quick do-it-yourself decoupage of stools

The decoupage technique is quite easy. Of course, it requires careful execution at all stages of decoration. But you can make decoupage in just a few hours. The main thing is to decide in advance on the style and appearance of the images.

Every housewife can decorate a stool on her own. To do this, it is not necessary to have a specialized decoupage kit.

You can make decoupage using available materials. For example, instead of three-layer napkins, you can use simple photo paper. Images for decoration can be found on the Internet and then printed on a printer. It is important to note that printing is best done on a laser printer - the image will be of higher quality.

Quick decoupage from paper:

Clean the surface of the stool from old coating and dirt.
Fill the surface and make it as smooth as possible.
Prime the stool several times.
Create a background using acrylic paint.
Prepare printouts of the image.
Layer the paper sheet.
Paste the image on the stool. Smooth out using a brush or roller.
Cover the stool with varnish.

The decor of the stool can be made in different styles: vintage, Viennese, Provence, maritime, etc. It's interesting to select pictures yourself. On the Internet you can find many images that will allow you to realize the most original ideas.

Vintage decoupage on a stool

Vintage-style stools can be used to decorate a dining room, kitchen or veranda. For decoupage, old stools or new furniture, for example, bought at Ikea. Vintage style involves transferring images from a napkin to the surface of a wooden or plastic chair.

If you are decorating a wooden stool, the first step is to clean it, putty and prime it.

It is better to select a picture for decoupage in advance. You should take into account the style of the room in which the furniture will be located. To make the decor look harmonious, decoupage the stools can be made with wallpaper, the same as on the walls.

How to make vintage decoupage:

Prepare the surface of the stool.
Preparation of pictures. Separate the top layer of the image from the two bottom ones.
Paste the images in the chosen order. Smooth out and remove bubbles.
Coat the stool with varnish.

You should take into account the quality of the material used to make decoupage. If the decoupage paper is too thick, it should be peeled off. This stage you can skip it, but then the thick paper will stand out, which sometimes gives the impression of a not very carefully done job. An image that is too protruding can be lightly sanded with sandpaper and then varnished.

Simple decoupage of an old stool

If the room is decorated in Provence style, the stool can be decoupaged in the appropriate style. To do this, you need to decide on the color of acrylic paint that will be used to create the background, and also find suitable images on napkins or print them on photo paper. The design can be simple natural motifs or patterns. If there is a staircase in the room, then you can choose a similar color for the stool - then the staircase will harmoniously combine with the stools.

It is important to note that decoupage in the Provence style should not be done in too dark colors - it should be airy and light.

The set of decorating tools does not differ from the standard one. The materials you can use are fabric, three-layer napkins, paper, newspapers or decoupage cards. Based on the ease of work, it is better to work with napkins or newspapers.

Decorating a stool with napkins:

Clean the surface of the stool and sand it with sandpaper.
Level the surface of the product with putty.
Apply the main background using a brush and acrylic paints.
Cut out the selected images, separate the top layer and stick on the stool.
Cover the surface of the stool with decoupage varnish.

Provence style is simple and natural. Don't do it bright decor. Stools look beautiful if you choose a light tone and minimalist images to decorate them.

Newspaper decoupage stool

Decoupage with newspapers - simple and cheap way give the product a new life. Everyone has old newspapers in their house. They will give the product a special charm.

It is important to pay attention to the fact that before gluing newspapers, they must be soaked in warm water within one minute.

The technology of decoupage with newspapers is almost no different from covering the surface with napkins. For ease of use, newspapers can be cut or torn into pieces. The tools for the job remain the same.

Tools:

Sandpaper;
Putty;
Brush;
Acrylic paints;
Glue;

Decoration must be done carefully. It is important to ensure that the newspapers do not roll and lie flat. A regular construction roller will help smooth them out.

Decoupage stools (video)

Decoupage stools will transform old furniture into new. The variety of styles allows you to choose the one that complements the overall interior of the room. Many needlewomen decoupage IKEA furniture - it is inexpensive and has a simple appearance. The Crafts Fair can offer many ideas for decoupage furniture.

There will always be some old unnecessary furniture in the attic or basement, such as wooden stools or chairs. By various reasons Sometimes you don't want to throw away such items. But you can give an old chair new life in a modern style.

This can be done using the decoupage technique.

Step by step instructions

Let's take a step-by-step look at how you can transform furniture from the attic using the example of a chair and stool using decoupage.

Stool

Let's look at the renovation of a wooden stool in detail.

Grinding

Start by removing the old paintwork. First try to use grinder.Hard-to-reach areas should be cleaned by hand with sandpaper. You can use a small cutter to get rid of paint in the gaps.

Seat painting

Paint the stool seat with white paint.

Seat trim

Cut the napkin at the corners and remove excess layers of napkin.

Lubricate the seat with decoupage glue and carefully glue the napkin. You need to smooth it out so that there are no wrinkles. Then apply at least 2 coats of varnish to the seat.

Painting other elements

The legs of the stool should be protected with pure wax, which will beautifully highlight the structure of the wood without changing the color.

Chair

For decoupage of chairs with purely wooden seats, the same materials and technologies are used as for stools. Decoupage cards and napkins are used as designs.

Upholstered chairs will require more time and materials to update. In this case, a decoupage pattern applied to the fabric is more suitable.

The whole process consists of several stages.

Clean all surfaces, remove unnecessary nails or screws. Metal (often rusty) elements are removed using a nail puller or pliers. At this stage we also remove the old chair upholstery - remove the rusty staples and carefully remove the top fabric. We check the condition of the seats and assess what needs to be replaced.
Most often, if the chair is only a few decades old, we we replace the ancient batting with new foam rubber, cut to fit the seat. It is important to choose similar fittings if, in addition to its technical function, it has been decorative element. It is best to buy it in a specialized upholstery workshop, bringing original products as a model.
After removing the upholstery fabric, you need to take care of the wooden structure. To effectively and at the same time gently clean the top layer of a wooden chair (the most susceptible to contamination and damage), we need a solution of white spirit (500 ml) and denatured alcohol (250 ml). After moistening a lint-free cloth with the solution, carefully wipe the wooden frame of the chair to remove dirt and wax accumulation. If the piece of furniture has been varnished, it is better to remove the top layer of varnish with a scraper so that you can apply new varnish selected color onto cleaned wood.
Under the upholstery we will see all the damage to the old chair. Always need to be reinforced and glued wooden structures at the joints: legs, backs and others. Usually the parts of the chair are glued with resin glue so that when possible errors restoration, our activities were completely reversible. Then the antique chair will not lose its original shape. This glue is ideal for this operation. However, the procedure requires a long drying time (minimum 12 hours) and high precision during application (the glue cools quickly; it must be heated and then used before it cools down). Apply glue with a syringe into the joints of the furniture. Secure with a clamp until the glue dries.
After removing the top layer of varnish from the chair, apply polish to the raw wood. This is a long process, taking about two days, but the effect is worth it. If you don't want to wait a long time, coat the wood with varnish or paint of the chosen color. Or protect the product with wood furniture wax.
Apply the varnish in thin layers. Leave each layer for 2-3 hours to dry. The more layers of varnish we manage to apply, the more beautiful and reliable the texture of the pattern will be.
Let's move on to final stage- creating new upholstery. Before replacing the foam, take care of the base of the seat first. Usually this is a wooden seat. But there may also be a braid of upholstery tape.
In the second case, cut the tape into 3-4 sections, placed crosswise depending on the width of the seat. Then we fix the tapes using a furniture stapler on wooden frame from both ends. Next, we connect sections of the upholstery tape so that we get two layers of material. The stripes should be intertwined with each other in such a way as to create a “chessboard”. We secure the edges with an upholstery stapler.
Place a soft sponge, batting or natural filling on the base prepared in this way.(sea grass, bristles, coconut fibers). However, keep in mind that natural seat filling is recommended for antiques. And then additional procedures may be required. For ordinary needs, the safest filling would be foam rubber (sponge).
The sponge, cut to fit the seat, is covered with the selected decoupage material. Lighter decoupage fabrics will look better as they will reduce the amount of wrinkles on the item being used. Make sure the fabric is snug and gradually press it against the surface of the chair or stool. Be sure to smooth out the fabric you use before adding glue to avoid wrinkles. Add glue to the fabric and let it dry. Once dry, add more glue to seal the structure. Be sure to apply acrylic sealant to protect your updated furniture.
Attach a sponge covered with decoupage fabric to the seat and disguise the visible stitching with decorative upholstery tape, securing it with fabric glue or decorative upholstery pins.

A master class on chair decoupage is presented in the following video:

Materials

You can use different materials for decoupage.

Paper

You can use almost any paper. The type of paper you use will depend largely on the project you are creating. For items that will be used more often, it's best to use more durable paper, such as images from magazines or your own photographs. For high chair You can use images of cartoon characters.

To attach your own photos to a project, simply use the photo as you would regular paper. And then add more varnish on top to even out and protect the image.
Use decoupage kits. They are soft, flexible, thin and light, with many stylish options design.
Paper napkins are used quite often. Because this paper is lighter than regular paper, it can curl easily at corners and is less likely to bubble. Its translucent surface can easily pass for painting, unlike other types of papers. Cut out the design before removing the layers of napkins. And then use one layer for decoupage.
You can also use decoupage to transfer a photo to another surface. When printing with photographs, make sure they are from a laser printer and not an inkjet printer, as an inkjet photo may bleed during operation.

Textile

If you have unnecessary beautiful fabrics in the house, you can make decoupage not only upholstered furniture, but also stairs, cabinets and other household items.

Fabrics are much stronger than paper, which means they are more wear-resistant.

Tools

To make decoupage easier, you can use:

scissors for scrapbooking– make it easier to cut out intricate patterns;
foam brushes– useful for applying decoupage finishes and are easier to clean than regular brushes;
stationery knife– allows you to leave smoother edges when cutting;
special glazes– create more bright colors, will help create interesting figures;
roller applicator– use to obtain more even coverage, especially on large surfaces.

Secrets of the master class

And a few more tips from the experts.

Use die cuts to create intricate designs with less labor. This technique is great for people who are just starting out with decoupage, or for those who have a special design.

There can be a great many reasons to renew old chairs or decorate new ones with your own hands. This includes the need to adapt furniture to the interior, the desire to correct design flaws, to restore chairs inherited from a grandmother or found for next to nothing at a flea market. In this material we will talk about 4 ways to transform “four-legged friends” (including office and garden chairs) beyond recognition, and also present 70 cool photo ideas for alterations.

Method 1: Painting a chair

Even the most old-fashioned or simply ordinary chair, say, a “Viennese” wooden, plastic, folding or office chair, can be transformed by painting. The main thing here is to choose the right color. Here are some inspiring examples where color alone saved furniture from ending up in a landfill.

Old Viennese chair before and after renovation

A few more examples of remaking the most common Viennese chairs made of bent beech, which can be found in almost every home or cottage.

Here are some cool ideas for painting stools.

Inspired? Then let's get to practice!

To paint the chair you will need:

Acrylic paint, or preferably chalk paint, in one or more colors;
Synthetic flat brushes (separately for primer, paint and varnish);
Protective gloves (better to buy at a pharmacy);
Primer for wood/metal (depending on the frame material);
Wax or matte varnish(polyurethane or acrylic);
Medium to fine grit sandpaper.

How to paint a chair with your own hands:

Prepare the chair for painting: wash it to remove any rough dirt and dust, then sand it with medium-grit sandpaper to remove the top layer of old varnish or paint. The surface should be slightly rough.

If you want to update a metal chair, then it is not necessary to sand it (although it is safer to sand off the top gloss), but before priming/painting, the frame must be degreased with white spirit.
Also, you can avoid the tedious sanding step if you use chalk paint, but you won’t be able to do without a primer.
If your chair is varnished, it can be removed special means for removing varnish.

If the chair has any damage, such as scratches, chips or cracks, fill them with furniture putty.

Wipe the chair from dust, wait for it to dry and apply two layers of primer to the entire frame, allowing each layer to dry for about a day. Between layers, it is advisable to sand the primer with fine-grained sandpaper (no. 220 is suitable).
Take a new brush and paint the chair in 2-3 layers, allowing each layer to dry completely. Make sure that the paint does not smudge.

If you want to paint a chair with a distressed effect, then first apply a dark paint, say dark gray or dark blue, to some places (for example, the edges of the seat, back and armrests), and then cover them with wax. Next, you should paint the chair with the main paint in 2-3 layers. And finally, lightly work with fine-grained sandpaper to expose the dark “substrate”.

Do you want to achieve the effect of a perfect factory paint job? Then be patient: each coat of primer and paint (except finishing layers) will have to be sanded with fine-grained sandpaper. This way the coating will be as smooth and reliable as possible.
To paint only certain parts or parts of the chair, use masking tape.

Treat the chair with wax or matte varnish. Voila, your “four-legged friend” has found a new life!

Helpful Tips:

Don't know what color to paint your chair? You can't go wrong if you paint it white, because this color is the most versatile and goes well with any bright upholstery;
Before painting, you can glue it to the back of the chair. stucco decor using wood glue;
Achieve the effect of a very old and dirty chair in Provence style, you can use dark brown wax;
Chalk paints are relative new type paint, which has not yet gone on general sale. However, we recommend using it, because due to its thickness, increased adhesive properties and super-fast drying (in 30 minutes), it saves a lot of time and effort. In Russia, you can purchase chalk paints from designer Daria Geiler, and in Kazakhstan – from Vernenskaya Manufactory. You can also always order paints from foreign manufacturers - Annie Sloan and Rustoleum.

This video master class will help you better figure out how to paint an old chair with your own hands.

Method 2. Seat reupholstery

Most often, if the stool has soft seat, then painting the frame is not enough to renew it completely - you need to change the upholstery. Here are some photo examples of how reupholstering a seat can turn an old chair into a stylish piece of decor.

Office chair before and after painting, replacing the back and seat upholstery

By the way, if your chair or stool does not have a soft seat, then you can make it yourself: first cut the MDF base exactly to the shape of the seat, then follow our master class, upholster it and, finally, screw it to the chair frame with self-tapping screws.

To make a soft seat for a stool, just glue the foam rubber directly to the base, and then cover it with fabric, driving the stapler staples into inner side seats.

Stool with homemade upholstery

To work you will need:

Anti-stapler (or its alternative);
Furniture stapler and staples no higher than the thickness of the seat base;
Textile;
Foam rubber about 4 cm thick;
Batting or padding polyester;
Scissors;
Serrated bread knife (with teeth);
Screwdriver.

How to reupholster a chair with your own hands:

First we need to remove the seat from the chair frame using a nail puller or a screwdriver.
We remove the old upholstery using an anti-stapler and remove the filling if it is worn out (if it is in good condition, then it can be reused). Next, wipe the base of the seat from dust and dirt.

If wooden base The seat seems too old and unreliable, use it as a template to cut a new seat from plywood.

We place the seat on the foam rubber, trace its outline and cut it out.

We cut the fabric and batting in such a size that they can be wrapped around all sides of the seat (along with foam rubber), leaving 10-15 cm free. This excess is needed to make it more convenient to stretch the material.
So, we have four blanks: base, foam rubber, batting/sintepon and fabric. Now we need to put it all into a sandwich. First of all, we spread the batting, put foam rubber on it, and on the foam rubber - the base of the seat, wrong side up. Next, we simply fold the edges of the batting onto the seat and, slightly stretching the material, fix it with a stapler. The corners of the batting can be cut off, or you can simply bend them and fasten them in the same way.

How to restore a chair seat

Once all the batting is attached to the seat, trim off any excess batting.

If desired, the foam rubber can be pre-glued to the base or stapled around the perimeter, retreating 5 mm from the edge of the seat.

The most crucial moment has come - the stage of reupholstering the seat with fabric. Spread the fabric with the wrong side up and place the seat on it. Next, fold the edges of the fabric along one side and secure with a stapler. Now lightly stretch the fabric over the opposite side of the seat and secure it with a stapler.

Repeat the procedure on the remaining two sides and start decorating the corners - they need to be wrapped as shown in the photo below.

Chair after restoration

We return the seat to its place and fix it with the “original” fasteners.

Helpful Tips:

The soft seat of the chair can be additionally decorated with furniture nails around the perimeter.
The upholstery fabric should be selected in accordance with the style of the chair. For example, traditional jacquard fabric is not suitable for a modern chair, and a classic chair with an elegant back is unlikely to “make friends” with fabric with a newfangled geometric print.
The same fabric from which your curtains are made is ideal for upholstering a chair. In the interior, such a coincidence will look very harmonious.
The print on the fabric can echo the carved crossbars as shown in the photo below.

For a more visual master class on upholstering the seat of an old chair, watch this video.

Method 3. Decoupage a chair with paper

Do you want to decorate a chair with a cool print or cover up minor defects like scratches and stains with patterns? This can be done using the decoupage technique.

Chair decoupage idea

You will need:

Any paper with the desired print, for example, it can be multi-layer napkins, pages from magazines and books, geographical maps, posters, wallpapers, etc.;
PVA glue;
Brushes 2 pcs (for applying glue and varnish);
Scissors;
Transparent matte acrylic or polyurethane varnish;
Water (if necessary);
Roller for working with large formats.

How to update chairs using decoupage technique:

Step 1. Clean the chair from dirt and stains, paint if necessary, following the first instructions in the article.

Step 2. Cut out the fragment that you need from the selected printing. The workpiece can be either large (for example, in the shape of the seat and back) or very small.

If you use napkins, you first need to separate the top layer with the pattern and only then cut it out.
If you want to cover the entire chair, including the legs, the paper needs to be chaotically torn into small pieces of approximately 10x10 cm, as shown in the following photo slider.

To decoupage the back and seat, they need to be removed from the chair frame using a screwdriver, and then used as a template for cutting the workpiece (see photo below).

Step 3. Generously coat the area you want to decorate with PVA glue and place your design on it, then smooth with a brush with the remaining glue, releasing all air bubbles and smoothing out the folds.

If the cut out print is small, then it is better to apply glue not to the chair, but reverse side the workpiece itself.
If the paper is very thick, then you need to moisten it a little in water - this will make it more flexible.

A top layer of glue is not necessary, but is often desirable (it should be thin in any case).

Step 4. Repeat step 3 with the other parts of the chair and leave the glue to dry for about a day.

Step 5. Cover the decorated areas or the entire chair with 4 layers of clear varnish, allowing each layer to dry completely. Ready!

Method 4. Decoupage a chair with fabric

It would seem that there is no other way to radically modify a chair with your own hands other than by painting. In fact, there is another cool way - decoupage with fabric.

A chair updated in this way will last a surprisingly long time, even under heavy loads. And if individual threads come out of the fabric along the edges of the chair, you can simply cut them off and treat them with a layer of PVA glue.

Decoupage idea for an old chair

You will need:

Textile;
Wooden chair;
PVA glue or special glue for decoupage;
A sharp stationery or breadboard knife;
Brush for applying glue.

How to update a chair using decoupage technique:

Step 1. Using a screwdriver, remove the back and seat from the chair. If you want to paint the chair, do it before taking it apart.

Step 2. Spread the fabric on a flat surface, place the seat on it and trace it along the contour, stepping back about 2.5 cm from the edge, then cut out the blank.

Step 3: Cover the outside of your seat with PVA glue, then lay the fabric over it and smooth it out. Once the fabric is straight, coat it with PVA glue and leave to dry overnight.

Step 4: Once the fabric is dry, make sure it is completely stiff. Next, trim the excess fabric with a sharp knife exactly along the edges of the seat.

Step 5: Now coat the perimeter of the seat with PVA glue again to prevent wear around the edges.

Step 6: Repeat steps 2-5 with the chair back and other parts you want to decorate and finally put the chair back together. The main condition for successful restoration of a chair is that the pattern must accurately repeat the shape of the surface being decorated.

Here are some more photo ideas for decorating a chair with fabric.

Decoupage office chair fabric with additional protection with polyurethane varnish

Stool decoupage ideas