Restoration of old chairs do it yourself

The reasons for the restoration of the chairs can be different: the integration of elements of the old furniture in the new interior, the second life for the "grandmother's" inheritance or the magnificent purchase at the flea market, which life has ruffled. Why waste time and energy on saving old furniture when you can buy a new one for a reasonable amount? Antique furnishings have a rich history. Many connoisseurs will gladly prefer piece copy from the party, from which only he remains, instead of modern stamping. Unfortunately, operational terms have their limits. No matter how well the furniture is knocked together, over time its frame will start to loosen and the upholstery will wear out.

When the situation is quite deplorable, you have to manually revive the chairs, clean up the worn out parts, replace them with new ones, tint them, cover them with protective compounds, overtighten, strengthen the structure. Vintage chairs adapt to a variety of styles: classic, Provence, modern, Biedermeier, ethnic, eclectic, retro. At the beginning of the last century, most of the furniture was made by handicraft, that is, by hand, complementing the abundance of elegant decorative elements. To refuse to save such a rare, valuable specimen is at least silly. Consider the various ways of restoration and go from "A" to "Z" detailed master class.

Ways and types of restoration

Restoration in the literal sense of the word implies the return to the object of its original appearance without making any unauthorized changes. Such works are performed by specialist restorers, who have years of training behind them. They are trusted to restore the rare objects of art. In our case, the "home" restoration allows for changes in the design of chairs, which were not previously in the design.

The purpose of this process is the creation of an original interior element, and not the restoration of authentic furniture. At restoration apply various technicians. For some stylistic solutions, only a certain method is suitable, while others use a competent combination of techniques. One of the clearest examples is the Provence style furniture. To update an old chair, combine painting (mainly in light tone), a technique of a decoupage and a craquelure. The most popular methods of restoration include the following techniques:

• Painting. The fastest and least time-consuming way to restore chairs. Depending on the type of paint, the surface can be given a glossy or matte gloss.
• Craquelure. This is a technique of artificial aging of the surface, imitating "species that looked" wood.
• Decoupage Popular technology of transferring images from paper carriers (postcards, napkins) on the surface of a chair, followed by fixing the image with varnish.
• Art painting. Drawing original drawings and patterns on the prepared surface of the chair. You can be guided only by the flight of fancy or use ready-made stencils.
• Adhesive films, tapes. They stick directly on the chair. Their surface imitates the texture of natural materials: stone, wood, leather.
• Veneering The chair is pasted over with thin sheets of veneer (wood cut) with an original texture. Additionally, the decor is fixed with lacquer.
• Lamination. The technique is similar to decorating with adhesive films or veneer, but the sheets are fixed not with glue, but with synthetic resins, with which the back side of the decorative paper is covered.
• Inlay. Decorating the surface by fixing parts on it from other materials. For wooden chairs use pieces of marble, ornamental stones, mother of pearl, metals, ceramics.
• Painting with the effect of "scuffed". Conducted in two stages. First, the surface of the chair is partially covered with a layer of dark paint. She is allowed to dry. After that, additionally coated with wax. Now the whole product is painted in a light tone. After drying the composition of the "darkened" places thoroughly sand, exposing the bottom layers of wax and paint.

Of course, the list is not limited to these methods. Chairs can be decorated with pieces of old leather, fabric, small accessories, carved elements made specifically for this furniture.

Stages of restoration on the example of a Viennese chair

Classic Viennese "bent" chair - strong, lightweight product, which is obtained from beech wood by steam treatment. Its design is very simple: four legs, a seat and a graceful back with a semicircular top line. The restoration of the Viennese chair is carried out in several stages:

• Training. The master carefully considers the future design of the product. Makes trial sketches and drawings, depicting on them the final result, to which he will strive during work.
• Disassembling a chair, general assessment of its condition: determining the degree of wear of individual parts, fixings, frame, the need for replacement or repair.
• Drawing up a list of materials that will be required for restoration work. Measuring the parts that need to be replaced. An approximate calculation of the cost of restoration.
• Purchase of necessary materials and replacement of parts, outdated. Wooden surface coating
• Build a chair.

Although we use a Viennese chair as an example, the restoration work for stools or chairs is carried out according to the same plan.

Required materials and tools

During the procedure, restoration masters use special tools and special chemical compositions for processing and restoring furniture surfaces. For ordinary people, such difficulties come to nothing, so a novice designer may well be limited to improvised means, which are often used in household chores. For construction reinforcement, you will need:

• Chisel.
• Bars to replace the old struts, with which the elements of the chair are interconnected.
• Special carpenter's glue.

To work on the decoration of the surface will need:

• Sandpaper or sanding machine.
• Paint or varnish.
• Technical acetone for dissolving paint.
• Primer under the paint.
• Oil, wax, stain under a varnish.

Padding for soft seating will need:

• Foam rubber as stuffing.
• Thick, durable fabric for upholstery.
• Special stapler with staples or furniture nails and hammer.

Depending on the restoration technique, the set of tools and materials may vary. For example, for decoupage, you additionally need PVA glue, napkins, and food film.

Disassembly - how to do it correctly

Practically all the chairs (except extraordinary products) are disassembled according to a single algorithm:

• First unscrew the back.
• Following from the seat legs are disconnected.

If the product has armrests, then usually they, along with a pair of legs, are one whole piece. When parts of the chair are connected with glued spikes, they will have to be “soaked” with hot water or steam. Collect furniture on the same plan, but in reverse order.

If the frame is made of metal by the injection method, then such a chair can only detach the back and seat for further stretching. Disassembly of folding models begins with the axial pin detachment. This detail connects the back of the chair and the seat.

Repair and minor damage repair

Small repairs begin with a search for cracks in the wood cracked with age. No matter how high quality the material is at the time of making the chair, the years still take their toll. The first "symptoms of old age" are small cracks, like age-wrinkles. Over time, they will cause great damage to the strength and reliability of the structure. Such defects are filled with a special composition (a mixture of sawdust and wood glue). If the product staggers legs, then their upper part must be wedged out, having done more. The leg should enter the groove with an effort that will ensure good stability of the furniture. If the spiked joints are damaged, you need to make new plugs yourself.

Restoration of highchairs is a separate story. They are equipped with a large number of additional parts to ensure the safety of the baby. Each is desirable to additionally glue. During the procedure, the turning mechanisms and loops are checked for serviceability. If necessary, they are replaced with new ones. In the soft chairs of the old sample (Soviet) inside the seat can be equipped with a spring mechanism. It does not need to be dismantled, it is enough to check the operation of individual springs and replace the non-working ones.

Removal of the old paintwork

Old coat of paint or varnish removed in three ways:

• Mechanical;
• Thermal;
• Chemical.

The first one is mainly used for painted concrete and is accompanied by great risks of surface damage, therefore it is not used in fine restoration work. We are interested in two other options. Thermal is carried out by heating the old paint with a soldering iron or building hair dryer until softened (occurs when the paint begins to bubble) and its subsequent removal with a spatula or knife. The technique is suitable for wooden surfaces, but also not without flaws. You need to work with tools very carefully so as not to burn wood.

Thermal method is not effective for stone and metal surfaces, which promptly "cool" the composition and do not allow it to reach the desired temperature. In this case, resorted to a chemical method using special means that dissolve the paint. All that is required of the master is to scrape the old layer from the surface. The chemical method is not always suitable for wooden surfaces. Some very aggressive agents can damage the top layer of wood along with the paint. Before purchasing the composition, you need to carefully read the instructions and determine its compatibility with surfaces of different types.

Preparation for finishing

If the surface of the chair in the future will be covered with paint, then it must first be covered with two layers of primer:

• After removing the old coating layer, the product is thoroughly polished. You can use a special machine, and if there is no such house, then sandpaper of medium grain size will do. The surface of the chair must be carefully leveled. To the touch it should be slightly rough, like suede or nubuck.
• Now it needs to be degreased with "White Spirit" and a clean rag.
• Next, the surface is covered with a first layer of primer. The composition is allowed to dry. For reliability, it is better to leave a chair alone for a day.
• Now the surface is lightly polished again and covered with a second layer of primer.
• After it dries, the product can be painted.

You do not need to sand metal chairs before painting, but you will have to degrease and coat it with a primer. Composition choose a special anti-corrosion effect. If you plan to varnish the product, you must first impregnate the tree with a special compound. For these purposes, use:

• Oil (flaxseed, tung, tar, tick);
• Wax;
• Stain

The agent is moistened with a cotton cloth and carefully rubbed the composition into the wood with reciprocating movements along the fibers. After this, the surfaces are allowed to dry for 1-2 days and varnished.

Finishing - painting and assembly of the chair

First of all, you need to choose the right paint. The type of composition depends on the material on which it will be used. Anti-corrosive products are suitable for metal. For wood buy acrylic or chalk paint. The second composition perfectly fits on the oil primer. To get the effect of "factory" coloring, layers of paint are carefully processed with fine-grained emery paper. Then the surface will turn out perfectly flat and rough, as is found in stamped products.

If you only need to paint the individual areas, then use masking tape. They are stuck with those zones that need to be left in a natural color. Plastic chairs are best not to paint, since the flexibility of the product will contribute to premature peeling of the composition. To assemble a chair, first legs are screwed to the seat, and then a back is attached to the design.

Restoration of a chair with seat constriction

Padding of the seat is quite simple. After the layer of the old upholstery and padding is removed, you need to cut a piece of plywood that will become the base. You can make a pattern from the seat measurements and use it when cutting out all three layers. From above on plywood fix foam. Focusing on the size of the seat, cut out a piece of dense fabric for plating. At the same time do not forget to leave stocks on the bends of the material. Now it remains only to fix the upholstery fabric on the seat.

Previously, special furniture nails (miniature with push-button hats) were used for this work, but now staplers with staples are more relevant. The back is made according to the same algorithm: the base of plywood, then the packing and complete the procedure by fixing the upholstery. If the seat is equipped with springs, then a layer of batting is placed in front of the foam. Stylish look chairs, which is made of the casing of the same material as the curtains or rug in the room.

Features of the restoration of metal chairs

Unlike wood, metal chairs are more durable. In case of breakage, it is more difficult to repair them, and during restoration the product needs to be protected only from one “enemy” - corrosion. For metal buy a special primer and paint, which have anti-corrosion effect. Enamels are applied in several layers, and coated with colorless compounds in three to four layers. Do not recommend the use of metal-framed chairs and stools in kitchens and bathrooms, where the level of humidity is systematically increased. To remove the old layer of paint or varnish, a method of chemical processing is ideal for metal, since the material is not afraid of aggressive agents.

Ways and ideas for the decor of chairs

You can restore the chairs in different ways. The number of options is limited only by the capabilities of the designer's fantasy. Contrast painting using two or three colors suitable for strict interiors. Covering the surface with a layer of paint with the effect of bronze or gold and covering with a cloth on which patterns are drawn with golden thread will create a "retro" mood. This product will emphasize the features of the decor, decorated in the same style. White painting with traces of brush strokes and the effect of scuffs, perfectly with Provence. Additionally, a separate area (most often a corner of the back of a chair) is decorated using decoupage technique using pictures with floral motifs. Solid seats of children's stools can be decorated with funny smiley-faces.

Stencil coloring will look elegantly. To do this, a part of the wooden seat is sealed with a special film that forms a drawing. For example, a blooming rose bud. Then the stool is covered with light paint. After drying the composition stencil peel off. The entire surface is covered with a layer of colorless varnish. "Rose" looks original due to the texture of the tree, which fills all its petals and contrasts with the light tone of paint on the rest of the surface. A layer of wax will help to age the product, giving it a dirty brown tint. To add a scuff, it is partially sanding. The upholstery with a pattern can be made independently using tapestry suture techniques and durable threads.

Conclusion

Do-it-yourself restoration of chairs is a fascinating and addictive process. It is not surprising if the master so much enters the taste that after the chairs he switches to other furniture, creating original sets for the house. Gradually, the luggage of his knowledge will be filled with new techniques, and the level of skill will grow. Restoration work helps not only to update and redo old furniture, but also to save on the purchase of new.