I have a new throne

Chair really, but throne sounds more queenly.  :)

I've had my current chairs since 1998, they were a cheap set that came with a table.
The table is still good, my computer is sitting on it right now, along with a gazillion other articles.

But the chairs...the frames are good, it's the seats that aren't. Cheap vinyl that has cracked badly over the last few years.

I've been holding them together with duct tape.

see? But it doesn't stay in place with bottoms constantly sitting down, getting up, sliding forward or back,

leaving the cracks exposed. You can see the mark where the tape was....

and here is where it all ends up. Bunched under the front of the seat.

the front edge of each chair looks like this too, as well as cracks on the actual sitting area.

So I went out and bought a couple of new chairs. again, cheap vinyl, but I can't afford leather and they'll do for a few years at least.

the seat needed the front legs screwed in,

before attaching it to the back section.

instructions were included along with the correct number of bolts,

making progress easy-peasy really.
Except for the fact I did this on the kitchen floor, so I was down on my knees and bent over.
Not the best position for doing stuff like this. (Ache, ache, ache)

anyway.....

ta-da! one new chair.

with packing mess still on the floor.

looks good, yes?

I did the second chair the next day, but not on the floor. I rested the parts on the table so I could reach easier and mentally kicked myself for not thinking of doing this with the first chair.

But they're done now, one by the table, one in the bedroom, and three cracked chairs out in the back porch. I'll search around and see if I can buy new seats to screw onto the frames, then I'll have enough chairs if people visit.

Remember the tubular steel framed chairs of the fifties and sixties? Hardware stores used to carry replacement seats and backs for them, but I'm not too hopeful of finding such things now.










Comments

  1. Any chance of unscrewing the old seats and recovering with fabric. Bang, bang, bang with a staple gun and voila, new seats. But, only if they unscrew from the frames.

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  2. I was going to say exactly what Joanne said!

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  3. Late to the party, I was going to say what Joanne said.
    I hope your new throne is as comfortable as it looks.

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  4. Oh! Dear! You make me feel so guilty! What a great job you're doing, River.

    But I still feel guilty. I have two flat-pack cupboards here to put together....they've been in an "un-put-together" condition for a few months now!!! I MUST put them together...yes...I must!!!

    Tomorrow....perhaps, next week.... ;)

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  5. Joanne; I've thought about it, but fabric needs cleaning, (vinyl just needs a wipe over), I could probably do them with new vinyl, but I'd have to buy the foam cushioning and a staple gun too. It's probably not a huge expense, I'll look into it.

    joeh; great minds think alike. First I'll have to check if the seats can be unscrewed.

    Elephant's Child; another great mind. The new chairs are very comfortable.

    Lee; flat pack cupboards are a half hour job, unless they're huge. Are they Ikea? Do them while you wait for dinner to cook....I've done bookshelves and computer desks, now chairs. I have so many hex keys I could rent them out.

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  6. I first though of recovering the seats but perhaps not. Surely there must be a place somewhere where you could buy replacement seats. Time to check online perhaps as the framework still looks good and you could always give it a coat of varnish if need be.
    I love putting furniture together but it always has to be up on something as I just can't get on the floor any more.

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  7. Seats of the old chair is only torn but it's frames looks good. So you must have tried for the seat replacement. It would have gone for some days. It is also good to buy a new one. It looks very beautiful.

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  8. Mimsie; if those frames get a coat of anything it will be paint, in a shade of blue to match that in the curtains. Maybe. Possibly I can find vinyl in that shade of blue to recover the seats. I can get foam padding from the Clark Rubber store. Then I can paint the frames black, like the couch. And do the table the same, black legs, blue top.

    Weekend-Windup; the frames are very sturdy, so the chairs are worth repairing.

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  9. You deserve new chairs and they are very good looking. Good old duct tape. It holds anything together.

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  10. River, if you don't mind purple I have just the thing. Remember the hard rubbish find, a roll of purple faux leather which the upholsterer next door told me was the best on the market, $30 a metre. It's not a bright purple and if you measure up how much you need plus a bit I'll be glad to send it to you. Just remembered I have a camera so can show you the colour.

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  11. BETTER! And I'm in awe of your assembly skills - our drawer is full of IKEA allen keys and all of them have been Love Chunks' work!

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  12. Manzanita; in this case the duct tape was a disappointment, I used a whole roll by replacing it several times only to find it kept sliding out of place no matter how much I used.

    JahTeh; that's a wonderful offer and I thank you for it, but it depends very much on the shade of purple. I don't have anything purple and am going to look for a blue in the same shade as what is in the curtains.

    Kath; welcome back!!!
    I've always enjoyed putting things together and most things are fairly easy as long as they aren't too heavy for me.

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  13. JahTeh; I would like to see the colour, can you email me a photo?

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  14. Your new chairs look lovely! And yes, they will probably last for years and years.

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  15. Oh yes, the faux leather is a great idea, and you can staple them to the chair...most material shops sell them by the metre...if you have one that does curtains and vinyl back table cloths the chances are that they may do the faux leather...just ask...and the new chairs look AWESOME...well done.

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