An old Soviet chair with a wooden flat armrest. How to restore a chair with your own hands? How to reupholster a chair: master class

I have had a chair in my dacha for a long time, since my grandmother’s time. I always really liked it, and then I came up with a plan for its restoration. Moreover, in Lately“vintage” is gaining more and more significance. Then I decided to take it home and update it.

So, for work we need:
– Stain (you can choose the color that suits you);
– Furniture varnish (we used varnish in a can);
– Screwdriver;
– Upholstery material (we used curtain material);
– Foam rubber (to give the seats a softer and thicker covering);
– Construction stapler;
– Wooden shield;
– Wood glue;
– Drill;
– Vibratory sander.

1. First you need to disassemble the chair.

During our disassembly, it became clear that one part of the legs consists of chipboard and over time it dried out and began to crumble. This part could not be restored. We decided to replace it with a wooden furniture panel.
2. Now we need to sand all these parts. This is the longest and most difficult process. Be patient. We removed the varnish from the parts using a special iron attachment on a drill. And then, the train was cleaned with a machine until the natural color of the wood appeared.

3. Then we cut out the parts of the shape we need from the construction board and cover all other parts with stain.

We chose dark color. Now we wait 5-6 hours until the stain dries completely. After this, we cover them with furniture varnish.

We really wanted to preserve the effect natural wood Therefore, we did not achieve a thick and shiny layer of varnish. The drying time of the varnish is approximately 22 hours to a day, it depends on the thickness of the coating.
4. After all the parts have dried, we begin to assemble the legs. To do this, we needed to drill holes in the new parts in order to connect them with the rest of the parts.

Then using furniture glue We connect all the parts together and leave for 3 hours for the glue to dry.
5. Let's start covering the seat of the chair itself. We remove the old covering and take out all the nails and staples. We left the old foam rubber because it didn't deteriorate much.

Our goal is to make the chair more voluminous, so we cut out new foam and placed it on top of the old one.

We cut off the corners of the new foam rubber so that the edges are not very straight, but slightly rounded.

Afterwards, we sew the old foam rubber to the new one so that it does not walk or move inside the chair.

6. Now you can cover the seat with material. Our chair is not complicated geometric shape, so we were able to successfully cover it in one piece, without resorting to sewing. Gently stretching it using a construction stapler, we sew it to the frame of the chair.

An armchair is an integral attribute of the interior, which is found in almost every home. A person uses this furniture almost every day, which leads to a deterioration in its condition. Will help restore technical specifications design such an operation as chair repair.

Features of furniture restoration

Furniture repair is a complex operation that depends on the type of product and the breakdown itself. Today, such operations are rarely carried out independently. It is advisable to entrust the solution of such tasks to experienced specialists, who will complete them much faster and with better quality.

Furniture restoration means restoring not only its functionality, but also its appearance. Feature upholstered furniture is that it uses fabric upholstery. To repair the internal structure, the fabric will need to be removed or replaced. This operation also requires certain skills and effort.

What can you do with your own hands?

A broken chair is not always a problem, as you can try to restore its condition yourself. There are several types of operations that can be easily performed at home:

1. Padding. This process involves replacing old fabric with new one. This also includes changing the filling (foam rubber, etc.) and restoring the internal structure of the chair. If necessary, the wooden surface itself can be restored.
2. Upholstery. This approach involves upholstering the surface of the chair with fabric to update its appearance. Such operations are often performed on old rigid structures, the surface of which is not so easy to restore with paint.
3. Repair. This general concept, which includes the previously discussed operations. But often this word refers to all repair work associated with restoring the condition of the chair frame. This includes strengthening the structure with metal corners, replacing legs or seats, as well as restoring the surface of the material using paint and sanding.

To carry out all the previously described operations, you should not only have experience, but also stock up on many special tools.

Accessories

Modern chairs are made from various materials. The design of such modifications consists of many elements that can be replaced if necessary. Often these chairs include office models that are equipped with a gas lift mechanism. To restore such products, you may need several types of components:

1. Rollers. This mechanism is made from various types plastic. When choosing this product, it is important to consider its purpose, connector type and fixation method.
2. Gas lift. Almost all office chairs are equipped with this element, which allows you to hold the chair at a certain height. There are several types of these structures on the market today. It is important to pay attention to the type of mechanism that was previously used in the damaged chair.
3. Cross. Plays the role of a supporting element. They are made in the form of a 5-ray star, to which rollers are attached. When purchasing, it is important to pay attention to the quality of the material and the way the parts are connected.

There are many other components that will be needed when repairing such furniture. This can include everything from small handles and bolts to specialized fabrics.

How to re-string: step-by-step guide

One of the ways to restore an old leather chair is to reupholster it. This process is quite lengthy and labor-intensive. First of all, new fabric is purchased. Upholstery can be done with leather or other popular materials. Some experts also recommend purchasing substances for padding (foam rubber, batting). To simplify the reupholstering operation, you also need to have a stapler, nails, hammer, etc.

The algorithm for solving this problem can be described in several successive steps:

1. The first stage involves removing the fabric from the bottom of the chair. IN simple models this part is fixed only from below. But there are complex models, so it is important to initially free this part and then proceed with the remaining operations.
2. After this, the fabric is completely removed from the surface of the structure. It is important to do this consistently to prevent any damage to the elements. Please note that each element of the chair is covered with one piece of fabric. Therefore, it must be freed sequentially, layer by layer. You should not tear these elements, as they will then need to be used as blanks for cutting.
3. The next step is the dismantling of the old foam upholstery. To remove it, you should carefully unbend it and remove all the metal brackets with which it was secured. Also try not to tear the material, which will later be used as blanks when replacing foam rubber.
4. Cut out the material. This operation involves the formation of new upholstery elements. To do this, use old pieces of fabric that were attached to the armrests, backrest and seat. The size of the new elements should be slightly larger than the old ones. This is due to the fact that it is not always possible to predict how accurately the fabric will fit. Therefore, it is better to take it with a reserve.
5. This step involves fixing the foam. Previously prepared pieces are sequentially placed on a specific part of the chair. If the foam protrudes in certain places, then it should be cut off. This way it is formed appearance each element. Then a padding polyester is placed on top of the foam rubber. After this, both substances are fixed to the frame using a stapler. It is important to attach them so that they follow the contours of individual parts of the structure.
6. The process is completed by attaching the fabric. This operation is very similar to the previous one. But it is important to place the pieces correctly on the surface. Before fixing, carefully align the fabric and tension it. Initially, the middle part of the workpiece is nailed with staples. This is necessary in order to avoid distortions. Then each of the corners is sequentially stretched and secured using a stapler.

How to sheathe it yourself?

The process of upholstering a chair is slightly different from reupholstering, although in many ways it is very similar to it. This operation involves covering the chair with fabric. For such purposes, only furniture is used that was not originally equipped with fabric upholstery.

Upholstery technology involves performing several sequential operations:

1. Before upholstering a chair at home, you should stock up on some tools and materials. To perform such operations you will need fabric. Products made from bamboo, cotton and others can be used as this substance. natural materials. It is important that the fabric can withstand constant loads and retain its properties long time. You will also need construction stapler, scissors, etc.
2. At this stage you need to disassemble the chair into separate parts. This will significantly speed up the sheathing process. At the same time, try to remember in what order the elements were dismantled, so that in the future it is easy to assemble the structure back.
3. After this, fabric blanks are made. They are cut out in accordance with the dimensions of the individual element of the chair. Try to use substances with a small margin in order to be able to adjust the location of the material on the surface. If you are planning to do easy chair, foam rubber is placed inside it. This substance also takes up a certain volume, which should be taken into account when forming a fabric blank.
4. The final stage is sheathing. They start with small parts, such as the armrest. The plating algorithm is quite simple. Initially, the fabric is placed on the surface of the product and stretched a little so that it is level. It is advisable to do this with an assistant, which will significantly speed up the process. When everything is in place, the material is nailed to the frame with inside. It is important to constantly monitor the tension to prevent distortion.

All other elements are sheathed according to the same principle. If necessary, the material can be trimmed.

How to update old furniture: ideas

Old chairs are often very strong and durable. But after a long period of use, they lose their attractive appearance. Do not rush to throw away such furniture, as it can be easily restored.

The technology for updating a chair depends, first of all, on its design. This can be done using several approaches:

1. Pieces from the 60s can be restored simply by changing the upholstery. This process is relatively simple. The main thing is to choose the right fabric style. Some designers recommend using several color shades that will fit into the overall interior.
2. Restoration of the external covering. This approach involves changing the paint layer on wooden or metal surfaces. It is used for chairs made of rattan, wood, wicker and other natural products. This also includes the restoration of natural or artificial leather(painting, cleaning, etc.).
3. Replacement of certain elements. An old chair will look original if you replace the armrest with a product of a different shape. You can do the same with the legs or back. Here everything depends only on your imagination and capabilities.

How to repair it yourself?

Chairs today have different design, on which the algorithm depends repair work. If it's normal wooden product, then fixing it is quite simple. It is necessary to identify the problem, which is often poor-quality fasteners or a violation of the structure of the material. This can be fixed by replacing wooden element(backrest elements, frame base, etc.) with a new one or simply tightening the bolt.

It is more difficult to repair shell chairs, which often have an external fabric upholstery. To get to the breakdown, you first need to dismantle the fabric. The process of repairing such chairs is much more complicated, so it is not always possible at home.

Office chairs are mechanisms that consist of several parts. There are many reasons why this design loses its characteristics:

1. Rollers falling out. Often this can only be corrected by replacing the crosspiece or these moving elements. It is important to first check the cause of the breakdown (broken hole, missing retaining ring on the roller, etc.).
2. Gas lift malfunction. There are also several reasons here, including improper fastening of the piastrum or malfunction of the control lever mechanism. Therefore, you should check these attributes first.
3. Breakage of the cross. The functionality of this element can only be restored by replacing it with a new one.
4. The back does not spring. The main cause of this problem is a violation of the integrity metal parts inside. Sometimes the spring mechanism also fails. Operation can only be restored by replacing parts with new ones.

In the article I will consider the conditions, and possible options restoration and alteration of the Soviet armchair. I’ll tell you about the features that need to be taken into account when restoring old furniture. I will describe the requirements for the necessary materials and tools. I will consider the types of alteration of an old chair and provide original ideas to update furniture.

Main features of restoring an old chair

The process of restoring damaged furniture is not partial restoration parts, or replacing the upholstery, is giving a new look to an old chair, an opportunity to refresh it. Rework is carried out when the legs are wobbly, the upholstery is worn out, springs are sticking out, or the structure is loose.

The peculiarity of the restoration process is that it is quite difficult to do it yourself, so this matter is entrusted to professionals.

You can partially remake and restore upholstered furniture yourself:

• dismantle the upholstery;
• make a constriction;
• legs are repaired or replaced.

It’s worth trying to restore furniture with your own hands if you have enough experience in furniture repair or if you don’t have enough money for quality materials.

The only downside to restoration is the lack of professionalism in restoration work.

Advantages of restoration at home:

• cost savings;
• the value of the interior item increases;
• the interior is refreshed.

Required materials and tools

First you need to select a set of tools and materials.

Can be used standard set tools, and a set of brushes and paints for a painter. Unavailable tools are purchased according to the recommendations of the master, so as not to damage the parts during work. Furniture from pure wood is afraid of floors, so it can dry out.

Required materials and tools:

• chisel, spatula;
• hammer, screwdriver;
• stationery knife, wood glue;
• set of brushes, roller;
• acrylic paints, water-repellent varnish;
• sanding machine, foam rubber;
• stapler, sandpaper, new springs;
• screwdriver, awl, large needles with silk threads.

Main types of modifications and materials

The restoration of upholstered furniture, like the restoration of an antique chest of drawers, is divided into types that can be combined.

Padding

This method does not affect the restoration of the frame. This is where the upholstery fabric is reupholstered. It is either attached to an old covering, which is not recommended by craftsmen, but it makes the chair look voluminous. Or they change the coating along with the filler.

High-quality and durable fabrics:

• velor, corduroy;
• eco-leather, jacquard;
• flock, tapestry;
• microfiber, chenille.

A thick crinoline is suitable for the inner lining of the filling. The density and elasticity of the material will not allow foam rubber and springs to dig into the upper upholstery.

The constriction is done like this:

• • analyze chairs, even if there are wooden handles or back;

• • unscrew the bolts, which fasten the legs to the frame;
  • remove the armrests, disassemble the bottom;

• • remove the upholstery from the seat, armrests, backrest;
  • the old upholstery is applied to the new fabric, the parts are cut out according to exact parameters;

• • foam rubber is cut according to the parameters of the bottom with an addition of 2-3 cm;
  • springs are attached to the bottom, then the filler, and the structure is secured with internal upholstery;

• armrests lined with foam rubber and inner fabric, the back is restored like its bottom;
• the details of the cross are attached to the frame, covered with outer fabric.

The reupholstery is carried out for soft version. Furniture with wooden parts is subject to complete repair.

Upholstery

Restoration method for a chair with a rigid base. The furniture appears to have clear geometric lines, upholstered thick fabric with thick foam inside.

To restore you need:

• remove the top covering fabric;
• remove the filler and its fastenings;
• new parts are cut out from old parts;
• the structure is checked for looseness, the damaged frame is replaced or restored;
• on new basis fasten the filler with a stapler, then the upper upholstery.

This method restoration is suitable for chairs with a solid wooden base.

Repair

General form restoration work. Combines the process of upholstery, reupholstery and complete replacement basics. The structure is checked for damage, the legs are replaced, and metal mount for strength.

Restore the surface using paints, varnishes, and additional tools. This method of restoration is quite complicated; the chair is given to craftsmen to work on.

What components may be needed?

During restoration office chairs or models with mobile wheels need rollers or crosses. To avoid damaging the surface of the laminate or parquet, purchase sets of rollers with mechanical locking.

Complete renovation:

A master can update the chair more efficiently, but it is possible to restore it yourself. It is necessary to choose high-quality upholstery material. Restore the appearance of furniture to match the interior of the room. Then there will be no need to purchase new furniture.

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 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 it has well-preserved fabric 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 a horizontal bar, to 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, should be made of hardwood and be slightly larger in diameter 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.

Fastening stages 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. Begins complete restoration, of course, from disassembling 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 collect wooden frame products.

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 the old upholstery, first carefully removed from the chair, into separate 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 the 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 furniture repair work, preference should be given to mechanisms with the most powerful spring.

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.

And chairs), which became unusable over time. “It’s a shame to throw it away, and there’s not always enough money to buy a new one,” many people are immediately upset about this, without even suspecting that old furniture can be restored, 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.

Disassembling the chair

Before you start working, you need to disassemble the old chair and see what's inside.

As a rule, it is a wooden frame, foam rubber on the back and seat. It is held in place by rubber or textile slings.

Also included in the components are legs and armrests (polished or fabric-look). The back wall of the chair is secured with plywood. That's probably all.

After parsing:

1. We determine what needs to be replaced. We carefully knock out all the tenon parts with a rubber hammer so as not to damage the edges and preserve the polish.
2. Using a scalpel or a knife with a thin tip, we clean the grooves so that there are no glue residues inside.
3. We coat the tenon parts with PVA glue, and then wrap the bandage directly onto the tenon.
4. 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

Replacing foam rubber

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 – super hard,
• HR – low degree of rigidity, most often used in the manufacture of 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 canvas fabric.

They are fixed on wooden frame with the help of nails, in rare cases they are broken 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 folded (folded at least in two). In this position they will serve for a long time and will not stretch under heavy weight.

The straps are tight, now you need to secure the foam. 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 choosing the 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, and make sure to pull it towards 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 sanding drums. They are different widths and lengths, very convenient for grinding in hard-to-reach places.

• After the parts have been sanded, carefully remove the dust with a damp cloth or foam sponge.
• Apply nitro varnish with a soft brush until completely dry.
• After the varnish has dried, you can run your hand over the surface and feel how the pile rises. Using the finest sandpaper, we carefully “knock down” the raised fibers, that is, we make the surface smooth.
• Then you can apply a stain (alcohol, water or white spirit based) and only then cover it with any commercially available varnish.

Video: DIY restoration of an old chair

That's all the wisdom - how to easily and efficiently restore a chair at home.

Good luck to all masters!