The reasons for the restoration of chairs can be different: the integration of elements of old furniture into the new interior, a second life for the “grandmother's” inheritance or a great purchase at the flea market, which life has thoroughly battered. Why spend time and energy saving old furniture when you can buy new for an acceptable amount? Antique furnishings have a rich history. Many connoisseurs with pleasure will prefer a piece from the party, from which only he remained, instead of modern stamping. Unfortunately, operational periods have their limits. No matter how solidly the furniture is knocked together, over time its frame will begin to loosen, and the upholstery will wear out.
When the situation is absolutely deplorable, you have to manually revive the chairs, remove the parts that have become unusable, replace them with new ones, tint, cover with protective compounds, pull, strengthen the structure.Antique chairs adapt to many styles: classic, provence, modern, biedermeier, ethnic, eclectic, retro. At the beginning of the last century, most of the furniture was made handicraft, that is, manually, complemented by an abundance of elegant decorative elements. Refusing to save such a rare, valuable specimen is at least stupid. We will consider various restoration methods and go through a detailed master class from “A” to “Z”.
Restoration in the literal sense of the word implies the return to the subject of its original appearance without any unauthorized changes. Such work is performed by restorers who have years of training behind them. They are trusted to restore rare art objects. In our case, the “home” restoration allows for changes in the design of chairs that were not previously in design.
The purpose of this process is to create an original element of the interior, and not to restore authentic furniture. During restoration, a variety of techniques are used. For some stylistic decisions, only a certain method is suitable, while others use a competent combination of techniques. One of the striking examples is furniture for the Provence style. To renew the old chair, they combine painting (mainly in light colors), decoupage technique and craquelure. The most popular restoration methods 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 glossy or matte.
Craquelure. This is a technique of artificially aging the surface, imitating "worn-out" wood.
Decoupage. A popular technique for transferring images from paper (postcards, napkins) to the surface of a chair, followed by fixing the picture with varnish.
Art painting. Drawing original drawings and patterns on the prepared surface of the chair. You can only be guided by a flight of fancy or use ready-made stencils.
Adhesive films, tapes. Stick directly to a chair. Their surface imitates the texture of natural materials: stone, wood, leather.
Veneering. The chair is pasted with thin sheets of veneer (cut wood) with the original texture. Additionally, the decor is fixed with varnish.
Lamination The technique is similar to decorating with adhesive films or veneers, but sheets are not fixed with glue, but with synthetic resins, which are coated on the back of decorative paper.
Inlay. Decoration of the surface by fixing parts from other materials on it. For wooden chairs, pieces of marble, ornamental stones, mother of pearl, metals, and ceramics are used.
Scuffed paint. It is carried out in two stages. First, the surface of the chair is partially covered with a layer of dark paint. They let her dry. After that, additionally coated with wax. Now the whole product is painted in a light tone. After the composition dries, the “darkened” places are thoroughly sanded, exposing the lower 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 the Vienna chair
The classic Viennese “bent” chair is a sturdy, lightweight product that 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 Vienna chair is carried out in several stages:
Training. The master carefully considers the future design of the product. He makes trial sketches and drawings, depicting on them the final result, to which he will strive during work.
Dismantling the chair, a general assessment of its condition: determining the degree of wear of individual parts, fixtures, frame, the need for replacement or repair.
Drawing up a list of materials that will be required for restoration work. Measurement of those parts that will have to be replaced. Estimated cost of restoration.
Buying the necessary materials and replacing parts that have become obsolete. Wood surface coating
Assembly of a chair.
Although for example we use a Vienna chair, restoration work for stools or chairs is carried out according to the same plan.
Necessary materials and tools
During the procedure, restorers use special tools and special chemical compounds to process and restore furniture surfaces. The townsfolk need such difficulties, so a newbie designer may well be limited to improvised means that are often used in the household for domestic purposes. To strengthen the structure will require:
Chisel.
Whetstones for replacing old struts with which the elements of the chair are interconnected.
Special wood glue.
To work on decorating the surface you will need:
Sandpaper or sanding machine.
Paint or varnish.
Technical acetone for dissolving paint.
Primer for paint.
Oil, wax, stain for varnish.
For a soft seat banner you will need:
Foam rubber as a stuffing.
Thick, wear-resistant upholstery fabric.
Special stapler with staples or furniture nails and a hammer.
Depending on the restoration technique, the set of tools and materials may vary. For example, for decoupage, you will additionally need PVA glue, napkins, cling film.
Dismantling - how to do it right
Almost all chairs (except for extraordinary products) are disassembled according to a single algorithm:
The first unscrew the back.
The legs are disconnected from the seat.
If the product has armrests, then usually they, together with a pair of legs, constitute one integral part. When the parts of the chair are connected using glued spikes, they will have to be “soaked” with hot water or steam. Assemble furniture according to the same plan, but in reverse order.
If the frame is made of metal by injection molding, then in such a chair you can detach only the back and seat for further hauling. Dismantling of folding models begins by disconnecting the axial pin. This part connects the back of the chair and the seat.
Recovery and minor repair of damage
Minor repairs begin with a search for cracks in the wood that has dried out over time. No matter how high quality the material at the time of manufacture of the chair, the years still take their toll. The first “symptoms of old age” are small cracks, like age-related “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 legs are loose in the product, then their upper part must be wedged, making more. The leg should go into the groove with effort, which will ensure good stability of the furniture. If the stud connections are damaged, then new plugs must be made on their own.
Restoration of highchairs is a separate story. They are equipped with a large number of additional parts that ensure the safety of the baby. Each is preferably additionally glued.During the procedure, the rotary mechanisms and loops are checked for serviceability. If necessary, they are replaced with new ones. In the soft chairs of the old model (Soviet) inside the seat can be equipped with a spring mechanism. It is not necessary to dismantle it; it is enough to check the operation of individual springs and replace non-working ones.
Removing the old paintwork
The old layer of paint or varnish is removed in three ways:
Mechanical;
Thermal;
Chemical.
The first is mainly used for painted concrete and is associated with great risks of surface damage, so it is not used in thin restoration work. We are interested in two other options. Thermal is carried out by heating the old paint with a soldering iron or a building hair dryer until it softens (occurs when the paint begins to bubble) and then remove it with a spatula or knife. The technique is suitable for wooden surfaces, but also not without drawbacks. You need to work with tools very carefully so as not to scorch the wood.
The thermal method is not effective for stone and metal surfaces, which “cool” the composition in a timely manner and do not allow it to warm to the desired temperature. In this case, they resort to a chemical method using special means that dissolve the paint. All that is required of the master is to scrape off the old layer from the surface. The chemical method is not always suitable for wooden surfaces. Some particularly aggressive products can damage the top coat of wood along with paint. Before buying a composition, you need to carefully read the instructions and determine its compatibility with surfaces of various types.
Preparation for finishing
If the surface of the chair will be covered with paint in the future, then it must first be covered with two layers of primer:
After removing the old coating layer, the product is carefully sanded.You can use a special machine, and if this is not at home, then sandpaper of medium grain size is suitable. 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 the help of “White Spirit” and a clean rag.
Next, the surface is covered with the first primer. The composition is given time to dry. For reliability, it is better to leave the chair alone for a day.
Now the surface is again lightly ground and covered with a second coat of primer.
After it dries, the product can be painted.
It is not necessary to sand metal chairs before painting, but degrease and coat with a primer. The composition is chosen special with an anti-corrosion effect. If the product is planned to be varnished, then the wood must first be soaked with a special composition. For these purposes, use:
Oil (linseed, tung, tar, teak);
Wax;
Stain.
The product is wetted with a cotton cloth and carefully rubbed into the wood with reciprocating movements along the fibers. After this, the surfaces give time to dry for 1-2 days and varnish.
Finishing - staining and assembling 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. For metal, anticorrosive agents are suitable. For wood, buy acrylic or chalk paint. The second composition fits perfectly on the oil primer. To get the effect of "factory" staining, the layers of paint are carefully treated with fine-grained sandpaper. Then the surface will turn out perfectly smooth and rough, as it is found in stamped products.
If you want to paint only certain areas, then use masking tape. They seal the areas that need to be left in a natural color.Plastic chairs are better not to be painted, as the flexibility of the product will contribute to premature peeling of the composition. To assemble the chair, first screw the legs to the seat, and then attach the back to the structure.
Restoration of a chair with a constriction of a seat
Padding the seat is quite simple. After the layer of the old upholstery and packing is removed, you need to cut out a piece of plywood that will become the base. You can make a pattern for measuring the seat and use it when cutting all three layers. Foam is fixed on top of plywood. Focusing on the size of the seat, a piece for sheathing is cut out of a dense fabric. At the same time, do not forget to leave reserves for the bends of the material. Now it remains only to fix the upholstery fabric on the seat.
Previously, special furniture nails (miniature with button caps) were used for this work, but now staplers with staples are more relevant. The back is made according to the same algorithm: the base is made of plywood, then stuffed and the procedure is completed by fixing the upholstery material. If the seat is equipped with springs, then a layer of batting is laid in front of the foam rubber. Chairs look stylish, the lining of which is made 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 breakdown, it is more difficult to repair them, and during restoration the product needs to be protected from only one “enemy” - corrosion. For metal, they buy a special primer and paint that have an anticorrosive effect. Enamels are applied in several layers, and are coated with colorless compositions in three to four layers. It is not recommended to use chairs and stools with a metal frame in kitchens and bathrooms, where the level of humidity is systematically increased. To remove the old layer of paint or varnish, the chemical treatment method is ideal for metal,since the material is not afraid of aggressive means.
Ways and ideas for decorating chairs
Chairs can be restored in many ways. The number of options is limited only by the possibilities of the designer’s imagination. Contrast painting using two or three colors is suitable for strict interiors. Covering the surface with a layer of paint with the effect of bronze or gold and lining with a fabric on which patterns are drawn with a golden thread will create a “retro” mood. Such a product will emphasize the features of the decor, designed in the same style. White painting with traces of brush strokes and the effect of scuffs, perfectly combined 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. The solid seats of children's stools can be decorated with funny smiley faces.
Screen stencil will look exquisite. To do this, part of the wooden seat is sealed with a special film, which forms a pattern. For example, a blossoming rosebud. Then the stool is covered with light paint. After the composition has dried, the stencil is peeled 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 the paint on the rest of the surface. A layer of wax will help age the product, giving it a dirty brown tint. To add scuffs, it is partially sanded. Upholstery with a pattern can be made independently using the tapestry seam technique and durable threads.
Conclusion
Do-it-yourself restoration of chairs is a fascinating and addictive process. It is not surprising if the master gets into the taste so much that after the chairs he switches to other furniture, creating original sets for the home. Gradually, the luggage of his knowledge will be replenished with new techniques, and the level of skill will increase.Restoration work helps not only to update and remodel old furniture, but also save on buying new furniture.
The reasons for the restoration of chairs can be different: the integration of elements of old furniture into the new interior, a second life for the “grandmother's” inheritance or a great purchase at the flea market, which life has thoroughly battered. Why spend time and energy saving old furniture when you can buy new for an acceptable amount? Antique furnishings have a rich history. Many connoisseurs with pleasure will prefer a piece from the party, from which only he remained, instead of modern stamping. Unfortunately, operational periods have their limits. No matter how solidly the furniture is knocked together, over time its frame will begin to loosen, and the upholstery will wear out.
When the situation is absolutely deplorable, you have to manually revive the chairs, remove the parts that have become unusable, replace them with new ones, tint, cover with protective compounds, pull, strengthen the structure.Antique chairs adapt to many styles: classic, provence, modern, biedermeier, ethnic, eclectic, retro. At the beginning of the last century, most of the furniture was made handicraft, that is, manually, complemented by an abundance of elegant decorative elements. Refusing to save such a rare, valuable specimen is at least stupid. We will consider various restoration methods and go through a detailed master class from “A” to “Z”.
Content
Methods and types of restoration
Restoration in the literal sense of the word implies the return to the subject of its original appearance without any unauthorized changes. Such work is performed by restorers who have years of training behind them. They are trusted to restore rare art objects. In our case, the “home” restoration allows for changes in the design of chairs that were not previously in design.
The purpose of this process is to create an original element of the interior, and not to restore authentic furniture. During restoration, a variety of techniques are used. For some stylistic decisions, only a certain method is suitable, while others use a competent combination of techniques. One of the striking examples is furniture for the Provence style. To renew the old chair, they combine painting (mainly in light colors), decoupage technique and craquelure. The most popular restoration methods include the following techniques:
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 the Vienna chair
The classic Viennese “bent” chair is a sturdy, lightweight product that 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 Vienna chair is carried out in several stages:
Although for example we use a Vienna chair, restoration work for stools or chairs is carried out according to the same plan.
Necessary materials and tools
During the procedure, restorers use special tools and special chemical compounds to process and restore furniture surfaces. The townsfolk need such difficulties, so a newbie designer may well be limited to improvised means that are often used in the household for domestic purposes. To strengthen the structure will require:
To work on decorating the surface you will need:
For a soft seat banner you will need:
Depending on the restoration technique, the set of tools and materials may vary. For example, for decoupage, you will additionally need PVA glue, napkins, cling film.
Dismantling - how to do it right
Almost all chairs (except for extraordinary products) are disassembled according to a single algorithm:
If the product has armrests, then usually they, together with a pair of legs, constitute one integral part. When the parts of the chair are connected using glued spikes, they will have to be “soaked” with hot water or steam. Assemble furniture according to the same plan, but in reverse order.
Recovery and minor repair of damage
Minor repairs begin with a search for cracks in the wood that has dried out over time. No matter how high quality the material at the time of manufacture of the chair, the years still take their toll. The first “symptoms of old age” are small cracks, like age-related “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 legs are loose in the product, then their upper part must be wedged, making more. The leg should go into the groove with effort, which will ensure good stability of the furniture. If the stud connections are damaged, then new plugs must be made on their own.
Restoration of highchairs is a separate story. They are equipped with a large number of additional parts that ensure the safety of the baby. Each is preferably additionally glued.During the procedure, the rotary mechanisms and loops are checked for serviceability. If necessary, they are replaced with new ones. In the soft chairs of the old model (Soviet) inside the seat can be equipped with a spring mechanism. It is not necessary to dismantle it; it is enough to check the operation of individual springs and replace non-working ones.
Removing the old paintwork
The old layer of paint or varnish is removed in three ways:
The first is mainly used for painted concrete and is associated with great risks of surface damage, so it is not used in thin restoration work. We are interested in two other options. Thermal is carried out by heating the old paint with a soldering iron or a building hair dryer until it softens (occurs when the paint begins to bubble) and then remove it with a spatula or knife. The technique is suitable for wooden surfaces, but also not without drawbacks. You need to work with tools very carefully so as not to scorch the wood.
The thermal method is not effective for stone and metal surfaces, which “cool” the composition in a timely manner and do not allow it to warm to the desired temperature. In this case, they resort to a chemical method using special means that dissolve the paint. All that is required of the master is to scrape off the old layer from the surface. The chemical method is not always suitable for wooden surfaces. Some particularly aggressive products can damage the top coat of wood along with paint. Before buying a composition, you need to carefully read the instructions and determine its compatibility with surfaces of various types.
Preparation for finishing
If the surface of the chair will be covered with paint in the future, then it must first be covered with two layers of primer:
It is not necessary to sand metal chairs before painting, but degrease and coat with a primer. The composition is chosen special with an anti-corrosion effect. If the product is planned to be varnished, then the wood must first be soaked with a special composition. For these purposes, use:
The product is wetted with a cotton cloth and carefully rubbed into the wood with reciprocating movements along the fibers. After this, the surfaces give time to dry for 1-2 days and varnish.
Finishing - staining and assembling 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. For metal, anticorrosive agents are suitable. For wood, buy acrylic or chalk paint. The second composition fits perfectly on the oil primer. To get the effect of "factory" staining, the layers of paint are carefully treated with fine-grained sandpaper. Then the surface will turn out perfectly smooth and rough, as it is found in stamped products.
If you want to paint only certain areas, then use masking tape. They seal the areas that need to be left in a natural color.Plastic chairs are better not to be painted, as the flexibility of the product will contribute to premature peeling of the composition. To assemble the chair, first screw the legs to the seat, and then attach the back to the structure.
Restoration of a chair with a constriction of a seat
Padding the seat is quite simple. After the layer of the old upholstery and packing is removed, you need to cut out a piece of plywood that will become the base. You can make a pattern for measuring the seat and use it when cutting all three layers. Foam is fixed on top of plywood. Focusing on the size of the seat, a piece for sheathing is cut out of a dense fabric. At the same time, do not forget to leave reserves for the bends of the material. Now it remains only to fix the upholstery fabric on the seat.
Previously, special furniture nails (miniature with button caps) were used for this work, but now staplers with staples are more relevant. The back is made according to the same algorithm: the base is made of plywood, then stuffed and the procedure is completed by fixing the upholstery material. If the seat is equipped with springs, then a layer of batting is laid in front of the foam rubber. Chairs look stylish, the lining of which is made 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 breakdown, it is more difficult to repair them, and during restoration the product needs to be protected from only one “enemy” - corrosion. For metal, they buy a special primer and paint that have an anticorrosive effect. Enamels are applied in several layers, and are coated with colorless compositions in three to four layers. It is not recommended to use chairs and stools with a metal frame in kitchens and bathrooms, where the level of humidity is systematically increased. To remove the old layer of paint or varnish, the chemical treatment method is ideal for metal,since the material is not afraid of aggressive means.
Ways and ideas for decorating chairs
Chairs can be restored in many ways. The number of options is limited only by the possibilities of the designer’s imagination. Contrast painting using two or three colors is suitable for strict interiors. Covering the surface with a layer of paint with the effect of bronze or gold and lining with a fabric on which patterns are drawn with a golden thread will create a “retro” mood. Such a product will emphasize the features of the decor, designed in the same style. White painting with traces of brush strokes and the effect of scuffs, perfectly combined 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. The solid seats of children's stools can be decorated with funny smiley faces.
Screen stencil will look exquisite. To do this, part of the wooden seat is sealed with a special film, which forms a pattern. For example, a blossoming rosebud. Then the stool is covered with light paint. After the composition has dried, the stencil is peeled 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 the paint on the rest of the surface. A layer of wax will help age the product, giving it a dirty brown tint. To add scuffs, it is partially sanded. Upholstery with a pattern can be made independently using the tapestry seam technique and durable threads.
Conclusion
Do-it-yourself restoration of chairs is a fascinating and addictive process. It is not surprising if the master gets into the taste so much that after the chairs he switches to other furniture, creating original sets for the home. Gradually, the luggage of his knowledge will be replenished with new techniques, and the level of skill will increase.Restoration work helps not only to update and remodel old furniture, but also save on buying new furniture.