How to make a chair from a chair with your own hands: step-by-step instructions

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At home, you want to relax in a comfortable environment, feeling coziness around you. A mandatory attribute for its creation is upholstered furniture. The sofas and armchairs presented in stores are not always satisfactory in design or quality, not to mention the current prices. Alternatively, you can make a chair with your own hands, which is guaranteed to meet all individual preferences. Sizes, upholstery tone and level of softness - everything can be chosen to your liking, resulting in a designer piece of furniture.

Peculiarities

There are two types of soft foam chair:

Frame . It has a wooden or metal frame, and the seat and back are made of foam rubber and upholstery material. Such products are most often found in modern interiors.
Frameless . It is distinguished by softness and maximum comfort in use. Such a piece of furniture is made of two covers: the inner cover is stuffed with filler, the outer one has aesthetic value.

Photos of armchairs with your own hands

Material

In this article we will talk about a soft chair made of foam rubber. Therefore, we will consider the features of the filler. The main advantages of using foam rubber as a filler include :

high density, which contributes to long-term operation;
resistance to tearing and deformation;
elasticity;
hypoallergenic;
naturalness;
elasticity;
soft structure.

When choosing foam rubber, attention is paid to:

material rigidity;
density;
orthopedic properties.

Advice : regarding materials for making the frame, it is better to give preference to natural solid wood from pine, oak or birch.

Suitable upholstery materials:

Velor . The material gives the furniture a certain charm. It is soft, velvety and pleasant to the touch.
Flock . Somewhat reminiscent of velor, but easier to clean. It is often used in the manufacture of children's furniture.
Chenille . Made from synthetic and natural fibers. It features high technical characteristics, wear resistance, and attractive appearance.
Jacquard . This fabric is durable and resistant to negative factors. It comes in a wide range of colors and textures.
Faux suede . It has an aesthetic appearance, resistance to ultraviolet rays, and is easy to clean.
Leatherette . The material is moisture resistant, durable and easy to use.

Required materials and tools

You can get a reliable wooden chair if you choose the right materials. The main element is always the frame - it is important not only for the chair, but also for any other furniture. Most often the base is made from:

solid wood;
Chipboard (chipboard);
plywood;
metal

Frames made of wood are the most environmentally friendly and are suitable even for allergy sufferers. The wood must be of good quality, which means that it cannot contain bark, cracks, or irregularities in geometry. With such shortcomings, the finished product will quickly become unusable, deforming under loads.

If you make the frame from high quality chipboard or its varnished version, such a chair will be very durable. When choosing, you need to focus on good density, sheet thickness, and dry texture. Natural chipboard cannot crumble. However, it cannot be painted or otherwise processed. But synthetic material is not the best option. It will quickly deteriorate, primarily due to exposure to moisture.

Plywood is rarely used for a frame, but it can become a strong base. This is possible provided that sheets with a thickness of 15 mm or more are correctly fastened and selected. Since the material is not the most presentable, it is advisable to cover it with soft upholstery.

To ensure a good appearance of the product, you can choose a laminated plywood version. It is beautiful even without additional upholstery and at the same time has a top layer that protects from moisture and minor damage.

The metal frame will be the strongest, but weighs much more than other options. In addition, to create a chair on a metal base, you will need special tools, including a welding machine. Some designs involve fastening with bolts and nuts, but their disadvantage is loosening, which, one way or another, occurs over time. As a result, the furniture begins to creak, which significantly affects the level of comfort.

Review of popular models of Ikea computer chairs for adults and children

Solid wood

Plywood

Chipboard

Metal

Whatever material is chosen for the chair frame, it must be assembled with the highest possible quality. This is what will give the structure the strength and rigidity necessary for durability. The upholstery should also be durable. There are several decoration options:

flock;
jacquard;
tapestry;
velours;
chenille;
leather (can be natural or artificial).

The selection of a specific material is made for specific conditions of use. If there is a high risk of damage, for example, if there are animals or children in the house, it is better to take wear-resistant and durable material. You also need to take into account that the parts will be cut with small allowances reserved for seams. Accordingly, it is better to take the canvas with a reserve.

For maximum comfort, you can fill the fabric areas with furniture foam. It is advisable to choose it with a density above 30, so the material will last longer and retain its shape. Typically, this procedure is performed on the inside of the backrest, seat, and armrests.

Flock

Tapestry

Jacquard

Velours

Chenille

Leather
It will be easier to make a homemade chair if you have prepared the necessary materials and consumables in advance:

Screwdriver (welding machine, if we are talking about a metal frame).
A jigsaw for cutting out parts from wood (a grinder will help with metal).
Stapler for furniture.
Sewing machine (arranges pieces of fabric for upholstery).
Scissors.
Chalk (dry soap will do) for marking work surfaces.
A sander that gives the product a finished look.
Fasteners in the form of screws, bolts and nuts that make up the structure.

The made chair is a kind of guarantee of comfort and tranquility. That is why you cannot skimp on tools and fasteners. The durability and strength of the finished product depends on them - with the right approach, it will last up to 10 years without any problems.

Drawing with dimensions

Before you start making a chair, you need to make a preliminary drawing with all the dimensions, materials of manufacture and fastening systems for individual elements.

An adult product with a frame will have the following dimensions:

width – 75 cm;
height - 90-95 cm;
seat height 45 cm from the floor;
for the manufacture of legs, a beam with a square cross-section of 55 cm is selected;
side bars – 40 cm;
armrest height – 20 – 30 cm.

When making a frameless chair, a detailed pattern of the future product is made. It will consist of:

6 wedge-shaped parts;
round bottom;
tops.

A standard bean bag for an adult will have the following dimensions:

height – 1 – 1.2 meters;
diameter – 1 meter;
the diameter of the lower bottom is 30 cm, the upper one is 15 cm.

As for children's models, their sizes will be as follows:

height – 60 cm;
bottom bottom diameter – 25 cm;
top diameter – 11 cm.

Do-it-yourself armchair from a chair: step-by-step instructions

All work can be divided into several steps:

The chair is collected and coated with primer. For reliability, use two layers. The brush is selected according to size.
Next comes painting, and if necessary, it can be varnished. Preference should be given to matte paints.
Then the back is made. The foam rubber is covered with fabric, glued to the back, and secured with a stapler. The stapler is used in a checkerboard pattern. The resulting niches will later hold buttons.
Armrests are made using the same technology.
The seat is made in two layers, covering all visible parts of the old chair.

It turns out to be an excellent soft chair in a unique design.

How to do with the frame?

The traditional upholstered product with a frame is a more common option. To make it, you will need to prepare materials, tools and experience in carpentry.

Attention : in frame upholstered furniture only the legs of the product will be visible, the remaining parts will be covered with foam rubber and upholstery material.

Tools

Tools you will need:

drill;
sandpaper;
jigsaw;
pencil and ruler.

Materials needed:

lumber (most often consumers prefer 20 mm plywood);
screws;
thin nails;
foam rubber and upholstery material;
wood glue;
stain;
glossy paint.

Manufacturing

The process of making a classic version of an upholstered chair is quite simple:

Carefully study the drawing, prepare materials and tools, and begin preparing individual parts.
They are cut out of plywood with a jigsaw. To make the parts correctly, it is recommended to first cut them out on thick cardboard and then transfer them to lumber.
Transverse strips are used to make the side parts. Here it is important to decide on the angle of inclination, bend and size of the furniture .
After making wooden parts, thoroughly clean the surfaces, paying special attention to the ends.
The prepared sidewalls are painted with stain.
The ends of the sidewalls must be reinforced with metal rims.
Next, you can begin covering the product with fabric. Using a drill, holes are made in the product and the rims are fixed using screws. Prepared foam pillows are placed on the base and fixed with glue. You can also glue foam rubber to the armrests. The filling is secured on top with a furniture stapler.
We chose artificial leather as the upholstery material. We use it to finish the back part of the piece of furniture, and then proceed to the other fragments of the chair.
To securely attach the fabric, nails with large heads are used.

As for finishing, this is the treatment of the product with stain and paints and varnishes . This will not only give the furniture an attractive appearance, but will also extend its service life. Since paint or varnish will reliably protect the product from increased moisture and other negative factors.

Tip : when it comes to decorating an upholstered chair, it can be supplemented with small pillows.

What kind of chairs can you make with your own hands?

You can find a lot of instructions on the Internet on how to make a chair, which is why anyone can do it, especially if you know how to use a standard set of tools.

First you need to buy everything you need, the missing tools and materials, and then start creating sketches and drawings of the future piece of furniture.

The peculiarity of a DIY chair is that it makes no difference which sketch you use. There are certain step-by-step instructions, the points of which everyone adheres to.

Please note that the website https://mebeldizajn.ru presents a large selection of bold ideas for placing modern furniture in the interior.

Before starting work, you should familiarize yourself with the possible seating options and choose the one that interests you. However, I note that some types are very difficult to do without special equipment, and some require a lot of experience. We also recommend that you watch a master class on how to make a chair with your own hands.

Frameless option

The second option for making a soft foam chair is the simplest model of a bean bag chair.

Tools

Tools required:

ruler, chalk, pencil;
sewing machine;
scissors and pins;
thread and needle.

Materials required:

fabric (for making inner and outer covers);
filler (foam rubber);
two zippers, one – 40 cm long, the second – 1 meter.

How to make?

The manufacturing process of a soft frameless chair is as follows:

We prepare the pattern, materials and tools. The pattern will need to be increased in size when transferred to fabric.
Using prepared patterns, all the details are cut out.
First we sew the inner cover. Durable fabric is selected for it. All the wedges of the product are sewn together on a machine, and then a bag is formed from them.
Both bottoms and tops are sewn together. Don't forget to leave zipper holes on the side of the covers.
Next, zippers are sewn in, the product is turned right side out, and filled with foam rubber.

That's the whole simple process of making a frameless beanbag chair. As a decoration, you can sew an applique on the product from a well-chosen fabric .

Tip : for outdoor use, you can also make a hammock chair, an Adirondack garden chair, a folding chair, or unusual options from tires and pallets. And next to it you can put a folding picnic table or a convenient table for a laptop.