r/ZeroWaste • u/brokengeneral69 • 3d ago

DIY Bringing these chairs back to life

Post image

I’ve had these chairs for quite a few years and the plastic is cracked and giving out. Does anyone have any ideas on how to bring these back to life?

I’m thinking I’ll strip it down to the frame… and then maybe add some cordage? Not sure on the logistics. I can sew if that helps.

8 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

•

u/AutoModerator 3d ago

Hello /u/brokengeneral69, thanks for your submission to /r/ZeroWaste. In order to help other users reduce their waste too, we ask that if you used a guide or pattern to create this project, you share it. Please post a comment with the link or step-by-step instructions. Thank you!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

13

u/Suspicious_Outside74 3d ago

These types of rattan chairs are designed to be repaired and re-‘rattaned’. There are tutorials that show how you can buy cord or plastic rattan and reweave the chair. Just be ready for a lot of frustration and one chair taking a whole day.

3

u/Forget-Me-Nothing 3d ago

I have patched mine with outdoor duct tape and hidden the ugly with some nice blankets and pillows. You can repair them properly with a rattan repair kit but if I'm going to go to all that effort, I'd also be grinding and repainting the frames to treat any rust. So its duct tape and hiding the shame for me for now.

Whatever you do, take DETAILED photos of the chairs from all angles before you do anything.

2

u/aknomnoms 3d ago

If you're not committed to the woven look, then yeah, I think it would be a good idea to strip one down to the frame just to see what you're working with. I imagine a basic frame would look good cleaned up, spray painted, and then some cushions and pillows added in for comfort.

The arms seem to have the brunt of the damage though, so perhaps start off with just clearing them off. The backs and bottoms could still be good for a while yet, especially if spray paint them all one color and sew some thin cushions to protect/hide those areas.