Nasty little chair makeover...PART I!

My INTENT was to get this chair done this week so I could feature it. The weather and a bum back kind of slowed me down. But I got it done...but I am still going to break this up into a "Two Part Series" because the work that had to be done was pretty extensive. If you just want to see the before and after, check out Part II and scroll to the bottom!

This gives me a great opportunity to stress the importance of TAKING YOUR TIME and DOING IT RIGHT!

The simplest little makeover takes time. You can't rush the process. Strip it properly, sand it properly, prime it properly, paint it properly! Otherwise you are wasting your time and money!

My newest project is very similar to a chair I did for Sis....it was one of my first "features" here. (I wish I had taken better pictures to show all the detail!) The paint part was a tad easier because it didn't have to be stripped first. But it was one of my first upholstery jobs, and the more experience you get, the easier it is. Okay, it doesn't get easier...you just know it is going to be a challenge.

One thing I have learned about upholstery...no two pieces are the same and ALL have their challenges. You learn to be creative, take your time, and use the proper tools...more on that when we get into the actual upholstery process!

I spied this pathetic little chair sitting outside an apartment...obviously it was being neglected and unloved! And then it was abandoned! So I tossed it in the back of my truck and brought it home. As with most projects, it sat and waited for inspiration (and time).

I know many tout the virtues of chalk and plaster paint. No sanding, no prep, no prime. But 1) I am old school and 2) the paint on this chair was literally crumbling off and I could scrape the white paint off with my fingernail!

I wasn't going to risk painting this chair only to have the old paint flake off! Besides, I have to have a nice smooth "template." So my best bet was to strip, sand, prime and paint.

First I had to remove the old upholstery. I'm not sure what is worse...a seriously botched attempt to "cover" the old upholstery or doing so and leaving the old upholstery intact. Which means I had to remove the 8,324 staples someone used to haphazardly attach the disgusting green fabric and the 6,352 upholstery nails (these are just estimates) used on the original disgusting fabric.

Regardless of what you are removing...good or bad...I always suggest taking TONS of pictures while you deconstruct. You THINK you will remember how something was constructed, but you may not. It is always good to have pictures to refer back to! When I took my first shot at reupholstering a chair I took hundreds of pictures as I deconstructed it...boy was I glad later when I got stuck on something and wasn't sure what to do! I just referred back to the picture of the original and I knew exactly what I needed to do!

After hours of pulling, prying and cursing, I was down to bare bones (both the chair and my hands!)

Once I got all the old upholstery off, I addressed the little "wobbles." This chair was in pretty good shape structurally but it is important to make sure all the joints are secure and tight. Glue and clamps! Don't move forward on a project like this until you make sure everything is in tip-top shape. You don't want to be glueing and clamping after you have a shiny new finish on!

Now it was time for a little strip job.

I used Citristrip jel to remove the multiple layers of paint! It actually took 2 applications. An old toothbrush on all the nocks and crannies. I used a mineral spirit wash to remove all the "goo." Then I let it all dry thoroughly.

I know stripping old finish and paint is a tedious, nasty, back-breaking process...and I have no doubt it is the reason someone came up with the idea of mixing plaster and paint. But again, my "old-school" mentality just won't let me move forward without properly stripping all the old paint off.

I don't paint over wallpaper, I don't tile over vinyl, I don't upholster over old upholstery. I just don't. Call me crazy.

Then I sanded....and sanded....and sanded! Getting all the old paint out of the grooves in the legs was not an easy task...but absolutely essential! This is exactly why I always keep old toothbrushes with my shop tools!

After sanding, I primed it with Kilz. I like Kilz for several reasons. For me, it is my personal preference after years of experience. Others swear by Zinsser. This is just one of those things you need to experiment with and do what works best for you! Regardless, I will ALWAYS recommend an oil-based primer!

Nine times out of ten I am going to prime a piece before I paint it. I am not willing to take the risk of "bleed through", I want a smooth finish and I want my paint to stick! On rare occasions I will not apply a primer if I am going to use chalk/plaster paint and plan to distress the piece. But even then I prime areas I suspect might bleed through or cause problems.

Anywho, after I got MOST of the old paint off and sprayed on the primer, I let it dry thoroughly. Then I sanded, and sanded, and sanded...again. I started with a 80-120 grit, and finished with a 220.

I like to sand. Or rather I like how the piece feels and looks after it has been primed and sanded. And in my opinion, "feeling" is the key!

Funny story...years ago I was feeling quite smug about the fact that I had not gotten all those nasty little wrinkles all my friends had around their eyes and mouths and on their neck. Until I put my readers on one day to pluck my eyebrows...and there they were.

Even though I finally broke down and got prescription glasses, I still don't trust my eyes to see all the imperfections...but I do trust my hands. As I sand, I "feel." If you can feel it, it will show through a coat of paint!!! Sanding transforms the piece and if done properly, it can mean the difference between having a piece that is beautiful and professional or one that looks like an inexperienced DIYer threw it together!

After priming and sanding, I used my compressor to blow the dust off and then tack cloth to get rid of all the little smidges of dust and debris! I know I harp on using tack cloth...I can not stress how important this step is!

My original plan was to paint the chair a "blush/salmon/coral" color and then upholstery it in black damask. I saw a chair almost identical to this one in those colors SOMEWHERE...and then I couldn't. What I could find was a lot of teal and damask...and since this is a piece that will be sold, I decided I had to go with what is obviously "in." A "pink" chair can be risky! Pretty, but risky!

So teal it is....

The trick to spray painting anything (besides the prep work) is to do 3-4 VERY light coats...let it dry for 30-45 minutes between coats. If you get a drip or run (which you shouldn't if you do LIGHT coats) let it dry OVER NIGHT and then carefully and lightly sand it with a VERY fine grit sand paper! Tack and then lightly spray it again.

After the paint dries I gave it a good coat of clear poly finish. Probably overkill considering the Valspar spray paint I use SAYS it is an "all in one." Again, I'm old school. You clear coat everything.

The key now is to WAIT. Wait and let the paint dry and cure for a few days. Upholstery can put a lot of wear and tear on a piece so you want the paint to be cured before you begin working on the upholstery.

And as you can see, this piece has some serious reconstruction to do before I can ever begin to put the fabric on! I'll make sure I take good pictures and share step-by-step instructions on how to reconstruct and reupholster this chair!

IF YOU WANT IT DONE RIGHT....TAKE YOUR TIME!

Stay tuned! Part II is on its way!

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Nasty little chair makeover...before and after....PART II

(If you just want to see the "Before and After" just scroll to the bottom!)

Okay, so the frame is stripped, primed and painted....(see part 1 of this makeover here)

Now comes the fun part! Finishing it up with the fabric!

Before we start reupholstering, this chair had to have a little "reconstruction."

This chair had a "spring seat." Some will have wood seats. Those are a little easier, even if you have to cut a new piece of plywood. But this one had springs and the twine holding them upright and in position had busted. And one of the nails holding the brace had popped out. So I had to reattach the brace and then restring the springs. Not a biggy, but something you definitely want to get right or the seat will be all wonky.

I used plain ole' twine to restring the springs and I removed the old nails and put in screws. Just personal preference and besides, if the string broke at any time, it would be a lot easier to remove the screws and start over than pry out nails.

If your chair has springs and they are in bad shape or you just don't want to mess with them, they are easy to remove. You can measure and cut a piece of plywood to put down in the base of the chair. Then screw the plywood on the frame of the chair and proceed with new foam and batting.

After fixing the springs, I covered them with a scrap fabric I have in my stockpile (I buy sturdy fabric at garage sales just for this purpose) and stapled it to the top of the seat frame. You can also use muslin or burlap. This fabric holds the springs in place and provides a base for the foam. Again, this is not something you would mess with if you have or add a wood seat base.

Next, you want to measure and cut your new foam. I used 2" foam.

TIP: A few years ago I read a little tip about using an electric bread knife to cut foam. I happened to stumble across one for $1 at a garage sale. For years I have used a utility knife and scissors to cut my foam. Man oh man....I can not tell you how easy it is to cut foam with a bread knife...it is like cutting butter and your cut is as straight as a factory cut....total awesomeness! Why I didn't try this sooner is beyond me...typical "old school" stubborness. Live and learn!

After I cut the foam for the seat, I covered the foam with the scrap fabric and stapled it to the frame as well. Again, just to hold the foam in place and give it a smooth structure.

TIP: Many people try to reupholster using a manual or electric stapler. Forget it. I don't care how hard you try, a plain staple gun (manual OR electric) is NOT going to work. Old wood is just too hard for the staples to set well and you will spend half your time hammering the staples in...provided your hand doesn't fall off first. I STRONGLY recommend getting a small compressor and pneumatic staple gun. You won't regret it! It is one of items I highly recommend in my "Every Woman's Tool Box." Perfect for this kind of project!

The back of this chair is rather simple, but it needed new webbing and support. You can buy burlap upholstery strapping specifically for this type of project, but since I had some scraps of burlap on hand, I made some straps...I just folded it, ironed it and then stapled it place. Just make sure it is taunt. Then I covered the entire back with the scrap fabric to give it a little more support....

Then I covered the back of the chair and the seat and frame of the chair with quilt batting. I use plain ole' quilt batting you can buy at the hobby or fabric store. Just staple the batting to the underside of the frame.

I picked up several rolls of batting after Christmas for 90% off...80 cents each! It doesn't have the "loft" of quilt batting but it works great on places where you want more structure than loft, like on the back of this chair.

Now comes the fun part...actually covering the chair!

Before I began applying the fabric, I made sure I had the piping I wanted to use ready to go. I provided a little tutorial on how to make piping here but you may be able to find a better tutorial online. Use the one that you understand! I HIGHLY recommend using prepackaged bias tape rather than trying to make it out of the fabric you are using. Mainly because you have to cut your strips of fabric "on the bias" which means at a 45 degree angle across the width of the fabric...that takes a lot of work and a lot of fabric. Bias tape comes in a ton of colors! In this case I am using black pipping with a black and beige damask...nice contrast and super easy to make. You can also buy premade piping or trim, but honestly it is a tad expensive.

Speaking of fabric. You don't have to use upholstery fabric but you want to make sure you use a very sturdy fabric. In order for an upholstery job to look "professional" you will be stretching it very tight and stapling it and if you use a light-weight fabric it can easily tear. The least expensive is duck fabric...you can find it at Hobby Lobby or most fabric stores. It is the lightest weight fabric I would use. I have also used drop cloth fabric and it works pretty well!

I usually start with the back of my chair...only because in my opinion it is the hardest and I want to get the most frustrating part over first. Just my preference!

There are a few areas that are a little tricky. One is the arms...here is a little "picture tutorial" on how I deal with this....

To cover the "gap" created by cutting around the arms, I inserted a little "filler" piece. I just folded down and iron the side adjacent to the arm, put a little fabric glue on the back, and stuck it on the chair and stapled. Then I wrapped the front fabric around the sides and stapled it to the back.

I wrapped a double welt trim with fabric glue on the back around the arm and over the fabric where I cut it...and then stapled it to the back to secure it. Here is a great tutorial on how to make this welting. You will notice that the tutorial shows how to make it out of the upholstery fabric. Again, I recommend plain ole' bias tape! If you can sew a straight stitch, you can make this. If you can't, you can purchase it at the fabric or craft store! You won't need a lot for this type of project.

This may seem like a tricky thing to do....patience. Take your time and THINK. And if you stripped the original upholstery and took lots of pictures (like I told you to!) you will have a great reference on how it was originally constructed. It really isn't as hard as it seems! The most important tip I can give at this point (other than be patient and work slowly) is make sure you keep your fabric pulled tight before you staple!

Cover the front first and staple it to the back of the chair. After you have covered the front of the chair, you can add your piping by stapling it to the back of the chair, circling the entire edge.

You may have noticed that this chair has a really pretty curve. There is NO substitution for PLY GRIP. In order to upholster a chair, you have to have it. And you don't need a lot....just enough to go along the top of the chair because it is the only place you will use it. I can tell you craft stores do not carry ply grip. When I reupholstered my wing back I stopped in an upholstery shop and bought about 5-6' for around $1 a foot. When I decided to get serious and do a few more projects I ordered a large roll online from DIY Upholstery Supply. I got 100 feet for $14.00, plus shipping. This site is a great resource for all things upholstery!

In this picture you can see how I stapled the trim around the edge. Then I stapled a little batting at the edge of the trim. Then I applied the ply grip.

This stuff "bites" so be careful. It comes with little holes in it so that you can use upholstery nails, but I just use my pneumatic stapler and staple it on, making sure that the edge of the ply grip is pushed tight against the piping. You only apply it along the top of the chair and about 1-2" down the side. It is very flexible and very easily follows the "lines" of the chair...whether it is curved or straight!

I attached the back fabric along the BOTTOM first. I used upholstery cardboard tack strip to get a nice crisp line. Then I stretched the fabric to the top and shoved it into the ply grip with a putty knife. Start in the middle and work you way to the edges...keep the fabric pulled tight as you work it into the ply grip.

After you have the fabric pushed down into the ply grip, make sure there is no fabric ABOVE the depth of the grip...if there is, just trim it off. Then take a hammer or rubber mallet and tap the ply grip shut. I would STRONGLY suggest putting a piece of scrap fabric between the hammer and the chair as you tap it shut.

As I mentioned earlier, lighter weight fabrics can pose a few problems when used as upholstery. Duck cloth does fairly well with the stress of the tugging and pulling and stapling...but occasionally even it might have a little "tear." I had this happen on the edge of this chair back. A tiny bit of the ply poked through. The only thing I could do (besides start over and that wasn't happening) was dab it with a little upholstery glue to keep it from tearing any more...and then I used a black sharpie to "hide" the little problem. (Again, I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL!)

Before using ply grip, I strongly recommend spending a little time online googling as many tutorials as you can on how to apply it. You may be totally confused by my instructions...but completely understand another! It really isn't that difficult and seriously makes a huge difference!

"Professional upholsters" use metal tacking strip to fold over the outside edges on the back...not me. I just fold them over and use fabric glue. Probably not the smartest thing to do, but for me it is the easiest...and it holds!

After the top is done, I tackle the seat. In my opinion it is a tad easier. Just lay the fabric on the seat and make sure you have enough all the way around to staple it to the underside of the seat frame. You will have to cut slits on the corners to work around frame, but again, patience...take your time. And keep your fabric pulled tight before you staple. When working with a seat, whether it is a project like this or a simple dining room seat, it is always best to attach your fabric on all four sides FIRST...just put 2-3 staples in the middle of each side, and then start working your way towards the legs.

Also...PAY ATTENTION TO THE DIRECTION OF YOUR FABRIC!! Make sure it is all running in the right direction. I used this damask on another project and discovered that I had applied it "upside down" on the seat. And one time I worked real hard to get a peacock smack dab in the middle of the seat of a chair...only to discover that it was upside down. Frustrating. So check and double check before you start pounding in the staples!

After my seat was completely covered, I edged the entire thing with trim...then I added a simple black fabric to the underside to hide all the innards. I use a cardboard edging on the front of the chair just to get a nice crisp line and then folded the fabric and stapled on the sides and back.

Remember what we started with way back when....

And this is what we have today! Amazing....

Before and After....

This truly is a "trash to treasure!" Now you know why I wanted to rescue the poor little thing!

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WHATEVER soup....

Hopefully we are in the last few weeks of this winter deep freeze. But there is still time to make a few crock pots of soup to warm your tummies!

Today I posted my "WHATEVER" soup recipe...when you see it, you'll get it!

Enjoy!

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Paint your front door...the right way!

Thank goodness I got this chore done last week when it was in the 60s. Yesterday we had rain, sleet, ice, snow AND thunder...all in a thirty minute span. And then MORE ice, sleet and snow. I am sooooo ready for spring this year!

When I bought this house, I had a plain ole' metal "builder" grade door. I hated that thing. Not only was it ugly and had zero character, but I might as well have had a window open on cold windy days. Miserable.

So years ago I bought and installed an awesome fiberglass "mission style" door. You could buy the little shelf thingy that went under the window, but I liked the simplicity of it without the shelf! It has a "fake" wood grain on both the interior and exterior sides. I love that it lets a tad of light in, and I am able to see who is at my door without having to install an ugly peep hole. I removed the entire frame of the existing door and bought and installed this "prehung" door. "Pre-hung" doors come in the frame and you just slip it into the existing framing...sounds easy, huh? New frame, trim and exterior brick mold...lots of foam insulation...and this puppy is air tight!

I painted it black. Occasionally I get a bug and contemplate painting it a bright funky color...maybe a pretty teal color. But my home exterior is a very "traditional" red brick, so I decided to stick with a traditional color....black. Blah, I know...

But over the years, colors tend to fade...and doors get a lot of wear and tear. People may never see your laundry room or bathroom or closet...but they will see your front door EVERY time! Keep it in good shape!

This Christmas I put one of those "rub on" decals that said "Merry Christmas" across the door. When I peeled it off a few chips of paint came with it. No biggy...the door needed to be painted anyway! Perfect opportunity to go with a bright funky color...right?

Nope. Black. Again. I'm boring, I know!

So today I am going to share with you how to freshen up your front door...whether you stick with a blah color or decide to go with bright and funky! Makes no difference. (I say go with the bright funky!)

Usually I paint interior doors and trim with oil-based paints but I decided to go with a latex interior-exterior paint. No earth shattering reason....just did. I bought a premixed black because black is a really tough color to have custom mixed and besides...I just want plain ole' black.

Before you start painting, make sure you give the door a good cleaning...if nothing more than a wipe down with a damp lint free cloth to get the dust off. Scrub with water and a mild detergent if it is really dirty. Just make sure you wipe it down with clear water to remove the detergent residue! Paint will not stick to some soap/cleaner residues and it will not stick to oils and dirt!

The first thing I had to do was deal with the "chips" from the decal. If you just paint the entire door, chips and all, the chips are still going to "show" through. The best way to deal with that is lightly "sand" the spot with steel wool to feather out the edges a tiny bit.

Then take a small brush and dab a little paint over the area. Don't "glob".... just kind of "prime" the area with a coat of paint.

If you have rust on a steel door, you need to sand the rusted area smooth, wipe it with mineral spirits and then prime it with a primer specifically designed to seal the rust BEFORE you paint. Ask...they have it!

This is also a good time to remove any old kick plates, door knockers and such you might want to get rid of. Just remove them, fill any holes with wood filler, let it dry, then sand and prime. This may add a little time to the process, but this is the time to do it!

Some kick plates and knockers are applied with adhesives...just pop them off and then use mineral spirits to remove the adhesive stuck on the door.

And of course, if the door is "raw wood" or has never been painted, you will want to use a good exterior primer on the entire door before applying your paint! You will want to tape BEFORE you do this!

Tape off any windows, peep holes, hinges, knobs, etc. I have found the green "Frog" tape is totally awesome. A little more expensive than regular ole' masking tape, but really worth it in the long run.

TAPE OFF THE HINGES! Nothing is uglier than painted hinges...unless they have already been painted...then whatever! Easiest way to tape a hinge is to lay a piece of tape over the entire hinge, then take your utility knife (with a VERY sharp blade) and trim the hinge...presto! Also, make sure you run a piece of tape down the edges of the door you won't be painting...that way you don't risk making a mess on the inside white edge of your door when you are painting the outside that funky bright color!!!

TIP!!! I see people make this glaring mistake ALL the time. What color do you paint the edges of the door, if the front and back are two different colors? Here is the rule...stand directly in front of the side of the door you are painting and open your door a tad....the edge you see should be painted the same color as the side you are painting.

Example...if I am standing outside looking at the outside of my door while it is open, I see the "hinge edge." Therefore, the hinge edge is to be the same color as the front of my door. If I am standing on the inside, facing the inside of the door, I see the "latch edge." Therefore the latch edge would be the same color as the inside of my door.

This "rule" applies to all doors...paint or stain...interior or exterior! Hope that makes sense!

Not a huge biggy for me because I have painted all the interior doors black...but I used oil base on the inside, so I taped off the edge.

ANOTHER TIP! I know I have probably posted this tip before, but it bares repeating. When opening a new can of paint, stain or finish, take a small nail and a hammer and punch little holes along the INSIDE rim of the open can. That way, when you pour the paint or wipe your brush on the edge, any paint that settles in the rim will drip back down into the can, rather than end up on your face and walls when you hammer the lid back on. And it keeps paint from gumming up on the edge and making it impossible to open the can again in the future!

Okay, so the door is clean, the "chips" and rust are primed, everything is taped off, and we are ready to paint.

There are several good references on the web as to "how to" paint a door...which direction to brush or roll. The best advice I can give is ALWAYS paint WITH the grain! In my case, my doors all have "fake" grains. Not all doors do, and if yours does not, you can use this reference I found here...

For ALL doors, especially "flat" doors with no grain, I highly recommend the 4" sponge rollers. I use a brush to get in the corners and such, but then I go back and roll as much as I can. Brushes are good, and a good brush can make a world of different. But the little foam rollers leave a nice "smooth" finish. And remember, latex paints dry a LOT faster than oil-based, so the paint doesn't have a lot of time to "level"...in other words, smooth out on it's own. If you leave brush strokes, there is a good chance they will be there when the paint dries.

And the REALLY awesome thing...sponge rollers are cheap and you can toss them rather than clean them!

Again, I always add a little Floetrol additive to latex paints (Penetrol for oil-based) just to help the paint go on a little smoother!

Now paint! Follow the chart if you have to, but again, go with the grain!

I only had to put one coat on my door since I wasn't changing the color. If you are changing your color or the door has never been painted, you need to put on two coats! Follow the direction on the paint for dry time!

TIP: When painting doors, or anything you have taped off, CAREFULLY remove the tape while the paint is still wet. I usually do this right after I clean my brush. If you wait until the paint dries, you risk "peeling" the paint off the surface. Huge mess...just trust me!

And there you have it! A fresh front door ready for that spring decor...provided it ever warms up again!

Check out the tutorial HERE on how to paint your address on your front door...the RIGHT way!

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Coming soon!!!

I thought I would give you a sneak peek at what I am working on this week to feature.

A freshly painted front door....

A facelift for an old chair....

I try to post on Mondays and Thursday so check back in this week!!!

We have winter weather moving back in so not sure how much I can get done...but I have a few projects in queue so there is always something fun to share. See you soon!