Chair's more where that came from!

Every once and a while you will find a piece that you will take one look at and immediately say "Yes! I need that!" Then your brain will automatically start thinking of all the wonderful possibilities that can be produced. This happens to me all the time. I blame my lack of impulse control. Fortunately, my logical side kicks in and analyzes the worth and expense. 

HLT: Always consider the cost of renovation of said item before you purchase. Even if you have no idea what it will cost, overestimate your materials cost and then add that to the price of the item. You do not want to buy a $100 chair and then have to spend another $100 in materials. Buy low so that you will not feel bad about buying that $40.00/yd fabric later. This also helps you stay within your budget.

Here is a pair of chairs that I picked up for 25.00/pr. That's 12.50 a piece. ALWAYS NEGOTIATE. The worst that can happen is that the seller says no. If you are shy about asking just keep this in mind. Most sellers EXPECT to negotiate, so you will not offend them just for asking. If they are firm on the price, then they will tell you so.

 I love the Metal and Wood matchup when it comes to furniture. While most metal pieces usually require specific tools to work with, wood can usually be changed with a wide variety of tools. So you want to look for pieces that have good bones. I.E. Look for seats that are easy to remove, legs that are intact and sturdy (although sometimes this can be remedied with proper hardware.)

 First disassemble. Take off all screws and remove all wood pieces. Then give the piece a good sanding. I used 60 grit paper to get the rust spots that happen on most metal pieces naturally, over time. You could also use a wire brush on a drill but I usually reserve this for large areas of rust.

Once sanded wipe clean, getting all particles off your piece, and let dry.

 Then Spray Paint! Love this step. I used Krylon Fusion Hammered Finish Black. It gives an amazing finish. I didn't get a picture so I will give you a link to Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Krylon-K02531000-Plastic-Hammered-12-Ounce/dp/B0015WCTMO/ref=sr_1_1_m?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1417547518&sr=1-1&keywords=krylon+fusion+hammered

1/2 inch plywood is used for the seat base. I chose not to use the original base because 1 was broken and they were super thick, so putting staples into it would have been a giant pain. So once I made a template using the metal base of the chair, all that was needed was to get my earplugs and use my circular saw to cut them out. You could use a jigsaw

Make sure that you sand the edges of your form to avoid, both, splinters and sharp points that would snag your fabric.

Here is my secret to stuffing: RECYCLE. It is perfectly fine to use foam and batting to make your cushions, but it can get pricey. So consider this: pillows are both preformed and stuffed, taking most of the work out of it already. I found these two pillows at the thrift store for 3 dollars, took them home and cleaned them up and I have a ready made form to use over my board.

Rummage through the scrap and clearance sections of your local fabric store for great prices on smaller bits. No shortage of Fabulous colors and prints. Geometric patterns just speak to me.

Iron first! Then lay your fabric out and get to stapling! Sides first, moving from middle to outsides and do the corners last. Then reattach to base using the screws that came with it. Pre-drill your holes!

HLT: If you change the width of your base, as I did, be sure to measure the width of the new base and frame so that your screws are not too long. Unless you prefer to use your new seat as a torture device, I recommend using screws that will not poke through.

Now it was time to paint the top! Sanding, cleaning, drying as per usual, then spray paint two coats of paint. Again, I chose Krylon Fusion but in a deep satin blue. Of course, Clear Coat.

Reassemble! And enjoy! See how cushiony using the pillows made them? They are not thin at all.