Error loading player:

No playable sources found

Chair Turned Shelf

5 Materials

2 Hours

Medium

Have on old chair you don't want anymore? Before tossing it out you might want to consider repurposing it into a shelf! A ladder back chair makes for a perfect towel holder, while the seat works as a great storage space! This chair turned shelf works great in a bathroom or kitchen and can be made with a few quick steps! By simply cutting the chair a bit and adding some hanging hooks, you can create a fun

SUPPLIES:

-Ladder Back Chair

-Circle Saw

-Sanding Block (I have a sander pictured, but ended up using a simpler tool)

-Screwdriver

-Spray Paint

-Wall Hanging Hardware

Links to materials at the bottom of the post.

STEP 1: Measure the shelf

Decide how deep you would like the shelf portion of your shelf to be and draw an even line across the seat of the chair as a guide.

STEP 2: Saw the chair

Use a circular saw to cut across the seat of the chair all the way through. I like this Black & Decker saw; it's pretty cheap compared to others, and it does a great job. Also, I tend to saw a lot of stuff, and this is a great tool to have.

STEP 3: Saw off the legs

Cut off the back legs of the chair as close to the seat as possible. At this point the entire back of the chair should be separate from the front.

STEP 4: Take off cross beams

If you have cross beams on your chair you can remove them with a screw driver. Chairs can be constructed differently so you may have to remove them with a saw if necessary. Set these aside as you can use them later as a sort of bracket.

STEP 5 (optional): Paint your chair

If you wish, you can paint your chair pieces the color of your choice at this point. (Remember to paint the rails if you are using them.) I used Rustoleum's Universal Spray Paint in Matte Robin's Egg. It's a beautiful color, and it goes on evenly.

STEP 6 (optional): Get a distressed look

Once your paint has dried, use a sanding block to rough up the edges of the chair pieces and allow the wood color to peak through from underneath. This is a distressed look, and it gives it more of a farmhouse appearance.

STEP 7: Attach hanging hooks

Now you can attach some hanging hooks to the back of your shelves. For the top piece of the chair you will attach them to the edge of the seat where you cut through.

For the bottom chair piece you will attach the hooks to the back of the chair seat.

STEP 8: Screw the bracket back in

Take the chair rails you cut earlier and using wood glue and screws, screw them to the shelves so they will rest against the wall when hung. These will serve as brackets, so that they rest evenly and the front of the shelf doesn't fall forward.

STEP 9: Add L brackets (optional)

Because the bottom portion of the chair-turned-shelf was cut with a wider shelf, the rail bracket was not strong enough to bear the weight. So I added two actual brackets to the bottom of the chair and painted them to match. You may need brackets for either shelf depending on the weight of your chair and how far it rests away from the wall.

STEP 10: Hang your shelf and rack

Now simply hang your shelves and fill them up as you wish!

If you set the shelves one above the other they, make for a cute make-shift bar/prep space in the kitchen! You could also hang a mirror from the ladder rungs of the top shelf and make it a vanity!

These shelves are perfect for towels to hang from, but can really be used for a multitude of things!

We want to help you DIY, so some of the materials in this post are linked to sellers. Just so you know, Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.

#repurpose #rustic #shelf #homedecor

8 questions

Tracy Wishom
on Feb 7, 2017
I don't have a question either,only that its so darn cute. I thought about something similar, but I thought about using a child's plastic chair (the one's they sell in the dollar stores) But yours is a piece of art....LOVE IT!
8
Answer this
- Pat Brinkley Spencer
  on Feb 7, 2017
  Agree, this is so cute and original! If I could fit it, one would be in my bathroom. Bet you could sell a ton of these at a flea market.
  6
  Reply
- Julia Johnson Black
  on Feb 8, 2017
  Pat Brinkley Spencer, this would be awesome in a larger bathroom for hand towels and washcloths. What a great idea. Amanda C, this re-purpose is awesome.
  3
  Reply
- Marcia
  on Feb 8, 2017
  Fabulous DYI!!!! Such great directions l feel like I could do ! Many thanks,arcia
  3
  Reply
- Chilly661
  on Feb 8, 2017
  Ditto Tracy! I agree... this is sooo dang cute. I'm already looking for a space to hang one myself!
  1
  Reply
- Sma19178119
  on Feb 9, 2017
  I saw a show on the Western Channel where the lead actress kept her chairs hanging on the wall. She had kept Jack Nickerson from being hung by marrying him. I thought it was ingenious for multiple reasons. More floor space. KEEP CLIMBING GRANDKIDS FROM USING A CHAIR TO GET IN "Danger Zones". Functional and just plain Cool. I LOVE THIS PROJECT JUST AS MUCH!!
  Like
  Reply
- Sma19178119
  on Feb 9, 2017
  I saw a show on the Western Channel where the lead actress kept her chairs hanging on the wall. She had kept Jack Nickerson from being hung by marrying him. I thought it was ingenious for multiple reasons. More floor space. KEEP CLIMBING GRANDKIDS FROM USING A CHAIR TO GET IN "Danger Zones". Functional and just plain Cool. I LOVE THIS PROJECT JUST AS MUCH!!
  1
  Reply
- Hum3481597
  on Feb 24, 2017
  This is how the Amish do it,,,they hang the chairs on the wall,,,more room it the house!
  2
  Reply
- Kba27697237
  on Sep 3, 2017
  Yes the Amish. If only they fed their horses.....🤷‍♀️
  Like
  Reply
Cathy
on Feb 7, 2017
Can you give the height of the 'table' portion, please? GREAT job!
7
Answer this
- Ann
  on Feb 7, 2017
  It looks like a bar stool so it may be about 32 inches, in case she doesn't see your question.
  1
  Reply
- Wil Hurd
  on Feb 8, 2017
  Looks like just regular chair height.
  2
  Reply
- Caryl
  on Feb 8, 2017
  A regular chair would be about 18" seat height
  1
  Reply
- Betty
  on Feb 8, 2017
  18" seat height is right.
  Like
  Reply
- Loyce March
  on Feb 9, 2017
  The point is to recycle an old wood chair. Size and shape do not matter
  1
  Reply
- Amanda C, Hometalk Team
  on Feb 11, 2017
  Ahhh sorry to be getting back to you so late! It was a strange height. It is slightly taller than a regular chair, but shorter than a standard bar stool. The seat was up 24" from the floor.
  1
  Reply
- Cherylbeatrice
  on Oct 1, 2017
  This is really cool you could go to a thrift stool and buy a bar height stool and get a higher table. The lower height would be like a bench height which can be nice for a shelf too.
  1
  Reply
ShelbyNeen
on Oct 1, 2017
Could this be used without the added leg in the center?
7
Answer this
- Sabrena Patterson
  on Oct 1, 2017
  I think you need that to keep it level. But you could paint it to match your wall and it would blend into the background.
  2
  Reply
- ShelbyNeen
  on Oct 1, 2017
  Well there's that.
  Like
  Reply
- Michael
  on Oct 1, 2017
  yes, you can. Those two L brackets, if you use the right size for weight purposes,will support the chair and keep it level.
  3
  Reply
- Heather
  on Oct 1, 2017
  Or omit that center leg & instead screw a 1x2 to the "shelf" part in the back and the wall.
  4
  Reply
- ShelbyNeen
  on Oct 2, 2017
  Great ideas Matasura1mp & Heather. As you can probably tell I'm interested but not as savvy.
  Like
  Reply
- Wilma Castillo
  on Oct 2, 2017
  why not use the other 2 legs from the back of the chair for the table?I do like the idea and am going to try this.Thanks
  
  3
  Reply
- Beverly Johns
  on Nov 22, 2017
  This is really nice. When you make yours post a picture with all 4 legs 🙂
  Like
  Reply
Weazie
on Oct 1, 2017
What a cute idea! Loved the video and the music, too! What was the music you used in your video?
0
Answer this
Poo10044636
on Oct 1, 2017
No question..
Only that you have used the "whole" chair. That's the way to go!
OUTSTANDING!
Lovely color too, by the way.
0
Answer this
Geo
on Oct 2, 2017
Why not mount the back upright instead of upside down?
4
Answer this
- S. McManus
  on Oct 2, 2017
  The way it was done gives an edge to the top shelf. Much handier that way.
  6
  Reply
- Linda Harp
  on Oct 2, 2017
  ...and it moves the rungs away from the wall enough to be able to hang towels or whatever. I thought you could use it either way... maybe like you said and mirror could rest on that shelf. It's a creative idea. I like it
  5
  Reply
- Christine Cajigas
  on Jul 27, 2018
  Very very creative, I love it!!
  Like
  Reply
- She33821235
  on Oct 6, 2018
  The tip shelf wouldn't be a TOP shelf if hung the other way😊
  
  Like
  Reply
Mar14176411
on Oct 4, 2017
beautiful, I'm new at 'repurpasing new creations' I have some imagination, but I've been wondering...do you use a circular saw for cutting just about everything up?..I have drill & sander..but nothing to do the cutting furniture..pieces of wood up...thank you...appreciate your feedback
1
Answer this
- Susan
  on Oct 17, 2017
  I was a NEWBIE also Marie - I got a small 4-1/2 in circular saw (see pic) for $80 +/- (Walmart and Lowes) - 2x4's, plywood, etc. etc. no problems.
  
  Next I'm getting a Kreg Pocket Hole Jig... if you get only one thing a month... you will have a decent "work bench" in no time - do research.
  
  And I just got a 24 in level and a 8 ft. ladder (online-used) - to help me work on my 10 ft. high walls --- I'm about DONE!
  Like
  Reply
Jackie
on Jun 10, 2018
how do you hang these shelves on the wall? I don't see what is making them stay there! thank you
2
Answer this
- Linda Premo
  on Jul 5, 2018
  His Jackie,
  She shows on Step 7 how and where she is attaching the wall hangers.
  If you look closely you can see the small metal U-shaped wall hangers. ☺️
  1
  Reply
- Debra Jaramillo Roybal
  on Jan 24, 2019
  Read step 7
  Like
  Reply