Paper Chair? Easy Upcycled Furniture Fix
Our dogs are at it again and their latest victims are our living room chairs. So I decided to experiment and see if I could fix them and if you know me you know it can get a little crazy.
I had repaired theses chairs once before after the cats clawed through the original vinyl finish. My first fix lasted about 4 years but now it is time for a new idea.
It is a very simple process and only takes a few supplies.
Step 1 - Strip off old finish and clean up excess dust and glue. This step got me back to the original beat up vinyl finish.
Step 2 - Tear brown packing paper into small pieces and use Mod Podge to attach the paper to the chair.
Step 3 - Once Mod Podge is dry use a brown gel pen or permanent marker to re-draw the stitch lines.
Step 4 - This is where the magic happens well at least in my opinion. I used my fingers to apply a layer of shoe polish to the paper giving it a faux leather look.
Step 5 - Once the shoe polish has set for a bit, the last step is to seal it with another thin coat of mod podge. I let mine sit overnight.
You might be thinking. "What a stupid and non-durable way to refinish your chairs." You may be right, but as I said, I like to experiment, and I can only report that the finish didn't tear the first time the puppies jumped on it. And I am not worried because I have more packing paper anyway. :-)
You can find more details for this project in the attached video.
I also did a similar technique to cover up some ugly ceiling tiles if you would like more details on this project you can check them out here.
Thanks for taking a look at my project. If you would like more upcycling project DIY's or Green Product Reviews please visit Upcycle Design Lab or Youtube channel to subscribe.
Happy Upcycling,
Cindy
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Iami S. Badu on Jun 11, 2022
I absolutely love this idea!! What a novel way to recycle old furniture that still has lots of character, but the exterior is shoddy. This is a terrific way to beautify without costing a fortune like reupholstery. And if your dogs can sit on it without it tearing, then it must be pretty sturdy. Looking forward to trying this. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
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Winnie HernandezGallegos on Aug 08, 2022
I'll try this, thank you for sharing. I'm a small person and can't find comfy chairs I can sit and touch the floor simultaneously. I have one last one I must preserve! Thank you!
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Frequently asked questions
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How does the Mod Podge react to humidity? Does it get sticky?
Great video.Thanks
Sandra
that is truly WOW ! Amazing. And that stuff hold up???? Gotta try it ! Thanks for sharing
Puppies? If those 2 fur faces are puppies, I wonder how big they might get when they grow up! LOL. I love your project, I mean what have you got to lose? Otherwise, your chair would get tossed on the rubbish heap? It's so rewarding to experiment with techniques that cost next to nothing and end up with something unique. One thing though: I may have tried a final coat of something like Polycrylic, or a marine grade varnish for a tougher finish. But your project is great. I love it.