Building a recliner is not an easy task. There are many steps to the process and it can be difficult for someone who has never done anything like this before. The instructions that follow will guide you through how to build a hale air recliner from scratch!
Steps on Building a Hale Air Recliner
Step One: The first thing you need to do is measure how much fabric you will need for the back and arms of your chair. To do this, take a tape measure string from one side of the armhole to the other end of the recliner (the front).
Mark that length on your yardstick or ruler, then folds the yardstick in half and make a mark on the other side of that line. That will be how much fabric you need for one arm piece, so add how many arm pieces your chair has to figure out how much material is needed.
Step Two: Lay the fabric flat with wrong sides together and measure up from each short edge (the side you just marked how much fabric to cut) so that it is half of the measurement on your yardstick or ruler.
Step Three: Cut out two pieces of fabric, sew one side seam and leave the other open (to turn inside out), then hem both long edges with a rolled hemstitch.
Step Four: Lay them wrong sides together, line up the raw edges, and pin.
Step Five: Sew them together.
Step Six: Turn inside out (use a safety pin to help turn corners) then iron flat. The last step is how to sew it onto your chair!
What is a Hale Air Recliner?
A Hale Air Recliner is a specially designed furniture piece that allows someone to recline without the use of their hands. It features an inflatable pad which, when inflated, supports your back and you can adjust how much support it provides by how hard you press on the air pump.
Features of Hale Air Recliner
This chair also has arm pads for comfort and how to adjust how much of your arm the pads cover.
The chair is designed with a removable cable that allows you to connect it to an external air pump, but most people choose not to run this cable and use a battery-operated air pump instead which can be powered by eight D-cell batteries or one 12V car adapter.
How to Care for Hale Air Recliner
#1. The pads on the chair should be regularly deflated and aired out so they don’t get moldy.
#2. Some people also use a vacuum cleaner hose to inflate them from an external air pump, but this may take longer than using your hand. The straps that hold the chair together need to be tightened every few weeks and the chair should be flipped upside down and shaken to remove dirt.
How to Fix a Hale Air Recliner Mechanism
This is easy to fix. All you need a screwdriver, pliers, and needle-nose pliers.
First, loosen the pressure valve by turning it counterclockwise with your hand or a screwdriver. Next, unscrew the tension rod from the air chamber then use needle-nose pliers to remove any dirt that has accumulated in the mechanism.
Then screw the tension rod back into the air chamber and tighten it with your hand or a screwdriver. If you tightened it too much, loosen it by turning it clockwise again. You can now close up the chair and inflate as normal!
Steps to Flatten an Air Mattress
Step 1. Unzip mattress and inflate
Step 2. Lay on the mattress and pull your knees into your chest, rocking back and forth for a couple of minutes or so until it’s flat.
Step 3. Let the air out of one side then use an object (like a large book) to stand vertically in the corner that is still inflated
Step 4. Release pressure from another end, watch for an object to fall, repeat.
Step 5. Deflate mattress and let it cool down before storing
How do You Deep Clean a Dirty Recliner?
Apply a heavy-duty upholstery cleaner to the fabric
Work in small sections and lightly scrub with an old toothbrush until all dirt has been removed. Allow it to dry before you use it again.
For more stubborn stains, try using a carpet cleaning solution mixed with water on your recliner; then wipe off excess solution with a clean dry cloth
If the fabric is worn or stained to the point where it can’t be saved, you may want to contact an upholstery shop and have a new one made
Tips for how to clean and care for your recliner:
#1. Make sure it cools down before storing. Mold and mildew can develop, which may lead to permanent damage or staining of the fabric if stored damp.
#2. When not in use, keep the chair covered with an old sheet or plastic.
#3. Vacuum the chair with a brush attachment every month, and clean the recliner’s slipcovers as needed (every three months if they can’t be washed).
#4. Clean the upholstery with a foam-free, PH-balanced shampoo.