Do you have an old swivel office chair lying around your home that you don’t use anymore? If so, how about giving it a new life by upcycling the old one into something more modern and chic.
In this article, we will show how to do just that – how to upcycle a swivel office chair.
Here are Some Things Needed for the Project:
- Old Office Chair (or another type).
- Utility Knife or Jigsaw with extra blades (extra saw blades optional if wanted).
- Straight Edge Ruler/Tape Measurer/Utility Square.
- Rotary Tool Kit including Dremel Multi-Max Plus QMT201 Saw Blade Attachment and Carving Bit Set
- Table Saw – Metal Cutting Blade (optional)
- Drill and drill bits
- Screws, bolts, nuts, etc. for reassembly of the chair with new parts as needed.
Step by Step How to Upcycle a swivel Office Chair
Step 1. Mark one end of the seat with a pen or pencil before removing any slats/springs from it. This makes lining up all the pieces easier once you are done cutting them out.
You can also remove one side panel at a time if that’s more convenient than flipping over the whole piece after every cut so you don’t have to line anything back up again later on in assembly when everything is cut out already.
Step 2. Using your utility knife or craft blade, cut away the upholstery foam and fabric covering the seat. The thicker your craft knife is (the ability to get into tight spaces), the faster you will be able to cut all of it out.
Set aside any piece that contains springs or can’t be removed without cutting through them, as these will not work for this project.
Step 3. Remove screws from underneath where necessary and set screws off to the side so they are easy to grab when ready for reassembly.
Step 4. Cut a hole in one end of each slat/spring using a utility knife so that there is an opening large enough for your drill bit attachment on top with no interference from other pieces before removing slats/springs from the chair frame near the opening.
Step 5. Install the drill attachment first into the hole in one of the slats/springs and then use a power saw or other appropriate tool to cut through any metal pieces on your chair frame near where you are drilling, as they will be interfering with how far down you can go.
Step 6. Use a hammer wrench to unscrew bolts securing remaining slats/springs from inside of the chair frame. You may have to remove screws from underneath the chair beforehand so that everything is loose enough to come out without difficulty.
Step 7. When removing springs/slats, keep them grouped by how many holes there are in each piece – this way it will be easier when reassembling your chair.
Step 8. Replace the springs/slats with a piece of plywood or other appropriate material from the home improvement store.
Make sure you use some kind of padding so that when someone sits on it they don’t feel how sharp all those edges are.
Step 9. Attach new slats/springs to the inside frame using bolts, and put everything back together as before – make sure not to forget any screws!
If there is still wear in certain areas (probably near where people sit), then just reinforce this area by attaching additional pieces of wood across these problem spots. If there has been heavy damage, consider replacing only those parts instead of reassembling the entire thing again.
How do you Repaint an Office Chair?
Step 1. Remove the seat and back from your office chair
Step 2. Paint it how you’d like, or even try a stencil!* If painting is not an option, consider adding new upholstery to update your look.
Step 3. Replace the seat and back onto your newly painted swivel chair
This furniture makeover will have you sitting pretty in no time at all!
Is there Fabric Spray Paint?
Fabric spray paint is a great option for upcycled furniture projects. Using fabric spray paint will give the fabric an even, consistent finish and it’s durable enough to use indoors or outdoors!
The best part about using fabric spray paint on your project is how easy it is to remove if you need to make changes in the future. Just simply peel off any areas where you sprayed with no residue left behind.
How do you Revamp an old Office Chair?
Step 1. Grab an office chair from a thrift store.
Step 2. Wipe off any dust, dirt or grime with a damp cloth and some dish soap.
Step 3. Make sure you use some kind of padding so that when someone sits on it they don’t feel how sharp all those edges are.
If you are still not feeling confident about how to reassemble, take it to a home improvement store for assistance.
Step 4. Finally, use some polyurethane or another kind of sealant/finish on all the new wood pieces that have been added.* This will ensure everything is sealed and protected from dust and grime – PLUS give your swivel chair an extra bit of shine!