I need to sit down
July 12, 2013 3:47 PM   Subscribe

The plastic weaves on our patio chairs are broken - PHOTOS. The aluminum frames are in good shape though. Is there any cost effective way to replace the seats and backs on these chairs. It seems a waste to throw them out and buy new ones. It does not need to be a weave; we would be just as happy with some type of "sling" fabric.
posted by The Architect to Home & Garden (5 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Anyway you can weave new parachute cord in at the weak spots? I think it could come out pretty, but then I hate it when things match, so YMMV.
posted by small_ruminant at 4:17 PM on July 12, 2013


Is DIY okay?
Weaving some webbing like here should be fairly easy to do.
Or put in fabric like in this beach chair.
posted by travelwithcats at 4:33 PM on July 12, 2013


From the pictures, it looks like the key is going to be whether the chair is made from solid or hollow metal. If it's hollow, then you may be able to drill for rivets (the way I'd go) or screws to anchor the ends of new webbing or fabric. If it is solid, as I'm afraid it may be, there is a chance you may still be able to drill for rivets, but if not, the fabric or webbing will need to be attached to itself after looping around the frame. This will be more challenging, but it can be done via sewing or possibly clamping, though at that point it may be a wash as to whether it will be any less labor-intensive than reweaving.
posted by gimli at 6:45 AM on July 13, 2013


Response by poster: Thanks for your replies. I did find a place that seems to sell the supplies I would need: LINK. Now I need to decide if this is something I could successfully do. I am sure that a machine did all of the original weaving.

I will definitely buy patio furniture with replaceable slings in the future. That would be a much easier DIY project.
posted by The Architect at 11:12 AM on July 14, 2013


What about using macrame to redo the seats? My grandmother and aunts redid a bunch of falling apart lawn chairs using that technique, and it has the added benefit of being way more comfortable than the flat, wide webbing. The curved tops on your chairs might prove extra-challenging for an already time-intensive fix, but no rivets needed!
posted by dormouse at 9:58 AM on July 15, 2013


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