How to Fix Sagging Patio Chairs: Describe Easy Ways. Learning how to fix sagging patio chairs is almost an essential skill if you have outdoor furniture, whether it’s under a gazebo or left fully exposed to the elements. After all, constantly being exposed to weather elements means the furniture gets damaged easier and quicker than their indoor counterparts. Also, if you catch and repair the damage early enough, you can keep your patio chairs for longer.
Nevertheless, this is likely the first time you’ve noticed the signs of wear and tear. As such, it’s understandable that you may not have the know-how to fix it. Depending on which type of patio chair you have, the following steps will help you to fix it.
How to fix a sagging chair cushion
If your patio chairs have cushions, they will likely be the first components to deteriorate. After all, these have to bear your weight day in day out. Your indoor couch is no exception.
The sagging happens because the materials inside the cushions have deteriorated over time, and it can be one of the easiest things to fix. First, you’ll have to remove the material inside the cushion cover, and in most instances, it will be foam.
As for the latter, you’ll take out the stitches on one end of the cushion case and pull out the insert as well. You’ll also need to buy foam and have it on standby while you’re taking out the inserts. You can then measure the inserts and cut pieces of foam that are the same size. You can attach the old insert by spray adhesive.
Then, place the firmer insert into the cushion cover. If you are able to remember the dimensions of your cushions before they became saggy, you can opt for the new insert. In this scenario, you can just buy and cut matching foam and use it to replace the old insert.
Before you place the cushion back on your patio chair, you will need to re-sew or zip the cushion cover. This is one of the more straightforward approaches, although there are other ways to go about it. It all depends on the extent and underlying problems.
Sometimes, the problem lies under the cushion. You can strengthen it with fitted plywood. Take the measurements of the seat and either cut the plywood yourself or get a professional’s help. Nevertheless, once you place it under your cushions, it should serve to prop them up some more.
Or, you can buy and attach sagging supports for your cushions to make it easier. The restoration will take only minutes. Users recommend the Furniture Fix six-set sagging chair support as it features a customizable fit and is easy to assemble thanks to the interlocking panels.
You can either add more springs to your cushions or replace some of the damaged ones. For this, you’ll likely need a professional’s help, and that can be costly. However, DIYers who are confident with their DIY skills can try it. You can also stuff Polyester fiberfill into your cushion covers. The cushions will firm up depending on how much you use.
How to repair a vinyl chair
Except for the repetition required when repairing a vinyl chair, everything else is fairly easy. If you have the right tools and equipment, it is possible to repair a vinyl chair yourself. First, you’ll need to get new vinyl straps. They are available on Amazon, and according to most reviewers, the LIUDA 2″ x20′ is an excellent replacement option for old, saggy vinyl straps. It is also extruded for outdoor use hence is perfect for fixing sagging patio chairs.
Next, you’ll need to remove the older straps. Each strap should be cut in half. Then, unwrap each end of the frame. Finally, you’ll have to remove the pegs inserted in the holes on the frame to free the old strap completely.
Measure the distance from one end of the frame to the other. We recommend wrapping the tape measure around the chair at least twice. Start your measurement at the peg hole and account for the peg hole on the other end of the frame as well. This information will guide you in how to cut your belt. That said, it’s always better to start by cutting a single piece and then putting it on the chair to see if it fits. After that, you can cut all the strips you need for the rest of the refurbishing process.
Punch holes on the ends of these straps, making sure you leave a bit of distance to the edge. This will prevent the straps from fraying under your weight. Also, soaking vinyl straps in hot water should loosen them up, which is necessary for the fitting process. After that, put the peg through the strap and then attach it to a hole on the frame. This should be the exact same hole as when you took out the old strap.
Most cases, this will be the part on the inside the frame. The strap should be wrapped around the metal, from the bottom to the top. Next, pull it to the other end of the chair. Once you get there, wrap the strap around the metal but be careful to avoid the hole. You can stretch the strap a bit to make this work.
The The end of your strap should be on the inside of your frame. Once you’ve done this, pull the free end of the strap to the hole and then attach it using a peg. The Now the strap is fastened, but it is not properly aligned. Pull the wrapped part over the hole and peg to make sure it is covered and that the strap is well aligned. After that, repeat this for all the other straps you’ve taken out of the patio chair.
How to fix a mesh-sling patio chair
Next, we tell you how to fix a mesh-sling patio chair. Although some of their designs may vary slightly, the process for fixing them is almost always the same. The frame and the mesh strap are the only main components of mesh-sling patio chairs. As such, the only reason for it to sag is if the mesh sling is old and has seen its fair share of wear and tear.
It is possible to get rid of the old mesh and replace it by a newer one. For this, start by taking chair measurements before you even set a date for the repair project. This is because you need a new mesh sling, and if you order from Amazon, it should take a few days to arrive at your doorstep.
You need to measure both the width as well as the length. For the former, start at the rail center on one end of the chair and stretch the tape measure to the other rail center. Also, note that some options don’t feature equal width at the top and the bottom of the chair. Consequently, measuring the width independently for both these sections is highly encouraged.
Lengthwise, start at either the top or bottom of the mesh sling and measure to the opposite end. Be sure to account for the curvature of the chair while doing this; otherwise, you’ll order a smaller mesh sling than you need. A pro tip is that you should always order slightly larger mesh slings, so you have extra material to work with.
On the D-day, start by separating the sling rails from the rest of the chair, as it’ll make your work easier. For this, you may need to unfasten some screws. Next, follow up by cutting the old mesh-sling from top to bottom. The This is also a good time to remove tension bars.
Then locate and remove the caps from the ends. This should allow you to pull the spline and the attached mesh sling out of the rail. If this is too difficult to do with your hands, get a pair of pliers as it’ll make your work easier. After that, a new paint job may be required as part of the chair’s restoration.
Then, cut the new sling to the right dimensions. That said, you might want to leave an extra inch in length and two additional inches in width. This allows you to fold back the material half an inch on the top and bottom before sewing so it can have a neater outlook.
As for the width, you’ll need to fold the edges on the sides of the material back an inch before sewing. The This channel will be where the spline is to go. The Awning Cord Chair spline option has been recommended by previous users as an excellent spline replacement for this part of the process since it is both durable and flexible. Slide the spline, along with the new mesh, through the channels in both rails.
Remember to replace the rail caps after you’re done. The next step is to screw the rails back onto your chair frame. This will increase tension between the rails. You can then re-instate your tension bars. To make sure these bars go back to being straight, you might have to use a rubber mallet to beat them into shape. Tighten the screws again, and the chair should be good enough to sit on again.
How to restore a patio zero gravity recliner
Zero gravity recliners are also popular purchases that end up on the patio, and just like the other chair types we mentioned above, they may start to sag after long periods of use. They might look a bit similar to mesh sling chairs but are different in how they’re made.
For one, they recline and are therefore better options for relaxations. Next, they use a fabric sitting surface that doesn’t stretch.
If you’re wondering how they end up sagiing, the answer is that they are attached to the frame of the seat using elastic cords. It is these cords that will deteriorate over time and eventually lead to sagging. This, of course, makes your course of action clear if you want to correct the problem.
Once the purchase arrives, you can go to your patio and take out the elastic cords holding your chair together. If you have no more use for them, you can use scissors to cut the ends and make the whole removal process easier.
After that, knot the new cord on the first buckle and ensure it’s tight enough to hold. Follow up by threading the cord through the first eyelet on the fabric of the seat and back to the second buckle. Keep doing this for as long as there are buckles and eyelets, all while maintaining the cord’s tightness. If you allow the chair to sag, it can cause further damage.
Once you reach the end of the cord, wrap it again on the buckle. Finally, squeeze the cord through the last eyelet one more time. Alternatively, you can use other means to ensure the elastic cord doesn’t come unraveled. This will firm up your chair.
How to fix a wicker patio chair
If your wicker patio chair Trusted Source Wicker – Wikipedia Wicker is a technique for making products woven from any one of a variety of pliable plant materials, a generic name for the materials used in such manufacture, and a term for the items so produced. thegoneapp.com is sagging, it’s probably because some of the wicker strands are worn out and are breaking. Consequently, you can correct the issue by removing the bad strands and replacing them with new ones, which isn’t hard to do.
Buy wicker material and strands similar in color to those on your chair to avoid inconsistencies. You can buy a similar product if your current chairs are made of rattan. You can also buy similar if they are resin.
Soak the new strands in water for at least half an hour while you remove the broken ones. The strands are interwoven, but you can pull on the broken ones to free them. Be sure you’re pulling on the right ones as the undamaged strands won’t budge.
Once you get to the end of the chair, you can cut off the peeled strands. Use scissors or a utility knife for this and make sure you get a nice clean cut where nothing is left sticking out. Take one of the new strands from the water and cut it to size. You should make sure it is slightly longer than your original cut.
As you weave the new strand into a chair, make sure to cover the rest of the strands. There shouldn’t be any difference between the old and new strands in terms of appearance or weaving techniques. At the ends of the chair, you can glue the new wicker material to the stump of the previous strand. Be sure to cut off any excesses before you do this.
If you do this for all of the broken strands, you should find the chair to be firmer and more stable than it was before.
Final thoughts
Outdoor patio furniture is expensive and may be a chore to buy. You can spend hours comparing all the options and may end up feeling that the new one isn’t as comfortable as the one you had before. Also, the new one will likely start to sag over time, and you can be drawn into an endless loop of throwing out damaged patio furniture and getting new installations.
It’s more cost-effective to learn how to fix sagging patio chairs. Notably, it’s not an expensive process, especially if you do it yourself and the materials needed are easily available. As for the know-how, you can pick up that knowledge from the sections above. We also covered vinyl chairs, wicker, cushions, and zero gravity options. As such, there’s no excuse for you not to do it.
