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How to fasten canvas seat to old director's chairs?

I am currently rejuvenating some old director's chairs.

I have new back and seat fabric for them.

Unfortunately, my chairs had fabric that was attached on either side simply with furniture tacks (I'm not sure of the correct name for these but they are similar to thumb tacks and pushed through fabric into wood)

Current director chairs all appear to be slightly different in that they are built with a groove in each side post and the fabric is looped on the edges and has a wood rod which slips in and then appears to be slotted into the groove on each side.

I have only been able to obtain seat fabric suitable for the modern chairs.

That's o.k. save that I will still have to fasten it to the chair side rails and can't use the rod and pocket type of fastening.

I can simply fasten them again with furniture tacks.

I don't want to do that if I can avoid it because I'd like to be able to take the fabric on and off easily so that I can wash it when necessary. Undoing tacks is a pain as there are 6 on each side rail and it is also difficult to get them on and off repeatedly without damaging the side rails.

So, I wonder, does anyone know of a way I might be able to secure the fabric onto the side rails with some sort of clamping piece or gadget so that I can fasten the seats on and take them off quickly and easily and without damaging the wooden side rails or the fabric?

I've attached some photos and hope that these show what I mean ...

Director chair.jpeg

Director chair seat fastening.jpeg

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Comments

EricL

Hello @nonsibicunctis

If your seat is constructed in the same manner, the back rest assembly can be duplicated with heavy duty stitching. It can then simply slide into place without the necessity of using furniture tacks to hold it in place.

As for the seat, I propose thinking about a sandwich system where the fabric is held in place between two pieces of timber. I suggest placing the fabric over the seat frame and then putting another timber piece such as the Porta 20 x 8mm 2.4m Bullnose Cover Strap Tasmanian Oak over the fabric and fixing it place with Zenith 8G x 30mm Galvanised Button Head Stitching Timber Screws.

You'll still need to use a screwdriver, but it will be easier to re-assemble it using the screws rather than upholstery tacks. My best advice is to drill pilot holes for the screws to prevent splitting the timber frame.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1, @TedBear and @JoeAzza for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

Dave-1

Good Evening @nonsibicunctis

Now thats an interesting project 🙂 One thing I have always wanted to get into is upholstery and repairing what we have in the first place.

I am kind of thinking along the lines of @EricL's suggestion but slightly different. Lets see if I can describe what I have in mind.

Current piece of material is enough to dip over the seat and half over a rail that is then tacked down on the underside of the piece of timber.

Potetential fix - Imagine that that material is a little longer in width to enable it to wrap around another piece of timber and then thumbtacked down to it. This new piece is attached to the underside of the existing piece of the seat strut with two butterfly type bolts so you can disconnect it from the seat structure either side. So top photo where the tacks are the material continues and then is tacked to this seperate piece of timber (material ends up between the two pieces (base of seat plus new piece) the wrapped over as the tacks are in the same position as the old location.

Potential fix num 2 - As above however instead of the material being tacked onto the timber you allow enough material to effectivly do what the back rest does around a piece of timber and stitched so it can slide off when washed and then using the butterfly bolts through the two pieces of timber (existing and new piece) you can secure it to the chair for normal operation..

Potential fix num 3 - Same as num 2 but instead of a sleave around each piece of wood on the sides you could make the seat material a big loop, think pillow case where you put your arms in it and stretch it out as far as you can, your arms are the two new pieces of timber and they are attached to the underside of where the tacks are now (inside the new loop of seat you have stitched). You will have to do some pretty solid style stitching to make sure the weight of the person in the seat dosnt pull the overlap join apart is all.

Dave

JoeAzza

Hi @nonsibicunctis , all good suggestions from @Dave-1 and @EricL , my suggest is if you have access to a sewing machine , is to sew a length of Velcro strapping on the canvas and staple the other hook and loop Velcro to the timber seat. Then you can remove for washing as required. If you don’t have access to a sewing machine, just go to a local upholsterer of a sewing booth in your local shopping centre.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/products/building-hardware/general-hardware/hooks/hook-and-loop

nonsibicunctis

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/37293#Comment_37293

Eric,

Thanks very much for your suggestion. I'll give it some thought but it sounds to be the sort of solution that would work for me. The back is no problem as I can use the pre-made fabric and just slide it on. The fabric for the seat, though, also has sewn channels which, of course, I can't use because I don't have an open end on the side rails to allow sliding on the seat. However, I intend to unpick the seam of he looped edges of the fabric to give me extra width which I can wrap around the side rails or, as you suggest, another piece of wood.

Thanks for your help.

Take care. Stay safe. ☮️

nonsibicunctis

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/37298#Comment_37298

Dave,

Many thanks for your suggestions. I'm sure that one of them will work. I'll give them all some thought and figure out which is easiest and best suits my limited skills.

I really appreciate the detail you've given me. I'll make a post of the finished result if and when I finally get there.

Take care. Stay safe.

☮️

nonsibicunctis

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/37300#Comment_37300

Hi JoeAzza,

Thanks for your suggestion. It's an interesting one but I wonder if the velcro hook and loop would be strong enough to take the weight of a person sitting on the seat. Do you think it would?

Your suggestion did give me another thought, however, which is that I could sew straps and buckles onto the seat fabric double thickness hems and then I'd be able to buckle and unbuckle as I needed.

I'm really grateful for all the advice and suggestions. I'm a bit slow nowadays so I'll have to give all suggestions some thought and make a decision but I do appreciate your interest and suggeston.

Take care. Stay safe.

☮️

JoeAzza

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/80877#Comment_80877

Hi @nonsibicunctis , the strap idea would probably be more secure too. I am sure sure how secure the Velcro idea would be, I’m not sure if anyone has tried the idea yet😃

TedBear

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/105061#Comment_105061

Hey @JoeAzza , I think your Velcro idea is great. I am sure that if each side had two parallel strips; one on the underside and one on the inside edge of the timber, with matching velcro strips on the seat material, it would hold well.

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