The first two years we stayed at our Florida condo, I didn’t give the porch table and chairs much thought. We didn’t really use the extra set, and it didn’t take up much space. This year, however, I told Neil that we should take the set to Faith Farm as a donation. The nice thing about that organization is that they will take ANYTHING.
Neil disagreed. He thought we needed the extra table and chairs on the porch, and he figured that it would cost about $300 for a replacement set.
So we looked the furniture over, took the first two layers of plastic covering off the table and took apart one of the chairs. Now, mind you, this furniture was old to begin with, probably from the seventies. It had endured the complete destruction of the porch it sits on during Hurricane Wilma in 2005, and it had a few splits that we repaired with duct tape. But, for some reason, in a moment of irrational optimism, we thought we could fix it up with some paint and fabric and make it usable again.
So, Neil and I went to the fabric store and bought some white marine vinyl for the table top and a remnant of outdoor fabric on sale for $6/yd. Then we hit Home Depot for a staple gun, staples, and two cans of high gloss white rust-oleum and a sander for curved surfaces. Now we were in it for $60, but confidant that we would be saving almost $250 over buying a new set of furniture.
As Neil took apart the other three chairs, we realized that the padding on the back and the board that supported it were rotten. So we could not reuse any of the backs, and we had to come up with a new design for the back of the pretty but uncomfortable wrought iron chairs. So, needless to say, we went back to the fabric store for foam, more fabric, cord, and ribbon to tie the new backs on the chairs. Ching, ching. We were now up to $115. But wait, more materials were needed from Home Depot: screws, cardboard, and replacement foot protectors for each of the sixteen legs of the chairs, for a new grand total of $140.
Realizing that I would have to sew the seams of the new backs to cover the foam, I borrowed a sewing machine from my sister-in-law despite her claim that “it has issues.” When I started to sew, a high piercing noise indicated an electrical short. At this point, I put my head down and willed myself not to cry. Neil took the machine to the repair shop. A few days later, he got the word that a new motor would cost $164, BUT the repair man could simply tape the loose parts together for $45.
I spray painted the furniture outdoors and stapled the table top cover and seat covers on with relative ease. Neil put everything back together. I then spray painted the parts that got damaged during reassembly. Next, I made a pattern for the chair backs and built a prototype pinning it together. We pronounced it good enough, and the backs were completed on the repaired sewing machine in less than a day.
We are very happy with the result: a colorful 1970s looking patio set for the mere price of our blood, sweat, and tears and less than $200.
3 comments:
Yup, sounds like project creep to me! But remember - they don't make 'em like they used to! I bet you have a better and more unique look than what you could buy today.
You are so kind, GB. The leaf pattern in the wrought iron IS unusual. I'm sure that you and MM have had many similar experiences. speaking of which, how's the living room coming along?
You are a saint, BB!! What patience! The furniture looks quite beautiful! You should be very proud. I don't believe I would ever have the confidence or energy to take on a project that difficult, though I must admit that I'm CRAZY about spray-on Rustoleum!! By the way, am I MM??? If so, the livingroom is almost finished. I love it! You can see for yourself when you come visit!
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