Plycarft Lounge Chair Restoration (Eames Lounge Chair Copy)
November 11, 2009
My first Eames chair Plycraft copy was found on the side of the road, its back broken totally. It was tossed in a pile for trash pickup day a sad reminder of what it once was. When I drove by at first I thought HOLY COW AN EAMES CHAIR A REAL EAMES CHAIR…But as I got closer I could see it was clearly a very nice copy and the ottoman was there too, bonus. Into the car went both the ottoman and chair….a road treasure indeed...good to great restorations fetch $1500 or better. I just got my first for FREE.
Restoration was in order, yes indeed. ,,, the only problem I wanted two chairs….and only found one...
A year later and a long search on craigslist I now own two Plycraft Lounge Chairs and Ottomans, exact copies.
This is the blog about their full restoration…with pictures….I hope to help those others challenged by what can be found out on the web on this subject...
The second chair + ottoman ($99.75 found a quarter in it, .25 less $100...$99.75) is just the like the first however it had a double rip in the bottom cushion. All hardware and plywood was in relatively good condition. Some signs of weathering on the ply but it had not gone deep enough to damage the wood, just curling of the varnish…sanding would take care of that careful sanding....
Disassembly
Take great care during disassembly. Most plycraft chairs are as old as I am, 40 years old. If improperly handled you can snap a screw especially disassembling the back ply panels. On my new chair both screws were bent, It took some gentle force to remove the screws.
During disassembly I carefully placed all screws and hardware in zip locks labeling each set and type. This will be important later when you put the chair back together. Better to get organized from the start than pay the price of stripping a screw later…I am anal, and a techie..I apply science to everything I do...
I also fully documented the process with my camera bonus for you, help for me later when I had questions about how the original was put together. My suggestion is you follow suit, photo, label, document. Anal yes but you will be happy to take the time to do this later.
Start at the top and work your way south on a chair. The two rear back cushions slide up, not down or sideways. They have two to three small metal cleats that hold them in place.Pull up gently after you losen the cushions by sliding your hand between the ply and cushion. Take your time and dont force it...
***Now these original Plycraft chairs were often vinyl and not leather. These chairs were both in vinyl, yuk. I hate plastic, personally I think you are greener using animal hides to restore these chairs, than vinyl. Plastic is a byproduct of petroleum, traces of the chemicals used in the manufacture of plastics show up in us, our children and the environment as a whole. Time to go back to old ways…Anyone who has misgivings about an animal being killed in your chairs name,,, please it’s better to use all the parts of an animal than not to…if you don’t use the hide someone else will…You are less green using petroleum based products all day long than a cow hide. I promise. The cow most likely lived a great life…it really did so don’t feel bad. Plus you chair will breath a little better and you will feel more comfortable in it.
November 11, 2009
My first Eames chair Plycraft copy was found on the side of the road, its back broken totally. It was tossed in a pile for trash pickup day a sad reminder of what it once was. When I drove by at first I thought HOLY COW AN EAMES CHAIR A REAL EAMES CHAIR…But as I got closer I could see it was clearly a very nice copy and the ottoman was there too, bonus. Into the car went both the ottoman and chair….a road treasure indeed...good to great restorations fetch $1500 or better. I just got my first for FREE.
Restoration was in order, yes indeed. ,,, the only problem I wanted two chairs….and only found one...
A year later and a long search on craigslist I now own two Plycraft Lounge Chairs and Ottomans, exact copies.
This is the blog about their full restoration…with pictures….I hope to help those others challenged by what can be found out on the web on this subject...
The second chair + ottoman ($99.75 found a quarter in it, .25 less $100...$99.75) is just the like the first however it had a double rip in the bottom cushion. All hardware and plywood was in relatively good condition. Some signs of weathering on the ply but it had not gone deep enough to damage the wood, just curling of the varnish…sanding would take care of that careful sanding....
Disassembly
Take great care during disassembly. Most plycraft chairs are as old as I am, 40 years old. If improperly handled you can snap a screw especially disassembling the back ply panels. On my new chair both screws were bent, It took some gentle force to remove the screws.
During disassembly I carefully placed all screws and hardware in zip locks labeling each set and type. This will be important later when you put the chair back together. Better to get organized from the start than pay the price of stripping a screw later…I am anal, and a techie..I apply science to everything I do...
I also fully documented the process with my camera bonus for you, help for me later when I had questions about how the original was put together. My suggestion is you follow suit, photo, label, document. Anal yes but you will be happy to take the time to do this later.
Start at the top and work your way south on a chair. The two rear back cushions slide up, not down or sideways. They have two to three small metal cleats that hold them in place.Pull up gently after you losen the cushions by sliding your hand between the ply and cushion. Take your time and dont force it...
***Now these original Plycraft chairs were often vinyl and not leather. These chairs were both in vinyl, yuk. I hate plastic, personally I think you are greener using animal hides to restore these chairs, than vinyl. Plastic is a byproduct of petroleum, traces of the chemicals used in the manufacture of plastics show up in us, our children and the environment as a whole. Time to go back to old ways…Anyone who has misgivings about an animal being killed in your chairs name,,, please it’s better to use all the parts of an animal than not to…if you don’t use the hide someone else will…You are less green using petroleum based products all day long than a cow hide. I promise. The cow most likely lived a great life…it really did so don’t feel bad. Plus you chair will breath a little better and you will feel more comfortable in it.
Thanks for the nice site on restoration. I'm using some of your ideas in restoring a "Plycraft" Mr. Chair I picked up at Goodwill for $10.
ReplyDeleteThe real Eames designed lounge chair and ottomans are still being made at the Hermon Miller Corporation some 6 miles from my home. $4500 new. These 50/60/70's designed furnishings by designers like Isamu Noguchi, Charles and Ray Eames, and George Nelson and many others are everywhere in the buildings, both businesses and homes in this area. On the west side of Zeeland is a Hermon Miller “used” furniture store and adjoining coffee shop. Both of these businesses in this building are chuck full of these designs. The entrance to these two shops have several 1946 Eames wood lounge chairs and the “leaf” lamp for the publics use. http://www.hermanmiller.com/Products/Eames-Molded-Plywood-Chairs / http://www.hermanmiller.com/Products/Leaf-Personal-Light Cool places to visit.