TWO FINN JUHL CHAIRS - DOCUMENTING ORIGINAL MATERIALS, AND REUPHOLSTERING
Introduction: TWO FINN JUHL CHAIRS - DOCUMENTING ORIGINAL MATERIALS, AND REUPHOLSTERING
In this Instructable, I document the original materials used in a pair of 1950s Finn Juhl chairs, as I remove the original upholstery and reupholster them. In the course of deconstructing these chairs, we’ll see how mid-century Scandinavian designers used all natural materials to make airy, seemingly minimal chairs that have lasted 70 years.
Supplies
TOOLS I USED
* Hammer
* Small, thin crowbar
* screwdriver(s)
* Pliers
* Scissors (the good ones, for fabric cutting)
* Utility knife
* Tape measure
* Staple gun and staples
* Screw eyes or screws
* Drill, if repairing seat springs
* If you are stretching the springs, the t-shaped wrench with a hook on it is useful, if you have it (it came with our trampoline kit)
* Heavy cotton upholstery thread
* Curved upholstery needle
* Cotton batting
* Tack strips and/or upholstery tacks
* About 5.5 yards of upholstery fabric
* Button covering kit with #24 (1.4cm) buttons (I used #30, 0.75”, 1.9cm, which looks good too)
* Danish oil, or if you don’t have that, low gloss tung oil
* 0000 steel wool
* Wood stain or wood oil as needed to rejuvenate the wood frame
* Rubber gloves
* Rags
Step 1: DOCUMENTING ORIGINAL MATERIALS - OVERVIEW
I bought these chairs for my first apartment in the late 1980s, but I think they were made in the 1950s. I was attracted to the craftsmanship, the use of natural materials, and the sleek profile of these chairs. And yes, they are very comfortable to sit in. The fabric was very stained when I bought them, and the fabric covering the front of the seat platform was torn.
A note on this particular model: I don’t know what it is! If anyone knows the name of this model, please leave it in the comments. Maybe this model never got a nickname, and just has a model number. The frame that holds the seat, and the legs are the same shape as <PERSON> model SW53, made for <PERSON> in 1953, but the arms and back shapes are different. It’s also similar to the 48 Chair, which is back in production but my chairs have a homier, less edgy shape. I checked the Finn Juhl website (more on this website later), but they don’t have a full catalog of every model he ever designed, just photos of the models that are back in production. So, please leave a comment if you know the model number for this chair.
First, a quick look at the overall condition. 787
The first thing that wore out, and was actually torn a bit when I bought the chairs, was the grey fabric covering the frame just below the seat. This is where your legs rub against the frame. These tears got worse over time. I’ll try to address that weak spot as I reupholster. In addition, the grey fabric was very stained when I bought the chairs in the 1980s, and I once scrubbed the fabric with upholstery cleaner. I was able to remove a lot of the staining, but the covering for the metal buttons wore through, and the wool fabric thinned somewhat. Every few years, I rubbed the wood frame with Danish oil. But now, I think we’re at the tipping point where the scars of time disrupt the overall look of the chair.
Step 2: DOCUMENTING ORIGINAL MATERIALS - FABRIC
Before I remove the original fabric, let’s linger over it one moment: I read years ago that Scandinavian designers who were making modern chairs in the mid-20th century were interested in using all natural materials. They wanted to marry sleek, organic forms with elements directly from nature. This is the case with these chairs, and that is what makes them so attractive. Even as the original wool upholstery wore out, it reminded me of the natural senescence that occurs in my garden at the end of the season.
The original upholstery was grey wool, in a weave that I’ll call gabardine, for lack of a better term. 626