3 dollar chairs

We need new chairs at the kitchen table.  Period. We. Need. New. Chairs.

Our current chairs are probably 75+ years old.  So is the claw-foot table. That's the problem with antiques, they are old. Our current chairs are a Windsor style and we've glued them and screwed them and they still keep falling apart.  The legs want to separate from the base.

 

Every time we go shopping or to the thrift stores, I always look for chairs. The ones I like and the ones that match the beautiful, old, kitchen table are made the same way and have a tendency to fall apart the same way. 

One of these mornings, Walt Kowalski is going to end up on the floor because his chair is going to collapse while he is putting on his work boots.  I don't wait to be there when it happens. 

So this weekend Grammy and I went to an antique-fleatique event. It happens once a month from May through September.  Antiquing is like shopping at the thrift stores, you go with an idea of what you are looking for but sometimes you can't be too specific. Otherwise, you'll be looking forever.

My idea was kitchen chairs that won't need glued every Saturday.  I didn't even care if they matched. I also didn't care if there were 4 of them.  I really only need 2.  (If you come to our house, we'll find you a chair.  I promise.)

One of the dealers had a dozen chairs in a line.  All different shapes, sizes, and colors. Three of them even matched. 
The price tag said $5 each.

It was getting hot and sunny out.
As the morning quickly becomes afternoon, the crowd thins. Dealers know if they don't sell it, they have to pack it up and take it home

I liked the chairs.  I found a level spot on the grass and tried each one.  They weren't bad.  Not too shaky. The color didn't match. The padding was terrible, but could be replaced.  They weren't new, but they weren't 75+ years old either.  Probably more like only 50 years old.  New in comparison.

He made me a deal I couldn't refuse. 3 chairs for $10 AND he would help me carry them to my car.
I couldn't pass up the deal.  Grammy even got in the action.  She liked a different chair he had.  A folding wooden chair. $3.

We came away with 4 chairs for $13.

Here's one of them.

 

 

I started with a scrub brush, some laundry detergent, a little purple power, and added lots of scrubbing.



 

I actually scrubbed off the stain!  Actually, I just scrubbed off the varnish, which was ok.  They cleaned up nice. Even the cushions. 

I scrubbed off 50 years worth of old varnish, sticky finger touches, Thanksgiving dinners, lots of spider webs, and LOTS of mold from being stored in someone's basement.

The stain is a little more red than our kitchen table, but for now that's ok. 

All that's left is to add the felt pads to the bottom of the legs and see which cat likes them best.