Renovating an Ercol chair

[Mikeandvan]

Without having to go to all the hassle of looking at other forums, seeing as many of you will have renovated speaker cabinets, can you give me a few pointers on a simple renovation of this classic Ercol butterfly chair I acquired recently? I want to leave the legs and back spines black, and strip the seat and back rest to their original ash, and then gave a light varnish coating, to create something very similar to the model available from Ercol themselves underneath. The seat has come a bit loose too, so will need to be re-glued and small slots filled.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49934639098_214c438f46.jpg[/url]IMG_20200525_184336440_HDR (https://flic.kr/p/2j5y5vq) by

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49934813423_8a7f99cf7d.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/145505522@N02/)ercold rehap (https://flic.kr/p/2j5yYk2) by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/145505522@N02/]

[Emmett123]

Without having to go to all the hassle of looking at other forums, seeing as many of you will have renovated speaker cabinets, can you give me a few pointers on a simple renovation of this classic Ercol butterfly chair I acquired recently? I want to leave the legs and back spines black, and strip the seat and back rest to their original ash, and then gave a light varnish coating, to create something very similar to the model available from Ercol themselves underneath. The seat has come a bit loose too, so will need to be re-glued and small slots filled.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49934639098_214c438f46.jpg[/url]IMG_20200525_184336440_HDR (https://flic.kr/p/2j5y5vq) by

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49934813423_8a7f99cf7d.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/photos/145505522@N02/)ercold rehap (https://flic.kr/p/2j5yYk2) by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/145505522@N02/]

Has the seat just being painted over?

[rigger67]

Nitromors, I would say, to get rid of the black stuff.
Use a cloth to remove it rather than wire wool though. You might need to do it a couple of times.
Then use wax - several layers - to build up the original wood stain. Brywax in a tin, just the clear stuff should do it.
If you think the colour is too flat, maybe some Danish teak oil too.
Then a few coats of clear satin varnish to finish. Should come up a treat.

[Mikeandvan]

Has the seat just being painted over?

The whole chair is the original colour, I think its a varnish - but black.

[Mikeandvan]

Nitromors, I would say, to get rid of the black stuff.
Use a cloth to remove it rather than wire wool though. You might need to do it a couple of times.
Then use wax - several layers - to build up the original wood stain. Brywax in a tin, just the clear stuff should do it.
If you think the colour is too flat, maybe some Danish teak oil too.
Then a few coats of clear satin varnish to finish. Should come up a treat.

Thanks, will start soon!

[rigger67]

I'd try a section on the underside of the base first, just to make sure the varnish will come off okay. It should do as no tree looks like that but you know, just to be sure.

[karma67]

the only problem i can see is you might end up with black left in the grain,as already said Nitromors is the first step.

[Mikeandvan]

the only problem i can see is you might end up with black left in the grain,as already said Nitromors is the first step.

I thought that myself, if that turns out to be the case I'll just paint it black again, no bother, hope to do more of this so practice will be good.

[Pharos]

Nitromors, I would say, to get rid of the black stuff.
Use a cloth to remove it rather than wire wool though. You might need to do it a couple of times.
Then use wax - several layers - to build up the original wood stain. Brywax in a tin, just the clear stuff should do it.
If you think the colour is too flat, maybe some Danish teak oil too.
Then a few coats of clear satin varnish to finish. Should come up a treat.

The wax will serve to prevent the varnish adhering.