Camping chairs are essential for every camper who wants to relax outside the tent without sitting on the grass. The chairs are usually portable to carry around. Nothing lasts forever and most of these chairs are usually the folding types. They may get subjected to wear after along use or if not properly stored. A camping chair can be broken due to many reasons, such as getting knocked down due to accidents, improper maintenance, among others. In this guide, we’ll show you how to fix a broken camping chair.
1.Things you will need Camping Chair
Choosing to repair the chair yourself is something that requires minimal tools. It requires every day’s tools found in most people’s toolbox. The things you will need include a screwdriver, a wrench, or nose pliers. A camping chair can get broken in so many ways. So each place might need a different tool depending on the damage.
2. Check the damages
Camping chairs get broken either as a result of negligence or an accident. Using it also for some time will lead to the parts getting broken. The moment you notice any damages, you should think about how to get everything back in place. The first step will be to check the damaged areas that call for a repair. A chair can get broken in so many ways. The limbs are the most likely places to get damaged. You will have to fix the broken limbs to restore the beauty of the chair. Broken limbs will make the chair become unstable and therefore uncomfortable to sit on outdoors. It would help if you repaired what you can see.
3.Fixing the joints
The joints of a chair will become loose after a long time of use. Fixing the issue requires one to know how to tighten the nuts holding it together. You will need to use a screwdriver when tightening the loose joints and fasteners. Alternative tools one can use include; a wrench or nose pliers. If you do not have any of these, you can also use a putty knife with stiff blades on it.
If the joints are only loose and not broken, you can fix them with some strong glue to hold them together. The best thing to glue them will be by using epoxy resin. However, broken ones will have to be disassembled first before repairing it. If it is possible, you can also support with screws. Screw fasteners ensure the joints stay secure for the chair to function appropriately and manage the weight put on it.
4. Remove the affected limb
The first step when repairing is to remove the damaged leg. For riveted legs in most camp chairs, removing them by hand may become a problem. You can use a Dremel to cut off the affected limb from the chair. A chair leg brace works in keeping the legs together. For the fastener to stay intact you will need to predrill holes and screw on it. If the chair has rivet fastening, drill them directly to remove them. Place the drill on the spot at its center with firm pressure.
5. Broken back rails, braces, and slack
Camp chairs will be broken and miss some crucial parts that make up the overall design of the chair. IF these parts are missing, the chair becomes useless to use. The chair doesn’t need to get thrown away if there is still a chance for fixing it. Take out the parts that are essential for the repair. Sometimes you do not need to take apart everything on the chair and have trouble assembling them back.
Folding chairs have braces that break or even end up bending when used frequently. It needs to get replaced before you realize the slack is getting worse.
Position the chair you need to work on by placing it against the wall to get support. With the chair facing upside down, take the screwdriver and loosen the nut that’s holding the brace together. This only works for mounts that are bent.
If there is little damage, sometimes it is not worth it removing it but just replacing the nut only. You can use a screwdriver or a mechanical fastener when removing the nut. You only need to loosen the nut but not take it out. It would help if you immediately tightened it after it has become loose.
6.Fixing the brace Camping chair
Most of the camping chairs have metal material, so basically, replacing the braces on different materials matters. You can locate the mount, as said earlier if the chair is in an upside-down position. Weld, it to keep it in place and allow the chair to cool down after finishing the process.
7.Fixing the fabric Camping chair
Camping chairs do not only get broken at the limbs. The fabric that you rest your back on can also get damaged, and you will need to fix it as you set the other parts. You can pick up a fabric piece that looks similar to the previous one or has a new one. Cut into the correct size depending on the size of the chair and sew it to fit.
8. Reattach all the parts
After disassembling the chair, in need, you have to put back all the components. Place the parts in the order of removal to fix them back. IF you had removed any rivets, you could have new ones to fasten the areas. If the chair got broken entirely and can’t repair some parts, get replacements and fix it how it should get done.
A camping chair will make you feel relaxed and comfortable when it is in excellent working condition. Most camping chairs fold together, thus making it possible to take it outdoors. Packing or folding it the wrong way can lead to the limbs breaking. If you put too much weight on it or its lifespan is deteriorating, it will get damaged. Fixing the chair becomes more straightforward when you know what exactly you are repairing. Some broken pieces repair fast if there isn’t much damage. But for others, you will need to replace them with new parts and attach them to complete the chair.
