How to make a hanging chair: diagram, types, manufacturing instructions, how to hang firmly

Hanging furniture of any kind, whether it be a chain-linked wooden bench or something more comfortable, has always been a great place to relax. Especially in the summer in the country or in the yard of your own house.

The only problem is how to make a hanging chair that is comfortable and safe at the same time. It is no secret that such garden furniture is always perceived by children as an attraction and a place for games.

What designs are

There are many options. The specific one must be chosen depending on the weight, dimensions, length and type of suspension, load or maximum weight. The problem is that it is necessary to choose the right scheme for the chair itself, to choose the most suitable type of suspension. The structure of the seat, backrest and sidewalls must not be deformed at the moment of rocking and be strong enough even with a double overload.

In addition, it is necessary to choose the material for the suspensions. It can be:

• jute rope;
• cable (preferably automobile, towing);
• braided cord for climbing;
• steel chain with a link of 12 mm, braided is better.

Any other suspension options are excluded. They have excessive elasticity and are highly stretched under load. You can make a hanging chair with a suspension on steel tubular racks. Perhaps this option is more reliable, but in this case the chair turns into like a swing.

All designs of hanging chairs are divided into 3 large groups:

1. Frameless or soft. These can be fabric structures with PVC inserts.
2. Shell, for example, in the form of cocoons made of fabric, made on a hoop or on a wheel.
3. Frame. The frame of the hanging chair is made, like ordinary furniture, from wooden slats, plastic or even metal.

In addition, there are many models that are difficult to attribute to any of the groups. Usually these are self-made home-grown schemes, sometimes interesting in essence and implementation. For example, you can not make a chair with your own hands, but use a finished frame from an old car. Very comfortable with good back and neck support.

How to DIY

It is necessary to distinguish between the designs of a hanging chair for an adult, a teenager and younger children. They have a different design. For the younger generation, frameless hanging chairs are usually used due to their low trauma.

Suspended frameless chairs

The easiest way to make an upholstered rocking chair is to use durable cotton fabric. Jeans or any cotton is best. The main thing is that the material used for the hanging chair does not stretch under the weight of the vacationer.

Cutting is done in the form of a T-shirt or a square with two sidewalls. If you assemble the ends of the workpiece into a knot, you get a finished chair. But sitting is uncomfortable, so inside you need to make a pillow or ottoman with hard stuffing.

Hammock chair

A simple option that does not even require seamstress skills. You can make a hanging hammock chair from an old air mattress stuffed with Styrofoam balls. They are widely used to insulate wooden floors in houses.

Instruction:

1. From a piece of 150x120 cm tarpaulin, make the base of a hanging chair. Along the edge of the part that will serve as the backrest, you can sew a piece of an automobile towing cable. We divide the ends into 2 bundles and sheathe them around a metal ring.
2. The lower edge, which will be used to support the legs, can be sheathed with soft polypropylene, for example, to make an overlay from a thermal insulation cover for pipes.
3. A frameless base can be made from fabric, but it is better to use an air mattress. It is enough to open it along the side edge, fill in the filler and make a valve. The number of balls inside the padding of the hanging chair will first need to be adjusted.
4. The most important part - suspensions are made of chains. You can attach them to the chair using carabiners with screw locks.

To fix the opposite end of the suspension system, you need to make an adjustable lock. The screw tensioner used for guy wires and cables is best suited.

We fix the ring on the wall of the room, connect the tensioner and the chain. Rough adjustment of the shape of the hanging chair can be done by removing the required number of chain links.

Marine hanging chair-sail

According to this scheme, sailors made places to rest on sailing ships. I had to rest on the lower decks, the ceilings were low, so it was important that the pitching didn’t get too much, and there was still room to the floor.

The main value of the design lies in the fact that the hanging chair can be made from improvised materials. Easy to hang up and take down just as quickly.

The basis of the design is a dry branch from oak or acacia, 70-100 cm long. It is necessary to remove the bark and debris from the workpiece. We hang the branch on a jute rope 2-3 m.

The chair itself is sewn from one or two panels of durable cotton fabric. Cut at least 2 dozen slings from a polypropylene cord and sew them into the fabric, preferably evenly.

It remains to form a dome, which will serve as the back and seat of the hanging chair. The slings will have to be tightened and the tension adjusted, after which the ends are tied with two knots on a wooden crossbar.

This suspension chair scheme is considered one of the most successful. It is easy to make with your own hands, no woodworking skills are required. If you try, then garden furniture can be given a civilized look.

Another sail chair

For relaxing on a veranda or covered terrace, it is best to make a folding model. According to the scheme, a hanging chair can be simultaneously attributed to frame and frameless. He does not have a seat and rigid back support, but there is a frame. This allows you to relax in comfort, straightening your shoulders and back.

The design uses 4 suspensions, not just one, so the circuit is still frameless. A hanging chair is more like a chaise longue, but the seating position is more comfortable. The design has sidewalls, which means that no one will fall, even if you accidentally fall asleep.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. We prepare a cloth from a dense and durable fabric. You can use jeans, bleached canvas. The length of the workpiece is 120-150 cm. On narrow edges, sew up loops for wooden crossbars.
2. To stretch the panel, make 2 horizontal crossbars 70 cm long and 3.5-4 cm in diameter, as well as 2 longitudinal bars. They can be made from wood (oak or acacia). But it is better if it is an aluminum pipe.
3. Drill holes in the wooden crossbars according to the diameter of the rods, tie the suspension knots. Slings are made from jute ropes.

A hanging chair can be made in a more elegant design, using knitted macramé instead of woven fabric. But you need to knit from a thin polypropylene cord (repic). Any other material will stretch.

Hanging frame chairs

Models for summer cottages from IKEA are very popular. They are made using frame technology from a vine. The frame for the hanging chair is made of PVC, so the furniture is strong and durable.

Hanging armchair with wicker frame

You can make a similar model with your own hands and even improve it a little. One of the options is shown in the photo below.

Production begins with bending a metal (preferably aluminum) pipe with a diameter of 30-35 mm. From a workpiece 2.5-3 m long, it will be necessary to make an ellipse on a pipe bending machine with a large axis of 100-120 cm and a small axis of 60-80 cm.

Thin-walled blanks are difficult to bend, especially aluminum. If there is no suitable equipment, then an ellipse can be made from a hoop for gymnastics.

The diameter of the aluminum tube from which the gymnastic apparatus is bent is less than the required 30 mm. Therefore, it will not be difficult to make a frame for a hanging chair out of it, even with your own hands. It is only necessary to additionally cover the metal with a soft material.

In addition, an ellipse can be made from an aluminum plumbing billet. Insert a special spring inside for bending pipe blanks and make an oval of the desired size. The ends are joined with a wooden cork. This option is more durable and reliable.

The next step is to install the horizontal ribs of the chair frame. Blanks can be made from any aluminum bus or wire 6-8 mm thick. Also prepare vertical ribs from the same material.

Initially, vertical ribs are attached to the ellipse. Bend each part on the prepared template to the desired curvature. Then make a fitting, cut off the excess and tie it to an aluminum ellipse.

All parts of the frame are tied with strong nylon threads. Joints upon completion of assembly are glued with any polyurethane adhesive.

After the horizontal ribs, vertical blanks are attached to the frame. They are also tied with threads. At the intersection points, you need to make a cruciform dressing, and also with threads. No other connection method is used.

As practice shows, attempts to make holes in the ellipse lead to the subsequent breakdown of the hanging chair. Therefore, all such products are weaved.

Inside the hanging chair, you can lay a knitted lining, tie the hoop itself, even use the macrame weaving technique for decoration. In general, if you make a hanging chair strictly according to technology, then it will be able to withstand the weight of an adult (80-85 kg), and will last much longer than wicker furniture.

Classic hanging chair

The disadvantage of the previous model was the excessive rigidity of the structure. In fact, it was a cocoon in which it is convenient to sit only for those who, according to their anatomical features, fit inside a hanging chair.

Therefore, a suspended seating model is best made from a more flexible material, such as artificial rattan or fiberglass reinforcement used to reinforce concrete structures. If you are lucky, it is better to make it from rattan, but the material is scarce, it is used to make wicker furniture.

For one hanging chair, you will need 4 pieces of 2-2.5 m long. The specific size is chosen according to the drawings of the chair.

Fiberglass rebar is flexible, you can easily bend it yourself or even make a ring. Sold in bays. The recommended workpiece diameter is 12-16 mm.

There is a spiral on the surface of the reinforcement, so the cut pieces must be inserted into a 15-16 mm PVC tube used for watering the beds.

Initially, make the main contour of the chair. To do this, we cut a workpiece with a length of at least 3 m. Next, we fasten 2 eye rings at the ends, used to terminate steel cables. It's just a ring welded to a steel tube. It is necessary to put it on the ends of the workpiece and crimp. After that, we bend the workpiece into a drop-shaped contour, connect the eyes with wire.

The second element of the hanging chair is the “onion”. It must be made from separate blanks 140-150 cm long. The technology of caulking the ends is the same as that of the main circuit. But instead of lugs with rings, you need to put on and crimp pieces of copper or aluminum pipe 10-12 cm each.

We forge the edge of the tube to make it flat, after which we drill a 9 mm hole. To make an onion, you will need 4 blanks according to the profile of a hanging chair.

Next, you need to connect the contour and the "onion". In the upper part, we simply insert the suspension and tighten it with wire, in the lower part, between the two parts, you need to insert a spacer in the form of the letter "P" 30-35 cm long. This is important and needs to be done so that the supporting surface is flat and there is more seating space.

It remains to stretch the frame of the hanging chair with a polypropylene mesh and decorate the upper (lower) part with a ribbon of non-woven material.

For those who like a hanging chair with a rigid frame, the fabrication and assembly process can be simplified. For example, make it from aluminum hoops cut in two. It is enough to lay them out evenly and weld them to the main contour (a whole aluminum hoop).

The metal frame will need to be additionally covered with fabric or leather. Sitting on such an armchair is not very comfortable, but it will be very useful for the interior of an apartment or the landscape of the local area.

A simple hoop model

A hanging chair does not have to be hung in the courtyard of the house. If the size of the apartment allows, then such furniture can be made for a nursery or living room.

The easiest option is a hanging chair made of a metal-plastic pipe. Comfort level is average. Sitting in such a chair is not very comfortable, but many parents prefer to make such an attraction for the younger generation as a surprise.

For a hanging chair, 2 hoops from a 25 mm pipe are used. It is necessary to make 2 rings with a diameter of 60 cm and 80 cm using a spring. The workpiece is tightened with a mesh, the ends of which are firmly tied to the pipe.

Next, you need to join the hoops in a small area 250-300 mm wide. You can use polypropylene cord. From it you also need to tie 2 small suspensions of 50 cm each, with which to connect the opposite part of the hoops, thereby providing back support.

It remains to make suspensions, cover the sidewalls with a knitted mesh, and the hanging chair can be used for relaxation or as a swing.

Suspension chair with a high level of comfort

For a good rest, it is possible to make more comfortable furniture with your own hands. One of the most popular models of hanging furniture is an almost complete copy of an office chair, but simpler in design, with a frame made of a metal-plastic pipe with a diameter of 18 mm.

The suspended structure consists of only 4 main parts, but the back and front contour will need to be made from one piece of pipe.

We bend the front contour in the form of an equilateral trapezoid. To the back side at the top and bottom, you will need to add 2 U-shaped frames. In order to connect the parts, you will first need to make 6 through holes. Next, insert an M6x35 screw at each point and tighten the nuts with a retaining ring.

The back will have to be done by folding the pipe with a snake. Usually, the bending radius of a metal-plastic pipe does not exceed 6 diameters, but in this case, you can bend as convenient. The pipe won't break.

You will need to add soft back support and a seat cushion to the chair. It is best to make a metal articulated suspension, which ensures the swing of the suspension chair in only one plane. For the duration of the tests, the chair can also be hung on a regular canvas strap.

The main thing in a hanging chair is the frame

Most homemade models suffer from the same flaw, the frame is not rigid enough to be able to rest, fully leaning on the seat and back of the furniture.

For a long rest, it is better to weld the frame part from metal. On top of the profile, you can sew a wooden rail or even cover the seat with leather.

For manufacturing, you will need a pipe bender, a welding machine, a drill, a screwdriver, 4 welding clamps. From materials - a square pipe 25x25 mm, pieces of a corner. You also need regular half-inch and ¾-inch plumbing pipes. For upholstery, you can use foam rubber or furniture polypropylene foam.

For each rack, you need to cut a pair of blanks from a square profile - 270 cm long and a half-inch pipe - 280 cm. In addition, make 5 pieces of spacers from the ½ inch pipe. For each rack you will need 2 pieces of 2 cm, 2 - 1 cm and 1 piece - 3 cm.

The assembly begins with the rolling of cut blanks on a pipe bending machine. The curvature of the arc is not important, you just need to make sure that all 4 pieces are the same.

The next step is welding the spacers. The workpiece is placed on the welding table and fixed with clamps. A 3 cm spacer is welded in the center, then at a distance of half a meter - 2 cm each, after another 40 cm centimeter parts are welded. Next, a half-inch blank bent by an arc is welded over the spacers. After completion, the main racks need to be boiled at the ends.

The next step is to form the frame of the hanging chair. In shape, it will resemble a triangle bent into an arc:

1. We connect the ends of the racks and grab them by welding. On the opposite side, at the base of the triangle, you need to weld a crossbar from a square, at least 55 cm long.
2. Weld 2-3 more crossbars higher to the top of the triangle.
3. At the top of the frame, a bracket for suspension is welded.
4. On the sides of the triangle, 2 arcs are welded, bent from a square or pipe by ¾ inch.

It remains to sew up the supporting plane of the hanging chair with wooden planks. On top of the cladding, it will be possible to lay a soft lining and put a headrest. Such a chair can be made stationary and not removed for the winter, even if no one uses it in the cold.

Chair cocoon for two people

One of the most difficult options, a real master class. Making such furniture with your own hands without special equipment is difficult, but possible. Material – steel pipes ¾” and ½”. In addition, you will need to make a stationary stand, since the furniture is quite heavy, and if it falls, it can injure vacationers.

The base of the cocoon can be made from 3 parts - the front contour and 2 rear pillars. The first is bent on a pipe bending machine in the shape of an onion. Racks have to be bent twice. The first time a profile is made of the same radius as that of the main contour. The second time you will need to bend the sidewalls (armrests). All parts are welded into a finished frame on a special slipway (table).

Next, you need to make the back of the hanging chair. To do this, a steel cross member is welded at a level of 50-60 cm from the attachment point. 2 more crossbars from a ¾” pipe must be welded in the upper part of the frame for attaching hangers. The back of the chair is formed from a reinforcing bar of 8 mm - the blanks are evenly sewn onto the back of the cocoon in increments of 20 cm.

The lower part and back are braided with a belt, and the racks and the front contour are covered with synthetic material. Sitting in a hanging chair will be comfortable in any position, but it is still better to make a lining of soft material or lay a mattress.

If you make a roof or a canopy, then such furniture may well replace a garden gazebo and become a favorite place for children to play.

How to hang a chair firmly

The reliability and safety of furniture depends on the reliability of the suspension attachment. The heavier the hanging furniture, the more complex the knot is.

The heaviest double structures are attached to the steel frame with two chain hangers.

The chain is closed on the crossbars with rings and screw carabiners, which makes the suspension system durable enough and accessible for maintenance.

Fastening for frame furniture

Fixing a hanging chair with a rigid frame is much easier than in the case of frameless furniture. The design is such that all the ribs and struts are assembled at the highest point, where the hanger ring is usually welded or mechanically attached. It is only necessary to properly mount the anchor hook (Molly's dowel).

To do this, a hole is drilled to a depth of at least 6 cm in the ceiling, in the transverse beam or any other ceiling. Diameter from 8 mm to 12 mm, depending on the total weight of the suspension seat with "passengers". A plastic spacer is inserted inside and a threaded hook is wrapped.

In this way, you can hang relatively light furniture.

Heavy frame structures are suspended using self-expanding bushings. Inside the metal plug there are 2 conical plugs, which, when the hook is screwed in, move and burst the walls. Such a suspension is able to withstand a hanging chair weighing up to 150 kg.

How to hang a frameless chair

Installing hanging furniture that does not have a rigid frame looks a little more complicated. The sling or cords for which the hanging chair is attached can be from 2 to 10 pieces. Slings according to the conditions can diverge to the sides. In this case, an intermediate rail is used for suspension.

Cords can be attached to the seat or directly to the rail using knots.

Most of the frameless chair models are attached with a bundle of slings. In this case, the cords can be tied into one knot into which to thread the ring for the carabiner.

Instead of a knot, tying macramé cords with a transition to a tape and a mounting ring is often practiced. But it is difficult to make such fasteners, so these methods are used only for fully knitted patterns.

Making a hanging chair with your own hands is no more difficult than ordinary furniture. All that is required is the right design and high build quality, as a fall can be traumatic in any case, especially if children play with furniture.

Tell us about your experience in making a hanging chair. What models do you consider the most successful and why? Write in the comments. Bookmark this article so you don't lose any useful ideas.