We've been accused of a lot of things, not the least of which is featuring Eames shell chairs too frequently. We've also been accused of giving the wrong advice for how to restore them to a glowing shine. Well we still love them so we won't offer a moratorium on talking about them, but we can offer the best tip we've heard for how to (really) restore a fiberglass shell chair yourself.
We stumbled upon the advice through Land+Living who linked to Chair Fag's detailed step by step for how to restore an old shell chair. And although they go into detail about removing and replacing the mounts for the legs, what we were most interested in is how to restore the glossy shine to the fiberglass (we've resorted to olive oil in the past).
It turns out it's a product called Penetrol, an oil paint conditioner that you can find at most home improvement stores. (They do warn not to use it on white shell chairs as it yellows slightly over time). You'll want to read the step by step, but the penetrol seems to add back lustre to old fiberglass. See how to apply it on Chair Fag.
Image from The Good Mod.
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"It's probably super toxic..."
Then I'll pass. Thanks.
So what do we use for the white chairs?
I know this is heresy: I don't like the fiberglass chairs. I prefer the new ones.
All I can say, Anytime I see a Eames Shell chair I smile :)
...now if only I could find some new plastic feet for my 1968 Eames shell chairs. It looks like the $22 eBay item is the only option.
Hm. And if you get any of that lovely oil-based stuff on your hands, "Fast Orange" from an auto store will get it right off.
@ ebrown--
toward the end of ray eames life, she began really developing a specific interest in sustainability. their son gave a series of lectures @ DWR stores across the country & mentioned that both ray & charles supported new modes of production-- and probably would have been in support of the far less toxic, & recyclable plastic chairs.
I am all for restoring <any> chairs if it's an option, Eames or not.
I use half bleach and water mix, apply with rag
finish with water, repeat several times
if the gel coat is gone, apply gel coat(found @Marine stores)
powder coat base as needed
Glides can be had from Alfi from Hume Modern
http://www.humemodern.com/parts/parts.html
Final step, apply auto wax and rub and remove.
Better than new. Keep the best, sell the rest. I have reds, orange, yellow, dodger blues, grey, black, salmon seafoams, robin blue. I don't have pink and that bright green.
I just used soap and water to clean my chair then applied a couple of coats of Armour All. It looks great now.
Armour All contains gel silicone which will bleach and dry over time if left in the sun. To be fair i don't know what it would do to fiberglass, but it will ruin almost any part of a cars interior over a period of a couple of years.
I've had the chair for 4 years now and nothing has happened. Mind you it is not exposed to the sun like a car would be.
Honestly, I don't worry about the shine. I just wash mine with soap and water. I did finally have to use some orange oil on one of mine to get a nasty price sticker off- it was a black one and didn't seem to do any harm.
With a 4 1/2 yr old boy these chairs are the best! I have 7 in my dining room (6 for the table and 1 as a "naughty chair) and they hold up and are sturdy!
Actually, it would be nice if they weren't so popular - then maybe I could keep finding them for 2 bucks a piece!
I have an old fiberglass tulip chair that I dragged home off the street that someone spray-painted purple. Anything to do about that or am I just stuck?
Who knows? Eventually, a tatty finish will probably be considered a desirable patina, since it distinguishes the "originals" from the later ones.
I used soap and water and then a couple coats of Armor on my beige one and it looks super!
My Eames-ish vintage chairs were soiled and had some small stains that soap and water wouldn't remove. I used a "Magic Eraser" sponge (Yes, I know, not very green, but I already had it). It literally worked like magic and left the shine intact.
OH this is sooooo goood to know as I have vintage Eames shell chairs, 4 white ones and an arm chair w/ the tilt/swivel base (with casters) and the backside was painted a gray while the inside is yellow and it's an original Herman Miller chair for the sticker is still on the bottom.
They all need attention but are very useful otherwise.
Does anyone know how to repair a hole in the fiberglass? Someone drilled screw holes in the seat to attach the base. I would like to repair it if possible.
scottishpearl76
Did you ever find a way to repair the holes in the fiberglass?
I recently restored 5 and found some other tricks.
Shell Chair restore
Just bought four chairs on ebay looks like they drilled 3/8" holes through the chairs. Not sure why but am trying to figure out a way to repair these. Been looking online not sure how i will keep the color after sanding the chair down. Does the color go deeper then just the surface or will i have to touch up the holes once i am done?
I'm still trying to talk my grandparents into someday letting me have their orange fiberglass shell chairs, and if I ever make that happen then they'll be refinished post-haste. (They've had them since my dad was a little kid, so they've got a bit of wear and tear on the surface but otherwise, they're still perfect.)