I would like to make outdoor patio furniture for my kids out of electrical spools.?
The problem is the smaller ones I want to use for chairs have a cardboard center. Does anyone know of anything that will waterproof cardboard?
Garden Gate
Tagged with: cardboard center • chairs
Filed under: Patio Furniture Chairs
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Cardboard is very hydroscopic – that is, water absorbing. Using any kind of sealer will likely be absorbed into the cardboard fibers and will probably fail to protect it until you reach the point of saturation. Unfortunately at saturation levels the cardboard will likely break down, and you will end up having ruined them.
I’ve never done it, but I suppose if I were going to TRY it, I’d start with fiberglass resin. It will penetrate the first layer and seal it. Then apply a second layer to fill any voids and to give it a stronger coating. Be sure to do this in a well ventilated area and work with small amounts at a time. The work time on this resin (available in your local hardware store) is usually 10 minutes or less, depending on how much hardener you add.
You will need gloves, lots of disposable cups and lots of disposable coffee stirring sticks as well as something disposable for spreading the resin. don’t use a brush, even a cheap one, the resin will harden in the bristles and ruin the brush.
Good luck.
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The cardboard reel spools are not really sturdy enough to safely use for chairs. Even if you could "waterproof" the outer layer of the tube it will still absorb moisture and eventually weaken. I am well familiar with this since I have been an electrician for over 30 years and have had to rewind many spools which broke down due to being left outdoors on job sites.
We always sat on empty wire spools in the lunch break trailer — the best for sitting were the all wooden reels about 18" to 20" high that come with 2500 feet of #12 or #14 single conductor building wire on them.. They work as a short stool for an adult but would be chair height for a small child. You might be able to get these from a contractor supply house.
If you definitely want to create a matching set of furniture and can’t find the 2500 foot reels, I would suggest taking larger all-wood spools, removing one of the side disks and cutting down the other to just a few inches larger diameter than the center spool so you have a wooden cylinder. Then cut down half the cylinder, leaving part of it tall to be the back of the chair. Cut a plywood seat disk and fasten it inside the spool then put a cushion over it
It’s great to repurpose stuff like electrical spools into kiddy patio furniture but the cardboard center is a safety issue. You can still turn them into kiddie stools but not for patio use all the time especially when the weather is wet.
Hello
So It’s great to repurpose stuff like electrical spools into kiddy patio furniture but the cardboard center is a safety issue.so u would like to make outdoor patio furniture for my kids out of electrical spools.
I think the cardboard will only absorb anything you put on it. I love decorating my patio and putting furniture in it! I bring out my grill which I got here http://charbroilpatiogrills.com/ and throw a bbq party all the time!