An Affordable Way to Customize your Rattan Storage Trunks
Rattan Storage Trunks are useful pieces of Storage Furniture, but you may like to customize yours. Wicker Storage Baskets are usually made of tight rattan woven over a frame and interior.
Rattan Storage Baskets can be upholstered over the aging or damaged rattan with a fabric of your choice. Save pounds by upholstering the Rattan Storage Trunk yourself instead of seeking professional assistance. You can upholster your Storage Trunk in a matter of hours a little patience and initial organization is all you need.
You may like to practice on an old shoe box first to see if this suits your idea that you have in mind for your trunk.
Things you will need:
- Tape Measure
- Scissors
- Double sided, Self adhesive hook & loop Velcro
- Upholstery/Fabric
- Glue Gun
- Needle & Thread
- Iron
- Braiding/Trim if chosen
1. Measure the trunk's height from the front center inside edge of the frame to the front center bottom exterior edge. Add 2 inches to this measurement for the modified height measurement.
2. Place the tape measure end at the trunk's back centre. Measure, horizontally, around the left side, across the front, around the right side, and across the back until the tape meets the tape end. This is the modified length measurement. You will be cutting one long rectangle that will wrap around the exterior of the trunk.
3. Cut one rectangle of double sided hook and loop Velcro and one rectangle of upholstery (or fabric) according to the modified height and width measurements. The rectangle piece of double sided Velcro will wrap around the exterior of the trunk. The rectangle of upholstery will wrap around the double sided Velcro now attached to the exterior of the trunk.
4. Centre one of the short ends of the Velcro on the outside of the trunk's back center around the top inside lip and the base bottom, press the one side of the Velcro after removing its protective outer a little at a time until you have meet your starting point.
5. Stitch neatly all your raw edges to the depth of your Velcro of your chosen fabric then press to form a neat edge to attach and then stretch across tautly around the trunk to make sure that your fabric fits your trunk area.
6. Carefully one step at a time remove the protective covering of the Velcro and attach your chosen fabric keeping it taunt at all times until the area required is covered.
7. Trim the fabric/Velcro by cutting the excess materials straight on top of the interior edge of the trunk. This will be covered up by the trunk's lid.
8. If you would like to add any braiding at this point this can easily be glued to your fabric, be careful not to use to much glue as this may seep out when pressed on and spoil your fabric. DO NOT forget that your lid will cover the top area of your trunk by the depth of the lid therefore you will need to place any braiding lower than the lid edge once on the trunk for it to be visible.
Upholstering the Wicker Trunk Lid
1. Remove the lid and measure the lid's width and length. You are determining the size of the rectangle of fabric and Velcro you need to cut to cover the trunk's lid and the depth of the lids sides. Allow for the width of your Velcro x 2, as before as you will need to turn, stitch and press as before with the trunks body.
2. Cut and fold your corners of your fabric as you come to them to create neat corners. Repeat 5 and 6
3. If you would like to add any braiding at this point this can easily be glued to your fabric, be careful not to use to much glue as this may seep out when pressed on and spoil your fabric.
TIPS:
Instead of using the self adhesive hook and loop Velcro, you could staple the fabric into place with a Staple Gun. Please take due care and caution if choosing this method.
Braiding can also be used to cover raw edges if you have not turned, stitched and ironed flat your edges of fabric that might fray.