False economy will get you in the end. The inexpensive living room chairs we got—have finally had the foam collapse in the seats, and gotten our backs so out of alignment we’re limping and gimping about and really feeling the pain in the evenings when we should be trying to relax. So, say I, enough. We bite the bullet and get these chairs replaced while we can still walk. THe only thing we’re going to miss is the cute beverage holders and the drop-compartment between the two seats.
Enter… as we finally leave to go shopping…the worst storm of the season, with torrential downpour. As we’re shopping, we come upon one store that was having a sidewalk sale, and had to get its sofas and chairs in—to the detriment of this central unit for a set of chairs that is, yes, two cupholders and a drop compartment that could not be more soaked if they had dropped it in the Spokane river and floated it a mile. Well, the thing had been a couple of hundred dollars—before the storm. Now it’s twenty dollars. Just been soaked. We can dry it out. It’s grey. We think. But we can reupholster it to anything, and if the foam goes bad, we can fix that too. The structure is there.
And after trying cheap chairs all over Spokane, we happen onto a Lazy-Boy sale in which we got two chairs that put the others in the shade. Comfy. Better cushions. It was our day.
Meanwhile Jane has been saving us nearly enough money to pay for, well, half the shopping trip: our toilet tank seal was going, and clever Jane knows how to do this. I had no idea how the tank came off. After much WD-40 and no little cussing, we have it, we have a new seal kit and float, and Jane nearly has it done. The bolts had absolutely corroded on, and to Jane’s utter outrage, whoever installed it had just used any old bolt and washer he had on the truck. We got a Kohler replacement bolt set for our Kohler outfit, and we will be better than before, and no more leak.
So no more limping about. And no more leak. Jane is so clever. I know how to plumb water systems for ponds and fish tanks, but I’ve never gotten into the porcelain end of things. We had a heckuva deluge as cold air met the muggy wet air that felt like 90 degrees and 90 percent humidity. Now there’s a chance our bargain console may dry out.
I saw that on the evening news! Over 15,000 lightning strikes in an hour this afternoon. We had it for an entertaining evening here Thursday. Figured it’d be heading your way. Funny little storm–it was almost invisible approaching the coast. Been here for almost a week!
Excellent news.
I am thinking it’s about time to replace my office chair, a secretarial chair for my desk and computer. I want something that will last longer, with good padding and construction. Despite budget, I think this time, I need to get something better quality for which my posterior and back will thank me. But I haven’t checked for prices or options yet. My current chair has a cushion attempting to help, but it doesn’t, much.
My office chair finally gave out last year, while I was sitting in it. The swivel/tilt mechanism was on its last legs, anyway. I had replaced it once before, but this time it really just fell apart. The fall to the floor wasn’t too bad, just awkward.
My recommendation is to get the best you can afford. If you spend a lot of time in that chair, you’ll want it to be comfortable. The chair I’m using now was purchased for a secondary desk, i.e., my ham radio desk. The cats like it because they can climb up onto the back and then step down onto the arms while I’m trying to type. Sometimes, they think it’s a scratching post, but only while I’m sitting in it, and I suspect they’re just trying to get onto the back.
I’m wondering how you are going to dry out a large piece of furniture like that, I’d be concerned with hidden mold/mildew, and rust if there are metal parts.
For wet anything aim a fan at it. Reduces the chance of mold.
Well, it’s hollow, and only about 2 feet high and long and about 1 to 1.5 feet wide, so if we have to strip it to the bare box, we’ll still be ahead, cost-wise. But it’s also very light foam. A fan is a good idea.
It never rains but it pours! Not a metaphor in your case…..nice that you found stuff to meet your needs. I am no good with plumbing but Proge has it figured out. Remember the plumber’s credo “Cold on the right; hot on the left; s#*t flows downhill.”
If you need to replace your foam Joann Fabrics has a nice selection. I would also get a good anti-mold spray.
Joy…we are putting a new filter and pump in the pond, rather than the jury-rigged outfit we’ve been using.
If mold is an issue, try using some of the spray intended for a/c units without removable filters. It’s supposed to be spritzed into the intakes, on a car a/c for example, and eliminate mold and mildew buildup. I’d think misting the foam cushions and letting them dry thoroughly would stop any mold in its tracks.
The tank seal gave out on our secondary toilet, so I thought I would be clever; ReStore had the lowrise, low flow one piece Kohler toilets for $20. I pulled out the old toilet and replaced it with the ‘new’ one. Little did I know that there were a whole raft of new problems in store. The lowrise toilets don’t flush as thoroughly, and sometimes need a bucket assist; replacement valves are hard to come by, and don’t always correct a leak problem; and the new toilet BARELY fit over top of the old valve where it emerged from the wall!
If you have some movers’ packing paper, big brown paper sacks, blank newsprint paper, or even old newspapers, you might try laying these atop the console, as this will help wick off the moisture. (The same trick is good for drying out carpets and the floor boards of cars that stall out in puddles that were deeper than you thought.) The paper and the fan should speed up the drying process. I got a $1200 leather sofa for $700 because it had a scratch on the front side of the back. Yes, it wasn’t “perfect,” but I just chose to think of it as “pre-used.” I cleaned the scratch with saddle soap and rubbed a little brown paste shoe polish into the scratch, brushed and buffed it, and the scratch is much less noticeable — Especially when I drape an afghan/lap rug over the back! I will gladly buy “gently used” floor samples, too, as well as pieces slightly damaged in shipping, and pieces missing hardware. . . Do you remember all those “Josephine the plumber” advertisements? I forget what they were for (Drano?), but that’s what I thought of when you mentioned Jane’s plumbing exploits.