How to Make Sliders for Chair Bottoms



Sliders for seat bottoms modify seat legs to minimize the friction which leads to floor scratches or carpeting wear. You can create your own customized sliders to be used on hardwood, tile or carpeting, using felt using an adhesive backing, or leather. The sliders protect floors from damage and decrease noise as chairs are moved. Sliders also facilitate moving furniture in a place without damaging floors.

Turn the seat for the project upside-down and pry off any metallic or plastic glides, using a binder or a flat-head screwdriver. Clean the surface of the seat leg bottom with a multipurpose household cleaner and degreaser.

Place a sheet of paper beneath one of the seat legs and trace the shape of the bottom with a pencil to form a pattern. Record on the pattern which leg you tracked; for example, : front.” Repeat for every leg. All four legs often are exactly alike, but sometimes, there are slight variations in the form of the leg bottom. Check each one to reach a perfect match.

Trace the pattern shapes onto either adhesive-backed industrial scrap or felt leather. Cut out the traced shapes to prepare the seat bottom pads for gluing.

Spread a small dab of hot glue to every seat bottom surface before applying the adhesive-backed felt to the ends of their seat legs. If you are using scrap leather for the slides, apply a dab of contact glue into the chair-leg bottom before placing the leather mat in place.

When all four legs have slides, flip the seat right-side up and sit on it. Your weight provides even pressure to create a lasting bond.