Hi! Long time lurker, first time poster here.

Are you planning to use the wicker chair as a base and cover it with papier mache? I have covered an old wicker Easter basket with PM strips and it wasn't easy getting it to stick, maybe using pulp first would have worked better as it could have filled in the gaps? Anyway, I made a point to do one side at a time and let it dry before covering the other side and I still had some shrinkage away from the wicker and bubbling under the strips. I haven't finished the project yet, I may start over with pulp or try a pulp over the strips, so I can't tell you how it's worked out in the long run yet.

I have a few wicker baskets I plan to experiment with. I get so many baskets from Easter or gift baskets but my problem with wicker and woven baskets is that it collects so much dust and is impossible to clean that I decided instead of throwing them out I'd do some PM experimenting.

I haven't actually made any chairs yet but I have a few ideas for them.
I had an idea for a chair using the plastic lawn furniture as a base but I foresee a problem with getting the PM to stick in either strip or pulp form. So I am curious if anyone else has tried this.

I have also considered inexpensive wooden chairs as a base but I am looking for info on weather any wood bases should be sealed first so they don't absorb too much moisture from the PM or would sealing keep the PM from adhering?

As you can see I just have more questions and no answers for you. Hopefully someone will come along and help us out.

Hi Fran!  Welcome to the forum.

I haven't tried making chairs before, but if you are applying mache to bare wood, I'd suggest using wood glue dilluted with water 1/2 and 1/2 to give a stronger hold.  A little advice though, the yellow stuff will color your finger nails for days!  :oops:  Apply wearing gloves or brushing on.

Good Luck!
Paper Rose

Wood glue has a yellow tint!

Paper Rose

I have indeed made a chair. I had one of those cheap plastic ones (child size). I applied paper strips over the plastic, and made quite a few layers. I also used some card board as I wanted a certain shape for the head of my king chair, and also crumpled newspaper for the hands.

You can see the chair on my gallery in this web site.

Good luck,

Ayelet

You chair really turned out beautifully EllenEggers. 

Thanks butterbee ! 

Wow, thanks Ellen !
I must say that I am inspired a lot by many things, many views from books, web sites, magazines. So I use other people's ideas but give it my own interpertation...