Easy outdoor sun lounger
I have seen sun loungers similar to this on the Internet, but this design has a couple of practical and eco-friendly differences. First, I used old pillows for filling the sun lounger, and second, it has an adjustable back that allows you to set the angle you want to sit at.
The adjustable back rest allows you to set the angle if you want to relax and read a book, or lie down and soak up some rays.
The sun lounger is stuffed with old pillows that no longer have a use and that I didn't want to throw out.
Spray the fabric with Rust-Oleum NeverWet Outdoor Fabric Spray if you want to use the sun lounger next to the pool. You will find this product at your local Builders store.
CONTINUES BELOW
The cover is bright and colourful and is a single duvet cover that I found at Sheet Street for R119. So, the sun lounger only cost about R150 to make using scrap board that I already had and a few other inexpensive accessories.
1. To start off I use a seam ripper (or small scissors) to split the duvet into two sections and removed all the cotton bits.
2. Using a tape measure I worked out that each pocket needed to be 600mm long x 460mm wide. One side of the single duvet worked out perfect when folded in half.
3. After folding the fabric in half, pins were used to mark the pockets at every 460mm and 480mm.
4. With the fabric right side out you can start sewing the seams between the pockets. Leave a 2cm unsewn edge at the open side. This will later be folded over and sewn shut.
5. Run a seam from the open edge to the folded edge and then turn around and come back again. This 2cm wide seam allows you to fold the sun lounger up easily when not in use.
6. These are the old, grubby pillows that will be used to stuff the sun lounger. Not fit for use on the bed anymore, at least now they get put to good use.
7. The pillows are packed into the pockets. In some cases I needed to stuff two thin pillows into one pocket to give it a nice bulky feel.
8. After stuffing, the open edge was folded over and pinned and sewn closed. The top and bottom edges were also folded over and sewn closed.
9. To make the back rest are two pieces of 16mm MDF cut to 450mm high x 500mm wide. These were offcuts that I already had.
10. Butt hinges are fastened between the two boards, making sure that the barrel of the hinge is over the edge of the wood, and secured with 16mm screws.
11. To allow the back rest to be adjustable a small length of chain was secured on the edge of the front board and an 'L' hook on the back board. This allows you to move the chain to set the angle of the back rest.
12. Two strips of velcro were stapled onto the front board, one towards the top and the other further down. This also allows you to adjust the sun lounger to your own comfort level.
13. The other side of the velcro was hot glued onto the back of the top cushion.
14. Again, two strips were glued in place and allow for even more adjustment to make the sun lounger comfortable at any angle.
And there you have it. Although I said at the beginning the fabric cost R120, in fact it only ost R60, because I only use half of the duvet.