You've seen the images of seat crates on Pinterest! So cute! Mine turned out great!
- Fabric: The fabric was 50% off at Joanne Fabrics, and I bought a yard of each (which was too much). I spent about $10 on fabric and ribbon.
- Foam: We selected a 2" high density foam that was also 50% off at Joanne. We chose the high density foam because we thought it would last longer and be more comfortable for my students than lower density foam. I bought an entire sheet because I have some other projects for which I'll be using the leftover foam. I spent about $15 on the entire sheet of foam. (My dogs really liked the foam!)
- Plastic Crates: I bought 5 turquoise plastic crates from Target. They were $3.99 each, so I spent about $20 (with tax).
- Plywood: We had 5/8" scrap plywood so that was free.
- Tools: We used a staple gun, scissors, circular saw, measuring tape and other measuring tools -- all of which we already had.
- Total Cost: about $45 for 5 seat crates.
Step 2: Measure and cut the wood to fit on the interior rim of the crate.
Step 3: Measure and cut the foam so it is the same size as the wood. I traced the outline of the wood onto the foam.
Step 4: Measure and cut the fabric. We used 2" foam, so we measured the fabric to be 4" wider (all the way around) than the foam/wood seat. On the first one, we actually measured and cut the fabric pretty precisely. On the others, we just put the seat in the middle of the fabric and cut it so there was a 4" border of material.
Step 5: Staple the fabric onto the foam/wood seat.
- First, we folded the fabric so it would be extra strong.
- For the corners, we folded them into triangular shapes (like we were wrapping a gift).
All Done! The entire project took about an hour and a half!
Great project! They look awesome and I love that they can also hold storage. I was thinking maybe a Bible and spiral notebook with box for writing/coloring stuff. Do you use them for storage also?
ReplyDeleteI use them for storage all the time! They're pretty sturdy!
DeleteWhat were the dimensions of the crates that you purchased?
ReplyDeleteI had been hoping to get back into my school to check the dimensions for you, but it's going to be a few more weeks. I don't think the dimensions are much of a concern as long as you carefully measure the wood and foam to match up.
DeleteMary, were these seats tall enough for your students? I am thinking about making them for my first graders but am afraid that my bagel table is too high..
ReplyDeleteThey were tall enough, though I also lowered by my table. It was short for me but worked for them!
DeleteI'll have to double check when I get back into my school, but I'm pretty sure they were NOT Target brand, and probably were Sterlite or something. I had my husband sit on them on the store to be sure they'd hold up, and I've used them as step stools before.
ReplyDeleteHI, was this 2 x 18 x 54 inch foam or 2 x 24 x 54 inch foam? Thanks
DeleteI made these for my classroom. They turned out great! Mybstudents take the seat out and flip it over to use it as a desk. Thanks for sharing! I plan on making more soon!
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your post on these seating ideas. I will be going into my first year of teaching, and I will be teaching 6th grade at a middle school. I would really love to incorporate as much reading as possible in my classroom. Do you think that these types of crates you made for seating would be too small for them, or do you think that a sixth grader would be too heavy for these seats? I would really like as much advice if you have another idea for seating nook areas for them. Thank you, -Carolina
Awesome and looks great! I was wondering, what is the size of your board. I have the exact crates but hesitant that once I get the board cut, it won't be the right size. Can you send that to me please? Thanks!
ReplyDelete