1. Making the seat top – First, cut a circle of plywood to fit on the top of the tyre. Use a layer of foam, followed by Dacron and finishing fabric to cover the circle and makes a seat pad.

To do this, staple the foam on first. Then cover the foam with a piece of Dacron just a bit bigger than the foam, bringing it round the edges to the underside of the board. Staple the foam and Dacron in place and trim off any excuses close to the staple line.

Finally, cover the seat pad with the fabric. Lay the fabric cover over the seat. Keep it nice and taut and put a staple in the centre front, back and each side – i.e. at the 12, 6, 3 and 9 o’clock positions to make sure the Dacron is covered. Once you’re happy, fill in the gaps with extra staples and trim off any excess fabric.

Tips
• Use the flat of your hand to smooth the fabric (not your fingers to pull). Smooth it in all directions to get it completely flat. If the fabric is stretchy, stretch with the flat of your hand to keep it taut before stapling
• Keep the staple gun pressed firmly on the wood when ‘firing’
• Make sure the staples don’t go all the way through the wood
• Put in lots of staples to prevent ‘cat’s teeth’ – this is when the fabric pulls up away from the staples and goes bumpy
• Hammer in any staples that stand proud
• Make sure the scissors are sharp and cut cleanly
• Cut as close to the staples as you dare!

Decorating the tyre – to decorate the seat, you can either spray the tyre or cover it with string. If you decide to spray the tyre, take your time. It’s best to do lots of thin layers rather than one thick layer of paint – this will allow you to get the best finish with no drips or runs.

To cover with string, start at the underside of the tyre and glue the end of the string in place to hold it firm. Use the glue gun to make a line of glue before pressing the tope onto it. Work in a circle around the tyre, gluing and pressing the string as you go, making rows. When the tyre is fully covered, cut the string and glue the end in place. It takes some time, so be patient, and keep the rope as taut as you can and as close to the row before to minimise gaps.