A carriage screed, or “capitone”, is a type of furniture decoration, including the interior of almost any room. With the help of voluminous rhombs, squares, which are covered with expensive fabric in combination with rhinestones or gorgeous buttons, you can noticeably transform the atmosphere of any room. For those who want to know how to make a carriage screed with their own hands, the information below is useful.
How did it all start?
According to sources, the history of quilted finish began in France in the XVIII century. At that time, state affairs were ruled by Emperor Napoleon III. Initially, such decoration could be found in carriages, but, again, not in all, but, as they say, of the elite class.
But over time, this decoration began to be used to decorate the interiors of bedrooms, living rooms, children's rooms and other rooms. Such a piece of furniture is called the term “capitone” in Western countries, but in our country it is simply called a carriage screed because of its initial use.
In those days, such a finish personified luxury and chic, in this regard, not everyone could surround themselves with such an atmosphere. A unique finishing technique in a fairly short time has gained popularity among all European countries.
What about today?
Currently, the popularity of "capitone", or carriage screed, has not lost its relevance. The well-known Chesterfield sofa with its design continues to captivate lovers of luxury and chic, which speaks only of a growing demand. Therefore, those who want to know how to make a bed with a carriage screed themselves are only increasing.
The scope of the Kapiton technique is the decoration of wall panels and furniture elements. Also, this design looks great on materials used in the decoration of the surface of the walls, including decor items. A distinctive feature is the use of soft upholstery, which is tightened with buttons. Moreover, this is done in such a way that folds are formed, forming a pattern of the finished product. These are usually squares or rhombuses.
Upholstery materials are high-quality, wear-resistant fabrics with a dense texture. In particular, we are talking about such a variety:
- leather (artificial or genuine);
- suede leather;
- velvet;
- velours;
- flock.
As elements of couplers, tightening buttons, furniture nails are used. And since we are talking about luxury, they should preferably be with rhinestones or pearls.
Obvious features
It is simply impossible to confuse the “capiton” technique (or carriage screed) with any other finish - even an amateur can discern the obvious differences. And all thanks to the main feature, it is also a business card - a carriage screed has a symmetrical repeating ornament. That is, the buttons used, which are joined together by folds, are recessed not in a chaotic order, but in a certain sequence. The size and depth of the pattern is influenced by the thickness of the foam material.
It is only worth bearing in mind that the carriage screed is created using just one piece of canvas, and the work itself is done manually. Unfortunately, unscrupulous masters can be found on the market who are engaged in stitching or gluing together small flaps, after which they give out such a “masterpiece” for a full-fledged “capiton” style. Fortunately, the true connoisseurs of such objects of art (and in fact, in fact, they are) are able to distinguish a fake.
Many who are interested in how to make a carriage screed (headboard or ottoman) ask themselves: is it necessary to use buttons? This is a common opinion, but contrary to it, you can use other items. At the same time, the classic style is created using buttons.
In addition, regardless of the complexity of the drawing, even if it is complex geometry, the correct shapes can be seen from the first glance.
DIY carriage screed
A carriage screed is able to significantly renew the appearance of a piece of furniture (mainly a bed), which has become boring for a long time. This can be done by making the headboard using the Capiton technique. Moreover, this can be done independently, just follow the instructions. You can, of course, purchase finished products, but for those who want to make a bed in the style of a carriage screed with their own hands, or at least a headboard, you should familiarize yourself with some of the advantages of such work:
- Firstly, you can make your wishes come true by creating an individual bed design in full accordance with personal needs.
- Secondly, products can be created in any shape and any size.
- Thirdly, there are opportunities for independent selection of the shade, texture and quality of the upholstery material, including accessories.
- Fourth, significant savings are achieved in comparison with finished products, especially when it comes to a special order.
Perhaps for someone, such work will seem difficult, especially for those who first encounter a carriage coupler. Of course, it is necessary to make some efforts and sometimes considerable. At the same time, the result is worth the resources spent.
And if you do not lose the desire to make a carriage screed with your own hands, the step-by-step instruction, which will be given below, in any case will allow you to get what you are looking for. It is advisable to practice a bit to gain some skills. As an example, consider how to make a headboard with an already familiar horse-drawn technique. And let's start with the selection of material.
Material selection
Thin fabric should not be selected for upholstery, as it may not withstand the pressure created by the buttons. In addition, it is important to choose the optimal thickness of the lining, as this will depend on how correct the pattern will be.
As for the buttons themselves, the use of furniture elements is important for large rooms. If the room is small, then it is worth using cloves. The main thing is that the decor blends harmoniously with the surroundings.
How correct and incorrect the carriage screed is will largely depend on the material used for the upholstery. The better it is, the more durable the design itself will be, be it a headboard or ottoman. You can pay attention to such options:
- Chenill is one of the varieties of fabric of natural origin, which is characterized by good resistance.
- Jacquard - large patterns are present on this material, and it is able to hold folds in a given shape.
- Genuine leather or eco-leather is the most durable material, which, in addition to everything else, is resistant to wear.
- Flock - this fabric has a wide range of colors, different fleecy structure.
- Velor - using this material you can create deep folds.
Cheap fabric is best acquired to enrich experience and acquire appropriate skills. Otherwise, it is necessary to give preference to more expensive, but at the same time affordable fabrics.
In addition to the fabric, you will need to make another frame of the structure. For making a headboard of a bed with a carriage screed with your own hands, a sheet of plywood, particleboard, MDF can come up.
Sketching
Now you should decide which pattern is preferable - rhombuses or squares. Why is it better to pre-draw on paper a diagram of how the drawing will be located on the head.
In addition, it is worth considering the design of the future product and its shape. As for the upholstery material, everything is clear: the main thing is to withstand high loads throughout the entire period of operation. Thin matter can be torn even when pulled with buttons.
As for the choice of shade, it all depends on personal preferences, but it is still recommended to purchase a plain fabric. Large patterns and patterns will inevitably become deformed during hauling, and as a result, the appearance of the entire structure will be ruined.
Preparation of materials and tools
Directly materials that will be needed:
- The fabric for upholstery with a large margin, since it will go a lot during the formation of folds.
- Carnations with decorated hats or furniture buttons.
- Foam rubber or synthetic winterizer at least 50 mm thick.
- Sheet of plywood, particleboard, MDF, depending on the choice.
- Glue.
But how to make a carriage screed with your own hands without tools? Of course, nothing. For such work, you just can not do without the help of the following set:
- furniture stapler;
- drills;
- scissors;
- lace, fishing line, thin wire or durable thread;
- needles (preferably 2 pcs.)
- jigsaw;
- stationery knife;
- hook.
Everything else will need a marker or pencil with a ruler. When choosing foam rubber, it is necessary to pay attention to the density of the material and its elasticity. It will depend on how long the manufactured headboard lasts.
The choice of glue also deserves attention, and a number of requirements are imposed on it. First of all, it must be safe not only for humans, but also for the environment, and the resulting seam is sufficiently durable. In addition to elasticity, other necessary qualities are also important - incombustibility and moisture resistance.
It is highly recommended not to use formulations that contain toxic and combustible components (trichloroethane and toluene). Not only are these substances harmful to the human body, but also the quality of bonding leaves much to be desired. It is better to give preference to adhesives based on polyurethane, neoprene, butadiene styrene.
The instructions for the carriage screed of the bed, or rather its head, will be divided into several main stages, each of which has its own subtitle.
Frame manufacturing
First you need to draw on the foam sheet a schematic image of the upcoming carriage coupler. It is easiest to make one rhombus or square pattern and mark the entire surface of the soft material according to it. In this case, the vertices of the quadrangles will correspond to the points of tension of buttons or nails.
In the places marked on the foam, holes are made. To do this, you should use a special nozzle - tsifenbor, but for lack of such, you can use a metal tube of suitable diameter with a sharp edge. As for the size of the holes, it can be limited to 8-10 mm in diameter. You can, of course, arm yourself with a clerical knife, but then it’s unlikely that you can make even edges. At the same time, this will not affect the appearance of the product in any way.
After all the slots have been made in accordance with the self-made drawing (or diagram) of the carriage coupler, their location on the sheet of the selected solid material should be noted. To do this, the foam is placed on a sheet of plywood, chipboard or MDF, and marks are made according to the location of the holes. The sheet itself should be the same size as the foam.
Drilling is best done on a good support, and the best option is wooden goats. Only the upper rungs should be wrapped with cloth. After the holes in the sheet are made, foam rubber should be glued to it, while making sure that they coincide with each other. In some cases, you will have to wait a certain amount of time (the corresponding information is indicated on the adhesive label).
When the composition has dried, it is necessary to cover the foam rubber with a synthetic winterizer, and secure its edges with a stapler on the back of a sheet of plywood, chipboard or MDF. Upon completion of this work, you can proceed to the next step.
Fabric Tightening Procedure
How to make a carriage screed with your own hands now? To start covering the finished frame with fabric should be from the extreme point of the head, gradually moving towards the opposite side. Two needles with an advanced thread should be inserted into each hole, which are removed from the back of the base. Stretch the fabric to the desired limit, and only after that the thread is fixed with a stapler in the form of a zigzag (from 3 to 5 times).
In the course of laying the material between the tension points, folds will form according to the intended pattern (diamonds or squares). When the pattern is finished, the edges of the fabric should be wrapped on the wrong side of the base and firmly fastened with a stapler along the entire perimeter.
Worthy of completion
At the last stage, you can decorate the head. To do this, buttons are sewn into the recesses or they are attached, as described above. Of course, for those who want to not only know how to make a carriage screed with their own hands, but also to do everything faster, folds can be immediately secured with buttons. However, there is a risk that they will come off during operation, and then the pattern will be broken.
After the front side is finally finished, you can go to the last stroke - decorate the back side of the frame. Why it is neatly closed with some technical fabric of your choice: spanbond or calico.
As an option, the headboard can be framed in a carved baguette or used without it. In addition, the finished product can be fixed on the wall, and then move the bed, or fix it on its frame. It all depends on personal desire, imagination and capabilities.
Total
Having shown dexterity and maximum care in combination with a creative approach to work, you can get a decent result and praise yourself for your efforts. But looking at the fruit of your labors, you involuntarily ask yourself: was it really difficult to do such a job ?! Of course, efforts were made, but during the lesson, if it really carried away, you don’t even think about it.