How to Disassemble a High Back Chair

Wear work gloves when taking apart the chair to protect your hands from sharp splinters and staples. Turn the chair over, revealing the underside of the seat.

Pull the bottom mesh or cloth covering the bottom of the chair away using scissors. Pull away all of the cloth to reveal the springs or wood at the bottom of the seat.

Use a combination of pliers and the awl to remove the staples and bottom of the seat. Rip any seams in the fabric with the scissors or the awl. If a wood piece is covering the springs on the bottom of the seat, use a hammer to remove the nails holding it in place. If it is held in place with screws, use a screwdriver to remove it.

Remove any foam or batting covering the arms, back and seat of the chair.

Use the back of a hammer or a screwdriver to disconnect the separate pieces of the chair. Unscrew any screws holding the frame together and set the screws aside.

Hit each piece of the chair with a rubber mallet to loosen the glue holding the frame together. If necessary, use a small pry bar to tear the pieces apart. You also can use your hands to separate the chair pieces.

Unscrew the legs from the bottom of the chair.

Cut the strings holding the chair seat springs in place using scissors. Carefully unravel the springs from the seat of the chair. Once all of the chair pieces are separated, you can reassemble them together as desired, or dispose of them at a landfill or recycling center.