Why Do Some Dining Chairs Have Rings on the Back?

Different dining chairs have various features that set them apart from others. From wooden to rattan to upholstered, they come in many different styles. But have you ever wondered why some chairs have rings on the back?

Some dining chairs have rings on the back to allow the chair to be moved without physically handling the upholstery, preventing the transfer of the skin’s oils to the upholstery. Additionally, chair pull rings are decorative, adding a bit of flare to an otherwise plain chair.

This article will explain the purpose of chair pull rings and whether they are useful. It will also explain how to install them yourself as a DIY project. Read on for more information about this interesting chair feature.

Are Pull Rings On Dining Chairs Useful?

You may or may not have seen pull rings on a dining chair. Like many people, you probably never gave it a thought; if you did think about it, you might be left with more questions than answers.

Often, you can see these rings in restaurants and other establishments with upholstered seating options. They have a practical purpose in addition to the decorative one they serve. In restaurants, for example, these rings keep the chairs from getting dirty and unappealing to the customers.

If customers see the dirty chairs, they might assume the restaurant is also dirty in the kitchen where the food is made and decide not to eat there anymore.

Chair Pull Rings Are Decorative

One of the primary purposes of chair pull rings is to be decorative, which can be compared to jewelry for your chair. When you enter a room and all the chairs have decorative pull rings, you’re more likely to notice them and appreciate the beauty of the furniture more quickly.

If you have nice chairs in your home, you can add a touch of style to them by affixing chair pull rings. Some of them appear ornate door knockers, while others are much smaller, offering a more charming addition to the backside of the chair.

When adding these pull rings to your chairs, you can either reupholster your chairs or choose an option that won’t have screws that need to be concealed. If you don’t reupholster the chairs, the pull rings cannot be used for other purposes, which we will discuss next.

Chair Pull Rings Can Be Practical

The practical purpose of chair pull rings is to allow you to move the chair without touching the upholstery with your hands.

By minimizing contact with your skin, the chair won’t have as much exposure to the damaging oils that occur naturally. Body oil can severely harm your upholstery, whether fabric or leather, causing darker spots to develop on the furniture, giving it an overall dirty appearance.

The furniture will then need to be cleaned to remove the stains.

Pull rings can eliminate this problem on upholstered dining chairs by limiting contact with skin. The less the chair is physically handled, the less likely it is to develop oil spots or other stains from people’s hands.

When you add pull rings to the chairs in your home without reupholstering them, there’s a chance that the rings won’t have a solid foundation within the wood of the chair. Because of this, it’s inadvisable to use the pull ring to physically move or pick up the chair; instead, it will only be a decorative element.

If you have it reupholstered, the professional completing the job can ensure the pull ring gets a solid connection to the chair, allowing you to use it both aesthetically and physically.

How To Install Chair Pull Rings

Adding decorative pull rings to a chair can be a straightforward DIY project you can do in one afternoon. This video has all the information you need to complete the job:

To start with, you’ll need the following equipment:

• Letter opener
• Scissors
• Tape measure
• Phillips screwdriver
• Drywall screw
• Decorative pull rings
• Joint screw fasteners that have one side flat

Before starting anything, you’ll need to ensure that the chairs you are working with have wooden frames underneath the upholstery. You won’t have anything to attach the pull rings to if they don’t.

You’ll need to take the following steps:

1. Find the wooden frame at the top back of the chair. Measure from right to left to find the center of the chair.
2. Use the letter opener to slice through the material, making a small hole. The fabric should be tightly woven, but if it’s not, you risk it running and fraying when you slice it.
3. Use the scissors to finish cutting the way to the wood. Ensure you don’t make the hole any larger as you cut. It cannot exceed the size of the ring pull, or it won’t be concealed.
4. Take the drywall screw and begin making a hole in the wood. Don’t screw it all the way. Just start making the hole for the joint screw fastener to hold the pull ring in place.
5. Finish up by screwing in the pull ring. Screw it in until it’s snugly fastened and won’t come out.

If you’ve chosen solid fasteners and feel the attachment is secure, you can attempt to use the pull ring to move the chair. However, you must remember having a professional install your pull rings will ensure a more secure attachment, guaranteeing the ability to use the ring for moving the chair.

Final Thoughts

Chair pull rings are decorative and practical, allowing you to dress up your dining chairs and protect them from damage. They will enable a chair to be moved without physical contact with the upholstery, preventing the transfer of oils from a person’s hands to the material.

Additionally, they offer a point of interest on the back of the chair, adding style to your dining room.

Adding chair pulls to your dining chairs is straightforward and can be completed in one afternoon. With this easy project, you’ll have a decorative and protective element added to your chairs in no time.

Sources

• Houzz: A Little Jewelry for Your Chair
• ConfettiStyle: Design Detail: Chair-Back Pulls
• YouTube: NEW DIY! How To Create a Pull Ring Bar Stool Design
• Smith Cleaning Services: How To Clean Body Oil From Upholstery