While scrolling online, I saw a local lady advertising a stack of vintage furniture she could no longer restore. Curiosity got the better of me, and when I arrived to take a look, something special caught my eye peeking out from the top of the pile — an antique wooden commode chair.

One glance at the decorative artwork on the front, and I knew this piece had to come home with me. While these chairs have long fallen out of use for obvious hygiene reasons, I saw the potential to bring it back to life. Not as a toilet, but as a beautifully restored feature chair — complete with gold accents and its own unique story. She told me they called it “the throne” in their home, and I knew it deserved to be one again.

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Antique Commode Chair Restored and Repurposed into a Feature Chair

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Materials Needed

• Orbital sander + 180 grit discs
• Scrap wood for repairs
• Wood glue
• Ratchet straps or long clamps
• Countersink drill bit
• Cleaning pad for sander
• Gold spray paint
• Epoxy glue
• Mahogany wood stain
• Oil-based polyurethane
• Paint stripper
• Size adhesive (for gold leaf)
• Nail foil or real gold leaf
• Foam (old mattress foam works)
• Spray adhesive
• Batting
• Staple gun

Step 1: Strip the Finish

I started by sanding off all the old stain and varnish with my orbital sander and 180 grit paper. This step revealed hidden flaws and showed me the original wood grain. It also exposed water damage and missing parts that would need replacing.

Step 2: Repair the Structure

The back supports had been cut to fit over a toilet, which weakened the structure.

I reinforced it using wood salvaged from an old dresser drawer. The match was surprisingly close!

After cutting it to size with a table saw, I glued it into place and used ratchet straps to hold everything tight while it dried.

Step 3: Fix Rotten Screw Holes

Rust stains and soft wood around the screws showed the chair had been wet in the past. I drilled out the soft wood and filled the holes with glue and toothpicks so new screws could grip properly.

Step 4: Patch Broken Wood

One leg had a chunk hanging off. I tried using clamps, but they wouldn’t grip. Instead, I used zip ties to hold it firmly while the glue dried. This trick works great for awkward angles.

Step 5: Fill and Countersink Screw Holes

To fill visible holes, I used a DIY wood filler made from sawdust and glue. I always overfill slightly in case of shrinkage. Once dry, I sanded them flat and used a countersink drill bit to neaten every hole for a uniform look.

Step 6: Restore the Artwork

The beautiful printed panels were the soul of this chair. They were buried under cracked varnish, so I used a cleaning pad on my sander for the bulk and finished the rest by hand. I avoided paint stripper to protect the images.

Step 7: Paint the Legs

The cast iron legs were worn and patchy. I tried cleaning with Brasso and vinegar, but nothing worked.

In the end, I sprayed them gold, which brought them back to life. The leg sockets were loose, so I secured the legs with epoxy glue.

Step 8: Stain and Seal

I chose a dark mahogany stain to help mask some remaining water marks. It took two coats to get the coverage I wanted. Once dry, I sealed the whole chair with two coats of oil-based polyurethane, hand-sanding in between with 240 grit.

Step 9: Highlight the Appliqué

The decorative wooden appliqué didn’t take stain after using stripper, so I highlighted it using nail foil as gold leaf. After brushing on adhesive size and letting it turn tacky, I applied the foil — it worked beautifully!

Step 10: Create a Removable Seat

To make the chair functional, I made a new seat to sit over the commode hole. I cut a plywood base and foam from an old mattress, then glued it with spray adhesive.

To soften the look, I pulled the top corners of the foam down before adding batting and fabric. A staple gun secured everything neatly.

Final Reveal

After hours of sanding, gluing, staining and upholstering, I had transformed this forgotten “throne” into a striking accent chair with antique charm. It now lives as a conversation starter and a stunning restored piece of history.

More great restorations

Since completing this restoration so successfully, I’ve gained the confidence to tackle even more challenging projects. These dressers, for example, were in worse condition than the commode — but I couldn’t wait to bring it back to life.

Antique Dresser restored

Painted geometric-design dresser

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