Shopping Cart Chair

Shopping carts are one of those universal pieces of suburban furniture that people don't even notice anymore. They fade into a background of dumpsters, parking lots, loading docks, and big box stores. However, their shape and dashing silhouette are really a beautiful modern form, complete with a reverse cantilever, wire grid, and tube frame. The one in this instructable is an unfortunate grey -- a chrome cart in good condition, I think, would be ideal.

I am not the first to make a chair out of a shopping cart; google it and you can see a lot of possibilities. So, I approached the problem with a mind towards simplicity, making just a few precise interventions. It took me less than two hours to make. Tools are minimal: an angle grinder with a metal cut-off wheel, a dremel or equivalent, or even bolt cutters, two pieces of scrap wood, and two clamps. A drill could come in handy depending on the condition of your shopping cart.

The chair is really comfortable: the front wheels elevate the front of the seat and create a nice recline. The seat is deep and roomy, and the arms are wide, at a low height. Since shopping carts are made to sit out in the weather, this could be an indoor/outdoor chair. With the handle intact and the wheels in the front, it is easy to lift a little and wheel around. On my flickr page here, you can see another shopping cart chair a buddy and I made, with a shopping cart chassis and some oven grates.

I found mine in an alley, missing its front wheels. I think, as an experienced dumpster diver, you have to make a judgement call on things. I would recommend taking a cart only if it is nowhere near a relevant supermarket or other store and/or it is somehow damaged but salvageable for our purposes. Other possible places to get carts are the local/county dump, private metal scrap yards, craigslist, stores going out of business, or asking at a store what they do with damaged carts. Shopping carts are apparently quite expensive for retailers to purchase, and they expect them to last a long time. Don't steal carts.

Step 1 Off With the Wheels

Use an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel to cut off the wheels. Grind the weld down smooth. If your cart has four wheels, just cut off the back two. Save the wheels to put on the front later.

Comments

[Philisawesome]

extremely tacky, but way cool!

[cindredm]

this is great. I think it would make an excellent patio or poolside chair. Paint the whole thing in a funky bright colour and add a patio cushion. Also the front part of the cart, that you cut off, could be fashioned into a footstool that fits easily over the foot rest (where the wheels are).
Very creative!

[LaBeasy]

Instead of cutting the whole front off you could just cut the sides and front piece and just bend the floor of the cart downward to make a leg rest of some sort.

[PTyboo19]

Nice work, I love it, it could be an amazing chair at home..... look at Bruder Siegel he made it in 1983 ;-)

[kaway27]

So you have to steal a cart to make this?

[temp]

"If your cart has all four wheels, just delete the back two"  That made me smile =D

[berky93]

I'd leave the wheels on and use it as an office chair! (with an accompanying desk made from a highway sign)

[fireman115]

that will be cold when you sit down

[Lftndbt]

I like how you approached this from the unconventional way. Your way gives you a handy foot rest also. Well done!

[brandon20904]

It's from super fresh!