Recovering a chair is an inexpensive and straightforward way to breathe new life into outdated furniture. It makes an ideal first project for beginners and can serve as the basis of more complex reupholstering projects in the future.
Reupholstering a chair requires first removing the seat cushion and frame. Be careful not to damage any upholstered panels, batting, or foam pieces in the process.
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Remove The Seat Cushion
Before you can begin reupholstering, you must first remove the seat cushion from the chair. Doing this allows for taking away old fabric and adding a fresh layer of padding.
This can be an ideal way to freshen up your dining room or add a chair from your family heirloom collection. It’s a quick and simple project that will make a significant difference in the appearance of your home.
Remove The Frame
Before reupholstering a chair, it’s essential to remove its frame. Doing this allows for an accurate measure of how much fabric will be needed for the project.
Once the frame has been taken away, it’s time to take out the old upholstery. A convenient tool that makes this task much simpler is an upholstery staple remover – an inexpensive tool that makes removing staples a breeze.
Reupholster a chair
Remove The Old Upholstery
Reupholstering a chair requires first removing the old upholstery. This step is essential for any project.
Easier said than done, but necessary for the project.
Removing the old fabric allows you to use it as a pattern for new upholstery pieces. Be sure to steam it if necessary in order to get it as accurate as possible.
Cut The New Upholstery Fabric
Reupholstering a chair involves replacing its fabric, padding, and other soft materials. To make it easier, plan ahead and take photos of each step along the way.
Use the old upholstery fabric pieces as a pattern when cutting out new upholstery fabric. This will provide an accurate measurement and guarantee you purchase the correct amount of material.
Staple The New Upholstery Fabric To The Frame
Reupholstering a chair requires attaching the new upholstery fabric from below, stapled underneath the old batting. Doing this ensures that no visible part of the fabric remains when assembled.
You can achieve this look by cutting flexible metal tack strips or cardboard strips to fit the back of a chair and taping them in place. Doing this allows the top fabric of the chair to fold over and cover the tack strip, creating an elegant line along the top edge.
Reupholster a chair
Staple The New Upholstery Fabric to The Seat Cushion
Reupholstering a chair can be an economical and straightforward way to give a worn chair a fresh new look. Plus, it’s an ideal project for recycling old furniture!
Begin by taking the seat cushion from your chair and any dust covers, if present. Utilize this old fabric as a guide when cutting new upholstery fabric.
Measure and cut fabric to fit your seat cushion, leaving at least 4″ extra all around for folding over and stapling. This extra space will help create neat pleats at the corners of your chair seat.
Staple The New Upholstery Fabric to The Back Cushion
Reupholstering a chair is not only enjoyable, but it’s an effective way to extend the life of your furniture. Whether it’s an old sofa or a worn dining chair, restoring its original fabric can breathe new life into a dated space.
Chairs typically feature fabric that’s stitched onto the seat frame. However, some chairs come with an added layer of cotton batting for padding.
Staple The New Upholstery Fabric to The Side Panel
Once you’ve taken off the seat cushion and cut a new upholstery fabric, attach it to the chair using a staple gun. Be sure to secure all sides of the chair with fabric before proceeding.
Begin at the center of each side panel and pull it taut as you staple it to the frame. Work your way out from there, leaving a small gap at each corner for ease of installation.\
Reupholster a chair
Staple The New Upholstery Fabric to The Underside of The Seat Cushion
Before attaching your new upholstery fabric to the underside of a seat cushion, ensure it is centered and aligned as desired. Do this by hanging the fabric over cardboard strips.
Make frequent checks to make sure the fabric is oriented correctly and pull it taut before you staple. Finally, use a staple gun to attach the new fabric onto the frame.
Staple The New Upholstery Fabric to The Underside of The Back Cushion
Reupholstering a chair is an easy DIY project, but you should be familiar with its construction and how each piece attaches to the frame.
Mark each upholstery piece on your chair with a black marker, noting its location such as outside back, right side back, left side back, inside back, and seat sides.
Take each piece apart and remove any nails, tacks or staples. Disconnect the pieces from their frame by grasping them between two jaws of pliers and pulling straight out.
