If you have worn-out chair seats, you can easily re-cover them. Just pull a few staples and start over. Reupholstering is a great way to bring tired-looking chairs—even tired-looking rooms—back to life. The materials are relatively inexpensive, the tools are simple and it’s a project almost anyone can If you have worn-out chair seats, you can easily re-cover them. By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine Step 1: Chairs are not all created—or upholstered—equally Here we’ll show you how to reupholster a chair with a “drop-in” or “screw-on” seat—a style shared by many benchesSeat bases can be constructed from a variety of materials: solid wood, plywood, pegboard and others. are normally screwed on but can also be glued on or dropped in. can be foam, cotton or other natural Which stapler works best? All the staplers shown will do the trick. The question is: How hard do you want to work—and squeeze—to “do the trick”?
Your stapler buying decision may also hinge on a few other factors, including how often you’ll use it, what else you might use it for—and whether you need a good excuse to buy an air compressor. It will give your hand a workout, and you may have to occasionally use a hammer to drive the staples all the way in, but you can still get good results. hold the nose of the stapler firmly against the seat base when you pull the trigger. Cost: $15 to $30 We used one for our project and itYou still need to firmly press the nose against the fabric and plywood to get a well-seated staple—but it’s way easier on the hand. As a bonus, some models also shoot 3/4-in. and shorter brad nails. Cost: $25 to $75 If you’re going to be stapling for hours on end, invest in a pneumatic stapler. These drive the staples flush with the pull of a finger and allow you to be extremely accurate in the placement of
Some tools also drive brad nails up to 1-1/4 in. Cost: $40 to $150 (plus air compressor) Step 2: Round up your materials When you shop, buy “upholstery grade” fabric for its strength and stain resistance. Fabric prices vary wildly; might find something for $5 in the bargain bin or spend 10 times as much. bought our fabric, foam and batting at aFor the dust cover, we used landscape fabric from a home center. Step 3: Remove the old and get ready for the new If you’re re-covering more than one chair, number each chair and seat; way, the screw holes will line up properly when you reinstall the seats. are special tools just for yanking upholstery staples or tacks, but you can get by with basic hand tools (Photo 1). dull side cutters are perfect. staples well but don’t cut them off. Remove the padding and inspect theIf the wood base seems solid, reuseIf it’s cracked, use it as a template to
make a new one (Photo 2). sander to taper the edges to match the profile of the old one. Plop the seat on top of the foam and outline it with aUse a serrated bread knife (Photo 3) to cut just inside the line. Step 4: Install the new fabric Place a section of batting—4 in. wider in all directions than the size of your chair seat—on a flat work surface, then set your foam and seat on top. Lightly stretch the batting and drive one staple (Photo 4) along each edge. Flip the seat over, then center your material on top (Photo 5). the material so you’ll be able to wrap it up onto the chair bottom at least 4 in. in each direction. seat facing up and the front edge overhanging the work surface, drive one staple through the bottom to hold the material in place. the seat 180 degrees, then tack the back the same way. Check your pattern alignment one more time, then flip the seat upside
Starting at the front middle staple and working toward the corners, use the palm of your hand to lightly stretch the material, then drive a staple every 2 in. (Photo 6). staples within an inch of the edge, and secure the batting and fabric at theUse your entire hand, not just fingertips, to tighten the material. This way you’ll avoid little dips and puckers in the pattern. Repeatedly flip the seat over to check the pattern forit’s easier to keep flipping and checking than to go back and pull staples. Our expert flipped the seat over and checked the pattern a dozen times whileStop stapling 2 in. from each corner. Secure the back edge in the same way, stretching the material lightly as you work. Then complete the sides, again repeatedly checking the pattern. Step 5: Corners are the key You can make simple, single-fold “hospital corners” if the edges of your seat are concealed by a frame. most cases, the front corners will be exposed and will
look better with a “butterfly corner.” Remove excess batting and material from the corners (Photo 7) then flip the seat right side up and experiment with a few corner tucks. Fold the center inward, then overlap each side onto that fold (Photo 8). corner looks symmetrical and tight, flip the seat over and staple the folds in place. When the corners are done, flip the seat over and cut off the excess material. Staple on a dust cover (Photo 9).What are plastic dining chair covers? Plastic dining chair covers come in various styles, but they all are pieces of plastic that fit over the back or seat of a dining table chair to protect it from spills and wear. While many people opt to make their own covers, many stores sell plastic chair covers. How do you reupholster a dining room chair? How can you make arm covers for a sofa? What are some uses for plastic folding tables? Some plastic chair covers slide over the back of the chair and down over the cushion to protect the entire chair.
These are less common than the cushion covers. The smaller cushion covers allow the back of the chair to remain uncovered while still covering the cushion. Plastic cushion covers have become much more popular with the increase in the use of vintage furniture. Learn more about Furniture How do you cover furniture with sheets and T-pins? To slipcover a sofa or chair with sheets and T-pins, purchase enough flat sheets to cover the back, arms, seat front and cushions of the furniture. How do you reupholster seats? To reupholster the seat of a chair, remove the old upholstery by prying it up with a screwdriver and pliers. If the wood base is solid, reuse it; How do you refinish captain's chairs? When refinishing a captain's chair, work outdoors, and place the chair on a piece of plastic. Apply a recommended stripper to a section of the chair, allow... What are some modern styles of kitchen tables and chairs? Some modern styles of kitchen tables and chairs include the Knoll Saarinen round dining table, the Bontempi Casa Cubo bistro table, the Delta Side chair an...