The basic steps that need to be followed while reupholstering the dining room chair are mentioned below: Remove Fabric: The first thing is to remove the old fabric from the chair. Subscribe for the latest straight to your inbox! These go through the holes and you hammer the whole strip down just at these points. I knew before I started this project that I wanted some additional cushioning on the armrests as they always felt a bit hard to me – that will have been that hard wooden block underneath! My chair backs had a curve to them so I needed the thinner hardboard so it would curve with the chair. Push down on the lifter’s handle to pry the staples from the seat. I put another layer of the cotton padding on top of the socks. You simply measure, cut, place it over your staple line and use a hammer to hammer in the studs that have the nails/spikes on them. I run Upcycle My Stuff. Dining room chairs are one of the most common pieces of furniture to reupholster. It happens to be my daughter's great-grandma's and it is going in her room. However, our seats pretty much make up the chairs which made reupholstering them much more involved. I did a wing back chair and vowed never to do it again! Re-covering is a pain in the ars! The cane was busted on about 3 of them, and re-caning was out the question. Adding a new cushion and fresh fabric to a dated wood chair is a great way to bring it back to life. Start by stapling the batting to center of each side of the seat, then work your way around, pulling the batting tight as you go. Before we can get to the piping, you need to cover your chair pads. Dining room chair in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Duck Egg and Chair cushion in P. Kaufmann Brissac in Jewel For example, the cost to reupholster a chair cushion may be less than $150, and it’s unlikely you can replace the entire chair for that amount. This guest upholstery tutorial is all about how to reupholster a dining chair with fabric on the seat and back. On the other hand, repairing and re-padding the same chair can raise the price more than $1,100 to $1,500. Removing old staples can be time consuming, but adding the new foam and fabric is a breeze, Tankless Water Heaters: What You Need to Know Before You Buy. Here is a tip: If you bought the chair from a garage sale, buy some Lysol disinfectant and repeatedly spray the chair down while you take it apart. Here, Matthew Haly, owner of The Furniture Joint, an upholstery studio in New York City, demonstrates how to reupholster a dining chair. Make sure you’re leaving at least two to three inches extra on each side so you’ll have room to securely attach the fabric to the chair. How to Reupholster Dining Room Chairs With Patterned Fabric. If you aren’t sure what type of upholstery fabric to go for you can also check out this guide that helps you choose which upholstery fabric to use and when. Most of the time, it popped the staples up enough to use a pair of needle nose pliers to fully remove them. I am going to show you both ways, both super easy! Pull the fabric up tight on one corner. It has been reupholstered at least once before; I remember my mother and grandmother working on it for about a week when I was 8 or 9. Round the edges by spraying the edges with glue and folding them over to stick to the seat base. – for years now. Many of us own that one chair, sofa, or bench seat that has been through it all, and needs a makeover. I decided to pick a really bright and striking fabric so that it still ended up looking more modern even with the wood finish. Don't forget to turn the chair over to get photos from below, as well. I thought this was a little ‘added upcycle’ and also a way of keeping a bit of the chair’s history! I have 6 chairs to re-do. The new fabric just blends in so much better with my home decor and I think my Grandparents would be so happy I am keeping their chair in the family too! The steps mentioned above can also be referred to. I love how simple you made upholstering chairs. Every piece of furniture, especially those that we use often and/or is placed in a high-traffic spot will show some tired signs. Pull the fabric taut to the seat and staple it … Dining room chair reupholstery costs $150 to $300 each, or between $400 and $600 each with a cushioned chair backing. Then, attach the two panels back onto the chair by using a brad nailer and stapling right through the fabric into the wood of the chair. If the chair back is curved, you can follow the following steps to reupholster a curved back chair. Pull off old fabric. Two years ago, when my husband and I moved from Seattle to Rhode Island, we took the advice of friends and sold most of our large furniture. 111. I kindly said “I don’t know how to reupholster chairs, Andrea”. A year passed before we finally replaced our dining room set. How to Upholster or Reupholster A Dining Room Chair Slip Seat Please read Safety Information before starting any upholstery projects. It's amazing what a fresh fabric can do for a dining room chair. I’ve always intended to re-cover and re-upholster it but it’s taken me a while to get around to it. Back in October, my 22 y/o daughter Andrea came to me and said “Mom I need you to help me reupholster some dining chairs as a Christmas gift for my mother-in-law”. Alright, here we go. My Grandma gave that remnant to me years ago and as best as I can figure it out, the fabric is from the early 70s. This was the week! Just follow the steps about removing the old fabric, cutting the new fabric to size and replacing it where the old material was attached. Here, Matthew Haly, owner of The Furniture Joint, an upholstery studio in New York City, demonstrates how to reupholster a dining chair. Though the finish is nearly perfect, the seat … Pulling the fabric as taut as possible, attach it to the seat base with the staple gun the same way you attached the batting. When I first started I stapled on the fabric and cut of the excess as with the padding however that caused the fabric to pull. Ask This Old House master electrician Heath Eastman explains the uses and purposes of different types of electrical boxes. Get all the latest tutorials! Next, attach the fabric in the same way. The first step is choosing an upholstery fabric and figuring out how much you need. Reupholstering your dining room chairs gives both the chairs and the room a fresh look. Feb 10, 2015 - Step-by-step instructions on recovering a chair! Want to learn how to upholster the seat of your dining room chairs? My hangup on reupholstering the chairs was that I wanted to source matching vintage fabric and I couldn’t find any that matched. Cost To Reupholster Dining Room Chairs. How to Reupholster a Seat Cushion 01:36. Without first seeing your chairs, it’s impossible for us to give a completely accurate quote on how much reupholstery would cost. These studs come in a long roll. Remove the cardboard or similar material stapled to the underside. upholstering dining room chairs actually a lot easier than i thought it would be. Love Upcycling? Back Next . Rotate the … Place the hardboard back and chair seat on foam and trace. Hobby Lobby, here I come! Chairs that only have fabric on the seat will need less than a yard to cover two chairs, about three quarters of a yard. What do you mean you don’t know how to reupholster dining chairs?” Trim can cost an average of $10 per yard, and the amount needed depends on the chair; a dining room chair may use less than a yard, while a wing-back chair may need eight yards of braid or trim during upholstering. A simple wooden chair, painting it white and re-covering the seat. If you have a straight back chair, use a thicker hardwood for the back. :: Before inserting your seat back inside your chair you may want to scotch guard the fabric first to help repel future stains. Unscrew the seat base from the chair frame. On the other hand, repairing and re-padding the same chair can raise the price more than $1,100 to $1,500. Armchair Makeover Inspiration – Our Top Upcycled Armchair Ideas, How to Upcycle an Armchair – Reupholstery Basics, How to Upcycle a Velour Armchair – Using Paint, Fabric for Upholstery Projects – What to Use & When. I have had this formal looking dining room chair – is it maybe called a Carver’s Chair? I am fairly confident just about anyone can reupholster a dining chair using this method. Do the same at the back of the seat. If you want to reupholster dining room chairs, you’re in for a long project. 3. For example, the cost to reupholster a chair cushion may be less than $150, and it’s unlikely you can replace the entire chair for that amount. All rights reserved. The material is all original. The average cost to reupholster 6 dining chairs is $900 to $3,600, depending on the type. When I stripped the fabric off of the armrests of this old chair I discovered that there were wooden blocks attached to the arms of this chair that seem to have been added after it was made. Cut … It made a huge mess and took up the whole living r… To these measurements, add 6 inches on each side and 6 inches on the front and back. Reupholster dining chairs – what affects the price? upholstered seat dining chairs; 1/2 yard fabric per seat cushion; 1/2 yard batting per seat cushion; 2-inch foam; temporary fabric pen; scissors; tape measure; staple gun; staples; screwdriver; utility knife; Remove Seat Cushion. There are lots of different varieties on the market – I went with the hammered stud style trim. Grasp the center of the fabric from the front edge of the seat, fold it over the seat pad, and staple it to the seat. Apply … I did staple on some new padding but it still didn’t seem ‘cushy’ enough so I added in some old (but freshly washed!) The cost and time involved would be more than I wanted to do. Transform your dining room chairs by re-covering the cushions with a stylish new fabric. Unscrew the seat and remove it from the chair. Read More…. Materials Needed. A wooden Parson's chair with a unique trim costs $350 to $700 to reupholster. This pretty, early 20th-century dining chair was heading for the skip when I noticed its potential. You can reupholster most dining room chairs in about an hour. The more cushions your chair has, the more it will cost to reupholster. The screws are generally inset, so you may need a longer drill bit. Here’s where it really does take two to pull this off, so if you haven’t done … Cut a dust cover to the seat's dimensions out of black cambric fabric and staple to its underside. Staple down your fabric. Read the full disclosure here. This board covers the raw edges of the fabric. They were probably added the last time it was recovered in the 1950s – most likely by my Grandfather! I recently upholstered the backs of 6 of my dining chairs. Use a screwdriver and needle-nose pliers to remove staples from the old fabric. 2. If I was doing it again I would go for combed cotton or linen. Gather the excess fabric at 1 corner of the seat, and then fold it over at the corner. It can be mold, wrinkles, scratches, spills, dirt, and other visible flaws that might make us want to get rid of it immediately. Insert the tip of a staple lifter beneath the staples affixing the fabric to the seats. Attach Back. Dining room chair reupholstery costs $150 to $300 each, or between $400 and $600 each with a cushioned chair backing. A wooden Parson's chair with a unique trim costs $350 to $700 to reupholster. Unscrew the seat base from the chair frame. Revitalize the chairs in your dining room set by replacing worn seat pads and fabric with new fabric and foam. Piping is a small detail that makes a huge impact. Cut the wood with a … I went for Poplin which probably was a touch too thin. The lines are simple, but the arms have an unexpected curve. How to Reupholster a Dining Room Chair Seat and Back | 5 Quick Steps. We’ve been collecting a particular style of blackwood dining chair one at a time for the past couple of years. Reupholstering & Adding Foam to a Dining Room Chair. Create a new seat from 1/2-inch plywood. Staple in the center of the fold to secure the fabric at the corner of the seat. My apartment is mostly greys, teals and blue shades so it fits in well. Get the latest This Old House news, trusted tips, tricks, and DIY Smarts projects from our experts–straight to your inbox. Reupholstering the seat of a dining-style chair is one of the easiest ways to make a big change with little effort. The strip of studs cut and bend easily, so they are quick and simple to work with. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. this was my first hack at any sort of upholstering and i think more upholstery is in my future. I’m based in Vancouver, Canada and I ordered this fabric from Zazzle online. You can buy the fabric in various weights. Either trace the old base, or measure the seat frame and mark the wood with the dimensions minus about an 1/8 inch all around. Tired of running out of hot water? I’ve used cloth covers for while but they still need to be washed each week, with my 5 children. How much fabric you need to reupholster a kitchen or dining room chair depends on the type of chair you have. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Cost To Reupholster Dining Room Chairs. – for years now. This part was not very fun. Also mark the center of the front and back of the seat. 2. Photograph the chair from all angles before pulling the fabric off. The first step is choosing an upholstery fabric and figuring out how much you need. 1. 211. Jessica had more complex dining chairs that had a base and a back cushion. Here’s how! Cut out the foam. These photos will come in handy when you're putting new fabric on the chair. How To Reupholster A Dining Room Chair Seat And Back? Then you cut pieces of thin foam or cotton batting to fit the chair and the front of the chair where your backrests. 10 Art Deco Style Upcycle Projects to Jazz up your Home, How to Upcycle a Bureau into an Art Deco Drinks Cabinet, How to Upcycle a Dressing Table: An Art Deco Style Makeover, How to Upcycle Antique French Fauteuil Chairs – Painting & Upholstery Tutorial. That’s not a problem with one of these compact, ultra-efficient units that heat water as you need it. For the chair and seat back I went ahead and removed the old padding and replaced it with new cotton padding. Many dining chairs you'll find at thrift stores have removable seats, which makes this do-it-yourself furniture project even easier. No turning back. Re-covering is a pain in the ars! I stapled into the same spots/lines that the previous staples were located. Once you have your seat and back cushion reupholstered with your new fabric, screw them back onto the chair and you are done! You can accomplish the task within a day. This post may contain affiliate links. That will be so much simpler in that case! Step 2 – Remove the chair seat. This sturdy, comfortable ladder-back is perfect for the worktable in my library. I unscrewed the chair seats from the chairs and began removing staples with this miraculous little tool. I had initially planned to title this blog post, “How to Reupholster a Chair Seat…the Easy Way.” Though after actually tackling this DIY project, I couldn’t in good conscious call it easy. You will have to check it out! Cut the fabric to the seat base's dimensions plus 1/4 inch all around. I did a wing back chair and vowed never to do it again! Stick the cushioning to the wood with a fast-drying spray adhesive. I am doing a much simplier project now. Unscrew the seat base from the chair frame. Perhaps the seat fabrics are stained, marked, torn, threadbare, or just looking rather dated and no longer suit your decor. Firstly, you should remove the material from the back and seat of the chair. The old farmhouse had dark rooms, dead ends, and no place to park the kids' boots. If you can see it in the above photo, the two chairs that I had in the dining room had vintage cream and black striped fabric. I’ve always intended to re-cover and re-upholster it but it’s taken me a while to get around to it. If you use a pattern, center it on the chair before cutting the fabric. I am so pleased with how this turned out! The chairs look fabulous! Secure each panel with one staple to secure it in place and then a staple on each side to make sure panel fits properly and isn't pulled in one direction or another. Remove the seat pad from the chair by removing the screws that hold it to the frame. All you’ll need to do is remove the seat from the chair and measure the height and length at the largest point for each. In that case, you need to decide whether it’s simpler and cheaper to simply purchase an entirely new chair. The dining room set still looks good; the wood is fine and the chairs don't squeak, but the seat fabric is a bit outdated and drab. If you have a straight back chair, use a thicker hardwood for the back. I stapled it in place following the existing staple line for the old seat padding. It happens to be my daughter's great-grandma's and it is going in her room. Then we removed the staples from the bottom of the seat and took the existing fabric off. Cut the seat cushion from high-density foam that's at least one inch thick. I have a fabulous tutorial for you today….. a step by step picture tutorial on how to upholster dining room chairs! I have a good staple remover but it still took me some time as they’d been in there awhile! With the seat facing up and the front edge overhanging the work surface, drive one staple through the bottom to hold the material in place. 6. I’d love to see how they turn out! I followed the advice in another upholstery tutorial on this site that says it is best practice to save the old fabric as you take it off so you can use it as a pattern piece for your chair. This took about one hour and was ridiculously easy. The chairs look fabulous! Work from the center staples out toward the edges. Your email address will not be published. ». I am passionate about upcycling and I am passionate about helping upcycling businesses get started and grow. Obviously I was nervous recovering such a family heirloom. I first removed the seat from the chair frame using a screw driver. Use a scrap piece of fabric (part of an old flat sheet will work) and lay your seat back on it. Learn how your comment data is processed. This is because there is such a wide variety of dining chair styles and each chair will be in a different state. I chose a bold blue and white art deco fabric. Your email address will not be published. Cut the material so you'll be able to wrap it up onto the chair bottom at least 4 in. Adding a new cushion and fresh fabric to a dated wood chair is a great way to bring it back to life. Most chairs are finished on the bottom, so the best method is to remove fabric in the reverse order it was put on…this way the last pieces you will remove will be the first pieces you put back on. Chairs with fabric covering the back support will need two to three yards each. Flip the chair upside down and unscrew the … You will have to check it out! Here's how an inventive redo made an 1830s artifact just right for a 21st-century household, How to Create a Color Wash Patina on Furniture, How to Build a Picnic Table with Attached Benches. Fold it over, and use an upholstery staple gun to shoot a staple … in each direction. It was attached with only 4 screws. They all had mismatched upholstery that was damaged and worn so it was time to do something about it. I used some of fabric I had taken off of the chair (a piece that was in the best condition) and added it to cover the underside. Pin It. This is a professional quality reupholstering tool kit (more information) containing: a magnetic hammer, gooseneck webbing stretcher, staple lifter, regulator, mallet, 10" shears, assorted needles, etc. 1. I wanted to leave the wood as it was rather than paint it as it is in good condition (plus my grandfather was not a fan of painted wooden furniture!). Free Downloads & other Resources for Upcycling Businesses, Facebook Group – Upcycle My Stuff – Share My Stuff, « The Ultimate Guide to Upcycled Gifts on Etsy, 10 DIY Personalised Gifts You Can Make From Your Upcycled Stuff! Upholstery Staple Remover and/or Tack Puller. socks. This chair required the back side of chair to be assembled first, followed by the inside back, seat and arms and then outside arms. Turns out they were just the right size for what I needed! We then used the materials she chose to upholster the dining chairs, as well as adding some individual studding as a design feature. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. This will help with any odors as well. Then, cut around it leaving about 3-4 inches. Make sure to take the photos in good light so that you can see the chair really well. If you are lucky enough to have a solid back chair, omit this step. Either trace the old base, or measure the seat frame and mark the wood with the dimensions minus about an 1/8 inch all around. It has been reupholstered at least once before; I remember my mother and grandmother working on it for … Staple the fabric along the front and back of the seat into place. My last step was to re-cover the underside of the chair seat. I finally decided to go a different route with the fabric though and I think it turned out great. Get the fabric & supplies you need at OnlineFabricStore: https://www.onlinefabricstore.net/Want more info on this project, including written instructions? Tack to the left or right of your thumb rather than right below it as this will leave unsightly "tack … Old dining chair with padded seat, back and arm rests. It was submitted by one of our regular contributors, Charlie Miller. Later I made a tape label for “1 front” on the fabric removed from that front panel, “1 back” on the back wood panel, and “1” on the seat cushion fabric removed from that chair, etc. I also removed the old padding at this point. My chair backs had a curve to them so I needed the thinner hardboard so it would curve with the chair. The following tools are necessary to reupholster dining room chairs: Screwdriver to remove the chair seat (Phillips or flat-head, depending on the type of screws used to hold the chair seat onto the chair). Changing these covers will update the set, and with accurate measuring, you can purchase the correct amount of fabric with confidence. Thinking of starting an Upcycling Business? So your dining chairs are looking a little tatty. Don’t be silly! A simple wooden chair, painting it white and re-covering the seat. Alrighty, friends. It took an … If you like’d this post about How to Re-Upholster a Dining Chair and you want to return to it later, don’t forget to Pin it! I have parsons dining room chairs that have the “leather” peeling off. I am doing a much simplier project now. Cut the wood with a jigsaw. When I revealed my dining room table makeover, I promised I would share how to add piping to dining room chairs, so here it is! Replacing the seat pads on a set of chairs costs considerably less than getting a new set or taking the chairs to an upholsterer's for new seats. I’m going to be 100% honest with you. How To Reupholster Difficult Dining Chairs. With a seat only kitchen or dining room chair, your work here is easy. Here’s what you need to know about choosing, installing, and living with a tankless water heater. Back Next . 7. Turn the chair seats upside down. Place back panel in position and fold the right side over the top of the chair back. The reupholstering a chair is also one way to add a new life to it. Of course, … The previous fabric on the armrests was well worn on the corners from these wood pieces so I decided to sand down the corners of these sharp rectangular blocks of wood with 60 Grit sandpaper. Mark the measurements on the fabric with a fabric pen or chalk so that you will know where to cut. Reupholster a Chair From the Bones Up: My sister inherited this lovely framed chair from our mother. The seats and everything is nice and firm and don’t need new batting or anything,; just a change in material, I don’t like the colors. Cut out the foam. This was the week! That meant that when we finally closed on our house, we had no large furniture! Question – how did u know or measure on how much fabric to get? If your fabric has a looser weave (ie, you could stick a pin through without leaving a hole), you can simply staple the fabric to the back of the padded back panel using a staple gun. The average cost to reupholster 6 dining chairs is $900 to $3,600, depending on the type. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. So, I used drop cloth fabric (same as I used on the slip covers, and some braided gimp trim in an accent color for trim! There are similar Art Deco fabrics available on Etsy here too. 4. I’ll be doing this project with vinyl if I can find some that looks relatively decent. If there is still some extra fabric, fold it again and place another staple over the fold to secure it. Dismantle Chair. Once you have your upholstery fabric secured you will still have a visible staple line so this needs to be covered with some trim. 3/4 yard will cover 2 chairs; Reupholstering the seat. Screw the seat back down to the chair frame. Repeat this for each corner of the chair. If you are lucky enough to have a solid back chair, omit this step. Reupholster a Chair From the Bones Up: My sister inherited this lovely framed chair from our mother. Place the hardboard back and chair seat on foam and trace. Put the seat on top of the material and staple or tack at your center marks and a couple of inches to either side. Here, Matthew Haly, owner of The Furniture Joint, an upholstery studio in New York City, demonstrates how to reupholster a dining chair. 8. I have had this formal looking dining room chair – is it maybe called a Carver’s Chair? If you think about it, somebody ages and ages ago already did the measuring and calculating of how big that piece of fabric should be and how to cut out the corners – so it makes sense to just trace the old piece of fabric when cutting your new fabric! From my research, it appears we have Parsons chair seats, so I … I actually decided to add more padding at this point so I shoved it in from below under the springs and smoothed it out. Chair cushions consist of plywood inserts with foam and fabric that comes off easily. Reupholstering involves selecting the material you want to use, re-padding the chair, and attaching the new upholstery, then putting the furniture back together if and as needed so that it's ready for use. choose which upholstery fabric to use and when. Many of us own that one chair, sofa, or bench seat that has been through it all, and needs a makeover. So then I started to fold the edge under and then staple it to the frame. Reupholstering: Tools and Fabric Required. Measure the Seats Measure the width (side to side) and depth (front to back) of the seats at the widest and deepest part. I inherited a number of antique furniture pieces from my Grandparents. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I sewed mine but you don't have to. Copyright © 2020 This Old House Ventures, LLC. I went as thick as I felt I could go with it and ended up adding a couple of layers. Re-Upholstering Dining Room Chairs; Re-Upholstering Dining Room Chairs. I cut the socks into rectangular pieces that fit around the wooden blocks. Reupholstering chairs, especially dining room chairs, is an easy project. Furniture expert Matthew Haly shows how to bring new life to a worn chair seat. I took apart the first chair and it took me about 30 attempts to find the right method. Art Deco fabrics available on Etsy here too. Before you remove the old upholstery, you’ll need to dismantle the chair. 1. We collected the chairs and stripped them back, replacing the old horsehair with new fire-retardant filling. I think the most difficult part was getting off the tiny wooden screw caps and that wasn’t really that hard. If the base is in good condition, remove the old fabric and staples with an awl and pliers. The first thing I did in my quest to reupholster my dining chair was to remove the old fabric by prying out the nails and staples. Required fields are marked *. How ever, I have 2 chairs that I would like to redo. Attach Fabric. Cover the foam with a 1/2-inch layer of Dacron polyester batting. Dining room chairs are one of the most common pieces of furniture to reupholster. Every fourth or fifth stud has whole in it and you also get a pile of loose studs with sharp nails on the end. If the base is in good condition, remove the old fabric and staples with an awl and pliers. Tip: Be careful to line up the fabric and place staples at the mid lines on each side first and then staple along the edges. Repeat the same steps to make a piece for the back, or you could just double the fabric and do one cut. Most dining chair seats sit INTO the chair and recovering them is super simple (like this).