How To Reupholster Chairs In 7 Easy Steps

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A great way to refresh your space is to take something that’s old, or doesn’t quite go with your new color scheme and update it! Updating is an easy way to change how something feels entirely without spending too much money or time on it. Today I’m going to show you just how easy it is to reupholster chairs. In just 7 easy steps!

We bought our at a garage sale 5 years ago. It was in great condition except for the chairs. They were in bad shape. The previous owner recovered them, I couldn’t handle that fabric so I set out to find a new fabric that would fit into my (then) color scheme. I did, and they’ve lasted this whole time. Five whole years is a pretty decent amount of time for a fabric to last. It’s been really great and didn’t even need the update, but I’m changing the colors in my dining/ kitchen from blacks and tans to greys and whites.

We talked about maybe selling the set but decided that it’s still has plenty of time left in it, so we kept it and I hit up my fabric stash for some fabric I bought almost 3 years ago. So let’s get to it. Here’s how easy is it to reupholster chairs.

How To Reupholster Chairs In 7 Easy Steps

What you’ll need to reupholster chairs:

A chair or chairs that need some happy sprucing up

to cover the cushions- To find the amount needed measure the seat across the widest parts of the cushion. Then add 2-3 inches to each side. You don’t want an exact measurement because you need extra room to put staples.

A with lots of staples!

(if making a new pattern)

(to make a pattern)

Step 1: Flip your chair upside down and remove the screws that are holding the seat to the frame. Mine only have 4, but a drill won’t fit so I did them by hand. Easy

Step 2: If you haven’t already covered your chair, skip this step. If you have you’ll want to remove the existing fabric. I removed the staples by pulling the fabric on either side of the staple and also used a pair of pliers when the staple got stuck. You can remove the old fabric if you want. I personally feel like that’s over kill, especially because professional staples are like crazy hard to get out. This is supposed to be easy :).

Side note, this is what was UNDER the fabric I took off… I just can’t even believe all of the spills… gross.

Step 3: Making a pattern to cut all of the pieces for your chair is easy. Simply take a scrap piece of fabric and wrap it around the cushion, meeting where the old fabric is, pin in place with straight pins and cut it down to a rough size. Remove the pins, and you have a rough pattern to use. If there was already fabric on it, just use the old fabric for a pattern. No sweat.

Step 4: Cut out all of the pieces for your chairs. Might as well do it all at once, right?

Step 5: Wrap the new fabric around the cushion and then flip the cushion over.

Step 6: Begin stapling in place the middle top, bottom, and side edges. This helps make sure your fabric doesn’t shift (which is particularity important if you’re using a pattern and want to placed just so). Continue stapling around the entire seat. I left the corners to do last because I knew a lot of fabric would gather there so I could pleat it the way I needed to. There’s no rhyme or reason to this because no one is going to see it.

I also like to trim the excess off, but that’s not really necessary.

Step 7: Reattach your seat to the frame, please invite a kitty to help… They’ll insist if you don’t!

All done! Take a before and after picture!

Can you even believe what a difference this has made?!

See how easy it is to reupholster chairs? I hope this has helped you revive an old but awesome piece of furniture!

Not into the idea of reupholstering your old chair?  Need a new one?  I’ve always been thought these were dandy.

And they are on MAJOR SALE.  Plus free shipping!  Get the sale price .  There are 16 designs to choose from!

Like DIY tutorials?

Don’t miss the dandy way to create your own teepee.

The DIY step-by-step instructions are HERE.

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