We’ll cover every aspect from start to finish in order to equip any beginner with the knowledge and confidence they need to reupholster dining chair seats.
After I posted this photo of my dining room to Instagram a few weeks ago and mentioned that I reupholstered the chairs, I got a few inquiries as to how to do that. So I thought it would be worth writing a step-by-step tutorial on how to reupholster a dining chair seat!
Let’s jump right to it, shall we?
How to Reupholster a Dining Chair Seat – Step by Step Tutorial
Choosing Upholstery Fabric for a Dining Chair
Before you can reupholster a dining chair you will need to consider your fabric! There are several factors you need to consider when choosing an upholstery fabric:
- How often will this chair be used (every meal, special occasions, just for show…)?
- By whom will this chair be used (adults, small children…)?
- How large is the seat and what scale of pattern do I want (lots of small detail, one large flower per seat…)?
Upholstery fabric durability is rated according to “double rubs” and fabric weight.
What is meant by “double rubs?”
Double rubs are the number of times a mechanical arm is moved back and forth over the fabric before the fabric fails. It’s estimated 3000 double rubs = approx. 1 year of use.
So what double rub count do you need?
Upholstery fabric durability is also defined by weight: Lightweight, Medium, Heavyweight, or in ounces per square yard.
Heavy duty upholstery fabric is usually more than 12 ounces per square yard.
How much fabric do I need to reupholster a dining chair seat?
To determine how much fabric you will need to purchase, follow these steps:
- Remove the seat from your dining chair by loosening the screws on the underside of the seat.
- Using a flexible measuring tape, start the measuring tape on the underside of your seat in the middle of the wood where you would staple; measure over the fullest part of your cushion, wrapping around to the opposite side of the wood frame under the seat.
- Take that number and add at least an inch or two for “wiggle room.” I prefer to add 2 inches.
- NOTE: If you are replacing the cushion with a new cushion you will need to add more according to the height of your new cushion.
- Do the same in the opposite direction on your seat.
- Take these numbers and calculate how many seats you can cover per yard (or whatever measurement you use). Keep in mind which direction the pattern runs on the fabric in relation to how it will appear on your seat.
- Most upholstery fabrics come in widths of 54″ or even 60″ or 72″ – it just depends on the manufacturer.
- TAKE PATTERN INTO CONSIDERATION. Consider what part(s) of the fabric pattern you want to have present on your seat or if it matters. For example, you may want a certain section of toile on each chair but the toile scene is only repeated once per yard. You may need more fabric to achieve that look.
Supplies Needed to Reupholster a Dining Chair
To upholster a dining chair seat there are a few supplies you will need. I’ve described them in great detail so you know why you need them and what I recommend or don’t recommend.
Sewing Scissors/Shears
Don’t attempt to use office supply (paper) scissors to cut your fabric – especially heavy upholstery fabric! You will risk getting unclean cuts and even snagging your fabric threads. I really love my 8″ dressmaker’s shears by Gingher. They have no trouble gliding right through the heaviest of upholstery fabric. Inversely, don’t ever use your sewing scissors on paper – it will dull them!
Staple/Tack Remover
This is for removing staples or upholstery tacks when you are removing the old fabric for your chair. Even if you’re not removing old fabric, it’s a good idea to have one of these for removing mistakes when stapling! I have a simple wooden handled one from Joann Fabric, but this one I recently found looks awesome.
Needle Nose Pliers
These are in case you need to remove broken staples or bits stuck in the wood. It happens more often than you’d think!
Screwdriver
You’ll need a screwdriver for detaching the seat from your chair – Philipps head or flathead depending on your screws.
Iron + Ironing Board
This is my least favorite part but very necessary! You’ll need to iron your fabric before you begin to remove any wrinkles. Trust me, it’s important!
Upholstery Stapler – Either Spring-Loaded or Pneumatic (plus air compressor)
It’s totally up to you which way you go on this. If this is the only upholstery project you will ever do, you may want to get an inexpensive spring-loaded stapler. They often have them at craft stores and on Amazon. I will say that the cheap ones from places like Joann are NOT my favorit. I find that they jam frequently. If you have many chairs to do or plan to do more upholstery, I recommend borrowing or purchasing a pneumatic stapler.
Don’t forget you’ll need an air compressor to power it! This pneumatic upholstery stapler I got from Amazon has been amazing! It has never jammed on me – even through my vintage chair project – and it comes with everything you need to get started (stapler, different sizes of staples, lubricating oil & maintenance kit). I bought a “long-nose” stapler to upholster vintage chairs that have a groove in which the fabric rests. You’ll see I’ve linked both my long-nose stapler and a crown stapler (more of a standard stapler) below.
Upholstery Staples
These are typically sold in the same aisle as the spring-loaded staplers or you can purchase them online. While it depends how thick your batting & fabric are, typically anything 1/4″ to 1/2″ is more than sufficient. You don’t want something too long that’s going to split your wood or be impossible to get out if you make a mistake.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
You should most definitely wear safety goggles (or similar) whenever you’re messing with staples – when removing and when stapling. Anytime you have sharp little metal bits potentially flying about you want to protect your eyes! Make sure you have goggles that you can clearly see through to be able to work safely.
You may also want to consider hearing protection if you are using an air compressor and potentially thin work gloves if you have sensitive hands and find the rubbing of scissors and pliers irritating. This is totally up to you – use your own judgement.
Upholstery Fabric
If you missed the part above on how to choose an upholstery fabric and how much you’ll need, scroll on up in this post! Did you know you can buy fabric on Amazon? Here’s the heavy duty fabric I used on our dining chairs.
Batting
I just use regular old batting from the quilting section of the fabric store. Batting just helps smooth everything out like the corners of the foam. You’ll need roughly the same amount as your upholstery fabric. You can purchase it at fabric stores or online here.
Foam (if replacing)
While I didn’t replace any foam for this tutorial (my chairs did not need it), you can reference step 3 of my vintage chair project to see how to cut foam to size. You can purchase foam at fabric stores like Joann Fabric or order it online, like this on Amazon.
Push Pins
These are not absolutely necessary, but they are helpful to hold fabric in place while you check placement.
For your convenience, here is a printable supplies checklist!
Now let’s reupholster a dining chair!!
Reupholstering a Dining Chair: Removing Old Fabric
Step 1: Prep your workspace
You will want to work in a space that does not have small children or pets present, if possible. You may want to spread out a drop cloth or floor covering to catch any flying staples or metal shards. (It makes for easier cleanup!) If you are using an air compressor make sure it is plugged in and pressurized. Gather all your supplies and turn on your music!
Step 2: Remove the seat from your dining chair
Turn your chair over and loosen the screws on the underside of your seat. Set them aside in a safe place like a jar or other container.
Step 3: Remove all staples or tacks
Use your staple/tack remover and pliers to remove the existing staples or tacks. Make sure you’re wearing eye protection for this! Slide (or wedge) the staple remover under each staple and pry it up. Use your needle nose pliers to pull out any broken staples or bits. Don’t feel badly if you break staples while trying to get them out. This happens all the time!
Step 4: Remove the existing fabric
Remove the existing fabric and batting (if you’re replacing the batting). Set it aside but don’t throw it away yet. Sometimes it’s helpful to reference the old fabric for making special cuts for corners.
Reupholstering a Dining Chair: Attaching New Fabric
Step 1: Iron your fabric
Trust me, you don’t want to skip this step! I personally don’t like ironing but it’s worth it to have smooth, taught fabric for a professional look. Be sure to turn your iron to an appropriate setting for your fabric. I like to keep mine around medium – just hot enough that it produces steam but not scorching. If your fabric came with care instructions be sure to read them first.
[If you are replacing chair foam, do that part now.] Visit this tutorial to learn how to cut upholstery foam to size.
Step 2: Lay out your batting
Lay your batting out and place your seat upside down on top of it (you are looking at the underside). Give yourself enough room around the edges to be able to wrap the batting and secure it to the wood frame, but not so much that you’re wasting a bunch. Cut your batting from the roll and set the roll aside. It doesn’t need to be perfectly precise.
Step 3: Lay out your fabric
Lay your fabric on a smooth, flat surface with the right side (printed side) down. Be sure the fabric pattern is oriented the correct way. Pick up your seat and batting (still loose) and place them on top of the fabric. Try to get it as straight as possible (don’t worry, we’ll check in a minute!).
Leave enough room around the edges that you can wrap the fabric up to the wood frame, but not so much that you’re wasting a lot of fabric. If you have a particular part of the fabric that you want centered on your seat, you may want to lay the seat right side up and place your fabric on top before turning everything over. That way you can get a better feel for pattern placement. Cut the amount of fabric you need and set the remainder aside.
Once you have everything as straight as possible, pull the fabric over the frame both at the top and bottom of your seat and place two pushpins through the fabric into the wood to temporarily hold the fabric in place.
Flip your seat over to the front side to check for placement and straightness. Make adjustments as needed.
Step 4: Prep the stapler
Make sure your staples are loaded correctly in your stapler. If you are using a pneumatic stapler, be sure to check the recommended PSI (pounds per square inch) of your stapler and set your compressor accordingly. My pneumatic stapler requires a minimum PSI of 60 (needs at least that amount to function) with a maximum PSI of 100. I typically set my compressor around 70.
If this is your first time using your stapler, you may want to practice a few times in a piece of scrap wood just to get a feel for the trigger.
Step 5: Attach your fabric and batting
When stapling you want to work from the middle of the frame outward. For this tutorial the “top” of your chair will be the part furthest away from you and the “bottom” will be the part closest to you. We are working on the underside of the seat (the part you don’t see when it’s attached).
Working at the top middle of your seat, pull the fabric taught over the wood frame. You want it to be tight but don’t pull it so tight it skews the pattern. Place one staple in the middle of the wood to secure.
Go to the bottom of your frame and do the same, securing with one staple. I like to pause here and flip the seat over just to make sure everything looks right before I continue.
Note: As you are stapling, be sure not to cover up the screw holes used to attach your seat. If this happens, you can always trim out a little notch for them. No big deal, but better to avoid.
Continue pulling the fabric taught over the frame and securing with staples across both the top and bottom of your frame. Stop before you get to the corners.
Turn your seat 90 degrees and repeat the process, beginning in the top middle with one staple, then the bottom middle with one staple. Work all the way across but stop before you get to the corners.
Step 6: Securing the corners
Note: There are many ways to “do” corners. This is just one way, but I personally find it the easiest.
If your chair is all squared off on the corners and has no weird posts or notches, lucky you!
To secure the corner, trim off any excess bulky batting that may be in the way on the underside of the chair. If there is too much bulk, the chair won’t sit flat on the chair frame. Don’t trim it so short that it won’t cover the corner though! You still want it to have a nice smooth edge.
Pull the corner of the fabric straight in. This will be at a 45 degree angle to the sides of your chair. Hold it taught (or secure with one staple or a push pin).
Next fold the fabric on the side straight up as if you were continuing to secure it like you did a minute ago. Secure it with a staple.
You will next be folding the adjoining side’s fabric upward but take a moment to trim any bulky excess fabric that may be in the way. Now fold the adjoining side upward and secure with a staple or two.
Secure everything with a few more staples. Trim off any excess fabric from the underside of your dining chair. Don’t trim too close to the staples. I like to leave an inch or two.
Step 7: Weird corners and notches
Oh why must there be weird corners, right? I try to think of notched cutouts like several littler corners just back to back. I still pull the fabric up into the notch at a 45 degree angle, fold it upward at the sides, and secure, but I have to do that twice. It’s easier to see in the YouTube video above. I couldn’t possibly address every type of corner and chair situation in this tutorial, but quite honestly sometimes you just have to play around with folds until it looks right. Do be cautious making any cuts or slits to your fabric, as you don’t want them to show when your chair is reattached!
Step 8: Reattach your seat to the chair frame
Use your screwdriver and screws to reattach your seat to the frame. If you can’t access the holes due to fabric being in the way, you can carefully cut little notches to expose the screw holes.
Yay! How exciting! You just reupholstered a dining chair seat!
Reupholstering a Dining Chair Without Removing Old Fabric
It is entirely possible to just skip the part about removing the old fabric and batting and to put new fabric right on top. This may be a good option for you if:
- The existing foam and batting is in good condition.
- Your new fabric is thick enough that the old will not show through.
- You want to save time and money.
Here are some occasions on which this would NOT work:
- The old fabric is filthy and smelly (it will eventually come through the new fabric).
- The old fabric and batting are very thick. Adding new fabric on top will make the seat too thick to sit properly on the chair frame.
- The old fabric will show through the new fabric.
I once reupholstered a pair of dining chairs that had FIVE layers of fabric on them! Yes, five! I could literally see the decades going by as I peeled away each layer – the 2000s, the 90s, 80s, 60s, and most likely the 40s! It was fascinating to say the least.
Attaching new fabric over existing fabric is exactly what I did for my vintage desk chair (which is actually a dining chair). I explain my decision in the video.
I hope this has been a useful and informative tutorial and that you now feel confident to reupholster a dining chair!
If you have any questions on how to reupholster a dining chair, please feel free to drop a comment below or message me on social media and I will do my best to answer it for you.
If you found this tutorial helpful, please be sure to save it for later or send it to a friend who would enjoy it!
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Blessings,
Melissa