These $5 Craigslist chairs have become one of my favorite furniture makeovers in a long time. They were simple projects and I love how well they pair with the $50 Craigslist table I refinished last year.
As I mentioned in the before-and-after post for the chairs, I was surprised at how much I liked them because they weren’t the style I originally sought out.
Don’t you love surprises like that?
Since I already shared how I painted them, I wanted to write a step-by-step tutorial on covering the faux-vinyl seats. Reupholstering chair seats is straightforward, and while many of you may already know the process, I’ll cover the essentials for anyone new to it and share a few tips I’ve learned along the way.
These chairs needed extra padding, so I used batting from my stash, trimming it so it wrapped just around the seat edges, and cutting out each corner (basically a small square) to reduce bulk.
The biggest tip for covering chair seats is handling the corners—make them less bulky, pull the fabric tight, and create clean folds. Remove the excess material, like extra batting, where it isn’t needed.
Next I cut a piece of fabric slightly larger than the batting. I eyeballed the margin rather than measuring precisely, which is fine for this project since much of the edge will be hidden.
Start in the middle of one side: fold the fabric over the batting, bring it up around the side, fold over the raw edge if you prefer a neater finish, and staple it securely. Folding the raw edge is optional since the underside won’t be visible, but it gives a tidier result.
About staplers: I used a manual stapler for years, then switched to an electric model when staple sizes for the old tool became hard to find. The electric stapler is easier and speeds the job up.
Repeat on the remaining sides, but only staple one or two times in the center of each side at first. Pull the fabric tight when stapling the opposite side—taut upholstery makes the finished seat look professional.
With the centers of each side pulled tight and stapled, move to the first corner. Trim about 2–3 inches off the fabric tip at the corner to reduce bulk, then bring the fabric over the corner as shown in the photo.
Pull the fabric as tightly as possible, tuck under the corner fabric and fold one long side over it to create a neat pleat. Pull tight from the side and from above, then staple the pleat in place.
Now staple from this corner toward the middle staple on that side, pulling the fabric taut as you go, but stop at the center. Leave the fabric on the opposite side loose until the corners are finished—this makes it easier to get the corners tight and clean.
On the other side of the corner, fold under the fabric to form another pleat and pull it tight over the first pleat to create a trimmed, tailored corner. Staple from this finished corner to the center staple on that side, then move on to the next corner.
Finish all corners, always pulling tight and stapling each side as the corners are completed, until the fabric is securely and evenly stretched around the entire seat.
Reattach the cushion to the chair and enjoy your handiwork—mission accomplished!
I often wonder why I put this project off for so long when it turned out to be so simple.
Do you have any tips that have helped you when recovering chair seats?
-Jami
This post was shared as part of Transformation Thursday and Furniture Feature Friday.