A Few Easy Steps to Re-Upholstering a Side Chair That Sat in Your Garage for a Number of Years and Needs Some Attention

Like many others, our family attended the Jamestown Quadricentennial Celebration...a tremendous historical experience. For four weeks before the event, mother, Ruby, and I labored to make costumes for all eight of us children. Since we returned , I've been enjoying a break from the sewing machine (not usual with me). I confess I haven't really wanted to use it. This "weariness" helped me develop a new interest...Upholstery. Partly because it doesn't involve much sewing. We realized that we had several pieces of furniture in our garage, all of which were/are in a sad state. I suddenly was inspired to make them all lovely, usable things...but I didn't know how. I did a little reading, and with my mother's help, have now completed two chairs. I'm sharing with you my second attempt, and I hope this may even be helpful to some of you.


Step 1: Remove all fabric, tacks, and staples from chair and refinish or touch up if necessary.
Step 2: Apply webbing to seat and back opening of chair (if there is one).


Step 3: cut a piece of burlap (boy, am I glad I don't have to wear this stuff!!) large enough to cover seat and back where the webbing is. This re-enforces it. Staple or tack in place.Step 4: Cut a piece of foam the exact size of seat, batting large enough to wrap to the underside, and fabric a little larger than batting. It is the same for the back, but foam should be cut a little smaller.
Step 5: Apply foam to chair with spray adhesive (this is not necessary, but it makes the process a whole lot easier).
Step 6: Wrap batting and fabric over the foam, and tack at center front, back, and sides. Slit at corners and fold under in either side of the legs. Staple all around the underside of chair.
Step 7: Repeat step 5 for the back, and cut a piece of fabric a little smaller than the back of the chair, and staple in place to cover up all the ugly stuff.
Step 8: Glue decorative trim over raw edge and staples. It helps if you stick pins in it until the glue dries.
Step 9: Walk around to the front of the chair to see if you like it :).
Step 10: Cut a piece of black broadcloth and staple to the underside of the chair as a dustcover.
(Optional): Wrap and glue trim around the places where the fabric meets the wood. I'm working on doing this because it seem to give it a more finished look.

Finishing things like this gives me the sensation that making old things new is like turning a jungle into a garden. I love it. Thanks for...reading.

~Chloe