I’ve had these dining room chairs for ages.
But I wanted my dining room to be more gray than brown. I didn’t have money in the budget for new chairs, so I decided to recover them. I couldn’t believe how easy it was! In an afternoon, my chairs went from brown paisley, above, to this:
So how did I do it? Here’s how.
Supplies Needed
I got my supplies at a fabric/craft store. Of course, you need fabric. You will also need a tape measure, staple gun (manual or electric), scissors, a rubber mallet, and nailhead trim. I purchased a roll of nailhead trim at the fabric/craft store. It’s much easier to work with than nailing each individual nailhead in!
Measure the Fabric
How you measure the fabric will depend on whether you are pulling off the old fabric or covering over it. I was using a heavy fabric to reupholster the chairs, so I could just go over the existing fabric. If you do that, then measure the back of the chair, the seat of the chair, and the back seat cushion (perpendicular to the seat). For the back seat cushion, don’t forget to measure the part that goes over the top of the chair and around the sides.
I added an extra inch to each measure of fabric, just in case. I could always trim the extra off later; I’d rather have too much fabric than too little.
If you are pulling off the old fabric, the best way to measure is to remove the fabric in one piece, without rips or tears, and then measure that. In other words, use the old fabric as a template for the new fabric.
Attach the Fabric
To attach the fabric, you can either use a regular, manual staple gun or an electric staple gun. I used an electric staple gun because the fabric I was using was thick. I was afraid a manual staple gun might not have the power needed.
I started with the back seat cushion of the chair. I draped the fabric over the back seat cushion and stapled it around the top edge. Staple in a line around the edge of the chair. The nailhead trim will cover the staples that way.
Staple the fabric in place all around the back of the seat cushion. For the corners, fold them neatly like a present to make a tight fit, then staple in place.
The staple for the corner fold won’t show, so don’t worry if it’s not in line with the other staples.
For the part of the back cushion that meets the seat, tuck the fabric in between the seat and the cushion and then create a fold and staple it either around the back of the cushion or underneath the seat, whichever works best.
Next, do the seat. Tuck the fabric between the seat and the back cushion; for the rest, pull it taut and staple it underneath the seat. Fold the corners like you’re wrapping a present and staple underneath.
Lastly, do the back of the seat cushion. Take the fabric and start at the top of the chair. Fold the top cut edge under and then staple around the top edge. Then fold under the cut edges all the way around the chair and staple in place. This way, you have a neat edge without having to sew a seam.
As you staple, try to keep all the staples in a straight line. That will make covering them easier.
Here’s what it should look like after stapling:
Cut any excess fabric after stapling.
Apply the Trim
Lastly, apply the nailhead trim. I used a roll of trim, because it was much easier than nailing in each individual nailhead. All you do it unroll it and nail it in at the designated spots on the roll (you’ll see some of the nailheads have holes for the nails). Hammer the nails in with a rubber mallet to avoid denting or damaging the nails.
I did this with the chair in this position (above) because it made nailing the trim in much easier.
Voila! Here’s the final product:
I’m so happy with the result!
What do you think? Would you try this with your chairs? Please leave a comment if you have any questions!
