How to Reupholster a Recliner

Do you have a great/gross chair that your husband loves and you hate? Do not despair. Your husband can keep his chair and you can have a new one because you can reupholster it!

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tools you will need: tack bar, pliers, staple gun, fabric maybe a sewing machine and possibly a coordinating thread to match your upholstery fabric.

1. First you will need to figure out how many yards of fabric that you will need. Here is a great website with charts to help you. http://www.carrscorner.com/yardagechart.php
   If this is your first time to tackle reupholstering choose a fabric where patterns swill not have to be matched such as a solid or a non-repeating pattern.

2. Next you will begin to take your chair a part. Very Important! Get your digital camera and take pictures of every step you take in removing the fabric from your chair. Remove the fabric pieces carefully. try not to tear them because you will use the pieces as the pattern pieces for your new chair.

3. You may also have to take out the reclining mechanism to detach your fabric. Pictures will be very useful when you are trying to reinstall the mechanism.

4. Save all the pieces from your chair such as tack strips, welting, and zippers. You may be able to reuse them and if not you will know what size you need to purchase from your fabric store.

5. Lay out your pattern pieces on your new fabric, pin them and cut them out.

6. View the pictures you took and reassemble your chair starting with the last picture you took and going back to the first picture you took.

7. An electric staple gun will be very handy and save you lots of energy and time in attaching your fabric to the chair frame.

8. Now you’re done. Sit back or should I say recline and relax. You just saved your marriage, your décor, and big bucks.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not limit your fabric choices to just upholstery fabric. Duvet covers, bed spreads, shower curtains, or curtains contain lots of yardage and can be bought very cheaply at garage sales, Goodwill, or the Salvation Army.
• Check with local upholsterers and get an estimate on reupholstering your chair. The amount of money you will save can be very motivating in completing this project.
• Don’t give up. If you are getting frustrated take a break and come back to your project.
• Check out a book on upholstering from your local library to find the best ways to make welting, apply tack strips, etc.

[luv2blog]

on 10/27/2008 Excellent instructions and very helpful! I'm going to reupholster 4 kitchen tall chairs and I think this article will be a big help!!! 5*s!