How to Reupholster Your Dining Room Chairs

A dining chair seat is an appropriate first upholstery project.

When dining chairs that were originally bright and clean are now dotted with food stains and grime, it is time for a change. Don't worry that you'll have to empty your wallet for a new look though, a few yards of fabric and a staple gun are all you need to give your dining chairs an update. The project is not complex, even for a DIY novice.

Things You'll Need

• Cloth
• Upholstery fabric
• Scissors
• Tape measure
• Staple gun
• Screwdriver

Instructions

1. Clean the chair frame with a damp cloth. Wipe dry.

2. Turn the chair upside down. Unscrew the screws that are holding the seat to the braces, usually in the center of the brace, not the screw that holds the braces to the sides of the chair. The brace bar is the wood that fits into each of the four corners of the chair. Remove the seat.

3. Lay out the fabric, right side down, on a large flat surface.

4. Place the chair cushion upside down on the fabric. With your tape measure, determine how many inches the cushion is wide and long. Add at least 3 inches to each side so you have enough fabric to fold under the chair for stapling.

5. Cut six pieces of fabric according to your measurements.

6. Lay one piece of cut fabric right-side down on the ground. Place your seat cushion on it with enough fabric on each side to fold over the cushion. Pull the first side of the fabric over the back edge of the cushion and staple in the center of the length to the back of the chair with a staple gun. Pull the fabric directly opposite over the cushion and staple in the center as well, pulling the fabric taut. Staple the fabric from the center to an inch or so before the corners on both sides. Repeat process for the other two sides, being sure to pull the fabric tight.

7. Fold the point of the fabric straight back onto the wood of the seat and staple. Manipulate the sides of the corner fabric into several small folds, drawing it back tight and stapling it down when it lays flat.

8. Put the seat back on the chair frame. Make sure the seat and the frame are aligned correctly. Screw the seat back in to the chair frame with a screwdriver -- it may take a bit of effort to get through the fabric. Repeat the process with any additional chairs.

Tips & Warnings

• For six dining room chairs, you will need about 2 1/4 to 3 yards of material.

• When you are stapling the fabric, be careful to pull the fabric tightly. You don't want it to bunch up when you sit on it.