How to Upholster an Antique Chair Seat
From wainscot chairs to the stately Queen Anne, antique chairs are reminders of history. With age comes wear, however, and there comes a time when the seat must be reupholstered. You can do it yourself with new fabric and a few basic tools. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Fabric
- Lightweight polyester or cotton batting
- Staple gun
- Scissors
- Tape measure
- Paper for pattern
- Straight pins
Instructions
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1
Remove the chair seat. The seat is usually connected to the frame by screws and bolts. Very old chairs may have the seat nailed.
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2
Decide if you want to remove the old upholstery. Many antique chair seats are stuffed with horsehair, straw, sawdust or a combination of these items. Sometimes the mess that ensues is not worth the hassle, and upholstering over the worn fabric is the best course.
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3
Measure the width and length of the chair seat and add 4 inches to both measurements.
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4
Draw the shape of the seat on paper according to the measurements. Cut out the pattern.
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5
Place the lightweight batting on a flat surface and pin the pattern on top. Cut out one piece of batting for each chair seat being re-covered.
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6
Remove the pattern from the batting and pin the pattern to the right side of the fabric. Cut one piece of fabric for each chair being upholstered.
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7
Place the chair seat on a flat surface. Cover the seat with the batting and pin it around the edge to hold it in place. Turn the seat over.
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8
Staple the batting under the seat. Pull the batting taut as it is being stapled. Trim excess batting no closer than 1 1/2 inches from the staples.
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9
Turn the seat right side up and place the fabric on top. Pin it, then turn the seat over.
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10
Staple the fabric under the seat and over the batting, pulling the fabric taut but not too tight as it is being stapled. Trim the excess fabric no closer than 1 1/2 inches to the staples.
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11
Turn the seat over and reaffix it to the chair frame.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Depending on the chair, the seat may have to be secured to the frame before the fabric is completely stapled to cover screws or nails. Leave a 1-inch gap between the seat and the frame and use a dowel to poke the fabric edges through. Turn the chair upside down to finish stapling. Cover the fabric with a towel before nailing the seat into place.
