How to Cover Chair Cushions

Give your chairs a new look by updating the cushions.

Changing the fabric on your chair cushions is a good way to update the appearance of your chairs. Dining-room chairs, in particular, are subject to staining and heavy use. It's often less expensive to re-cover your chair cushions rather than clean them with a rented upholstery cleaning machine. It is usually worthwhile to purchase an expensive upholstery fabric, perhaps as a remnant, since chair cushions use very little fabric and a nice quality fabric will hold up well and look better longer than cheap fabric.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Needle-nose pliers
• Upholstery fabric
• Scissors
• Power staple gun

Instructions

1. Remove your chair cushion from your chair. Usually four or more screws are at the corners of the chair cushion area and can be unscrewed.

2. Turn your cushion face down and remove all the staples, holding the current fabric in place. Use needle-nose pliers and a straight slot screwdriver to remove the staples. Remove the old fabric.

3. Place your new fabric face side down on the work table. Place your old fabric face side on top of your new fabric. Check your new fabric for any patterns or lines to match or center. Cut your new fabric 2 inches larger than your old fabric.

4. Center your cushion face down on your new fabric. Check for the center of any pattern or the alignment of lines. Draw your fabric over the side of the cushion to the back and staple with a power staple gun. Start near the center of one side. Pull the fabric on the other side of the cushion tight, but not so tight that it dimples, and staple the fabric. Staple back from the edge of the chair cushion by at least an inch.

5. Turn your cushion and staple the center of the other two sides. Check the front of the cushion to make sure it looks the way you desire. Stretch, fit and staple the fabric all the way around the cushion, being careful to ease the fabric at the corners so that it gathers evenly. Easing is adjusting the distance between gathers or overlapping fabric so that there are no thick, bunched areas.

6. Trim off the excess fabric and re-screw the newly upholstered chair cushion to the chair.

Tips & Warnings

• If the black fabric lining the bottom of the chair cushion is damaged or missing, consider relining the bottom of the chair cushion before reinstalling it. These are dust covers. A suitable lining fabric is available from the fabric store.

References

• Repair Home: How To Reupholster Furniture