Ron Hazelton

How to Reupholster a Dining Chair

Furniture Care

Furniture Repair

Restoration

HOUSE DOCTOR Transcript

HD017 “CHAIR REUPHOLSTERING” from episode 615

RON:

Before you take those old chairs to a garage sale, you'll want to hear what Janet Tagawa has to say about giving them new life.

JANET:

If your dining room chairs are in desperate need of a makeover, reupholstering them may give it a fresh new look. Let me show you how easy it is.

The first thing we do is take the seat cushion out of the chair. Some cushions pop out just by applying a little bit of pressure. This particular one is secured by screws at each of the four corners. We're simply going to use our screw gun to remove the screws, take the cushion out, and set the chair aside.

It appears that this cushion has two layers of fabric. The outside material is attached by staples, and the material beneath it is attached by upholstery tacks. To remove the staple, we're going to use our needle-nose plier. You simply apply pressure to the staple, and you pluck the staple out. And then you work your way all the way around.

Then to remove our upholstery tacks, we're going to use wire cutters. Underneath, it looks like we've got the original cotton padding here. It's basically flat. It has no bounce.

But it's not lumpy, and it's not disintegrated. We're going to keep this original padding, but to add more spring, we're going to add some high-density foam. And if this was lumpy and disintegrated, you could probably go to your local upholstery shop and purchase some padding such as this.

To do this, we're going to place the wooded seat on a slab of high-density foam. This is one-half inch that you can purchase at your local fabric store. Then what we do using our felt pen, we're going to be tracing the perimeter of the wooded seat. And then we'll cut out the pattern.

To add our final layer of padding, we place the seat right-side down along with the cotton and the foam onto light loft batting that you can purchase at your local fabric store. We're going to trim around five inches all the way around the perimeter.

The great thing about batting is that it'll help minimize lumps and help prevent disintegration of the foam later on. It also gives your cushion a more squashier, smoother feel.

Now we fold the batting edge to the underside of the wooded seat and then tack it down with a staple gun, go all the way around to the corner, and then proceed all the way around.

Place your padded cushion onto your upholstery material. We've got here a heavyweight, tightly woven material that's pretty durable. And then we're going to trim about five inches all the way around the perimeter. The great thing about beige, it's such a neutral color, it blends in very well with any color scheme. Also if you have a pattern such as a floral or a stripe, center your pattern before you actually make your cuts.

Now we pull the fabric edge over to the underside of the wooded seat using our staple gun, tack it into place using taut, even tension. And then pull the fabric on the other side using the same tension, staple it into place, and then go all the way around but save the corners for last. To do the corners, we're going to tuck the material on the sides, pull the material, and then tack it into place.

Now we're ready to trim off the excess material and the batting. And you do this all the way around. For an added designer's touch, you can add some cording or braid. The trim that we're using is piping. This is ready-made, sold at your local fabric store. We're going to begin by applying hot glue to the back section of your seat cushion, tack it down, and then proceed all the way around.

So here we have our finished cushion. The last thing we need to do is install it back into our chair. If you have all the materials, you can easily reupholster a chair in less than an hour. It's a great way to update your old furniture. You can choose your own fabrics to create a custom look at a fraction of the cost that a professional would charge you. And really have fun.

From the archives of the House Doctor

Give your old dining chairs a brand-new look without spending a fortune. With a few basic tools and materials from your local fabric store, you can reupholster a chair seat cushion in under an hour.

Why Reupholster Instead of Replace?

If your dining chairs are looking worn, faded, or simply outdated, your first instinct might be to replace them. But reupholstering yourself costs a fraction of what a professional upholsterer would charge, lets you choose your own fabrics for a fully custom look, and breathes new life into furniture that still has good bones. Best of all, it's a beginner-friendly project you can complete in less than an hour.

What You'll Need

Before you get started, gather the following tools and materials:

Tools:

screwdriver
Needle-nose pliers
Wire cutters
Felt-tip pen
Staple gun
Hot glue gun

Materials:

High-density foam (½ inch thick) — available at fabric stores
Light loft batting — available at fabric stores
Upholstery fabric (heavyweight, tightly woven is best)

SEE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS BELOW

Tips for this project:

Work in a clean, flat space so your fabric stays wrinkle-free while you cut and staple.

Keep tension even as you staple — uneven tension leads to puckering and wrinkles in the finished fabric.

Buy a little extra fabric to account for pattern matching or mistakes, especially if you're working on a set of chairs.

Whether you're working with a single statement chair or an entire dining set, the process is straightforward, beginner-friendly, and genuinely fun. So before you haul those old chairs to a garage sale, give reupholstering a try. For more projects and upgrades, visit our website.

Step 1

Remove the Seat Cushion

Start by flipping your chair over and removing the seat cushion. Some cushions simply pop off with gentle pressure. Others, like most dining chairs, are secured with screws at each corner — use a screwdriver to remove them. Set the chair frame aside; you won't need it again until the very end.

Step 2

Strip Off the Old Fabric

Examine your cushion. It may have multiple layers of fabric — an outer layer attached with staples, and an inner layer attached with upholstery tacks.

To remove staples: Use needle-nose pliers to grip each staple and pull it free. Work your way around the entire perimeter.
To remove upholstery tacks: Use wire cutters to pry them out.

Once the fabric is off, take a look at the existing padding. If it's flat but not lumpy or disintegrated, you can keep it and simply add new foam on top. If the padding is in poor condition, pick up replacement padding from your local upholstery or fabric shop.

Step 3

Add High-Density Foam

Place the wooden seat face-down onto a sheet of ½-inch high-density foam. Using your felt-tip pen, trace around the perimeter of the seat. Cut along the traced line to create a foam layer that matches the seat exactly.

This added foam gives the cushion extra spring and comfort, making it feel like new.

Step 4

Wrap in Batting

Place the seat — now with the original padding and the new foam layer — face-down onto a sheet of light loft batting. Cut the batting so that it extends approximately five inches beyond the seat on all sides.

Batting serves several important purposes:

It minimizes lumps for a smooth, professional finish
It helps prevent the foam from breaking down over time
It gives the cushion a softer, more "squashy" feel

Fold the batting edges up and over to the underside of the wooden seat, and use your staple gun to tack it in place. Work your way around the perimeter, leaving the corners for last.

Step 5

Cut and Attach the Upholstery Fabric

Lay your upholstery fabric flat and place the padded cushion face-down on top of it. Cut the fabric so it extends about five inches beyond the seat on all sides — enough to wrap around and staple underneath.

Fabric tips:

Choose a heavyweight, tightly woven material for durability.
Neutral tones like beige work well because they complement virtually any color scheme.
If you're using a patterned fabric (such as a floral or stripe), center the pattern on the cushion before cutting to ensure it looks intentional and balanced.

Starting at one side, pull the fabric taut over the edge and staple it to the underside of the wooden seat. Move to the opposite side and repeat, maintaining even tension throughout. Continue working your way around, keeping the fabric smooth and wrinkle-free. Save the corners for last — tuck the fabric neatly at each corner before pulling it taut and stapling it down.

Step 6

Trim Excess Material

Once all sides are stapled, trim away any excess fabric and batting from the underside of the seat. A clean edge gives the finished cushion a tidy, professional appearance.

Step 7

Add Decorative Trim (Optional)

For an extra designer touch, finish the edges of your cushion with ready-made piping or braid trim, available at most fabric stores. Apply a line of hot glue around the back edge of the seat cushion, then press the piping into place and work your way around the perimeter. This small detail elevates the overall look significantly.