Tutorial - reupholstering the chair seat

The first chair being reupholstered now has the seat complete!


Here is a refresher as to what the chairs looked like when removing all the fabric in the first stages of this project.

Basically the seat of the chair ended up being taken apart to just the wooden frame with springs. So, here's how it was put back together:

1) New burlap was stapled (2 layers thick) for protection, over the springs that would be hitting the seat.

2) Another layer that protected the seat from the springs was reused and stacked on top of the burlap. I'm not sure what this layer was... but it was some thick mesh work of straw(ish) like material.

3) The old cushion was added on top of this (along with a couple additional sheets of batting)

4) The new fabric for the seat was cut to size, using the fabric that was removed as a pattern.

5) The fabric was stretched, smoothed, and stapled onto the chairs frame.

(the above pic shows through step 5)

6) Rectangular strips of fabric were cut (and sewn together to match the edges of the chair) to add to the side of the chairs seat.

7) Batting was also used on the side of the chair. (a few layers)

8) TACKING STRIPS! These were amazing. I couldn't find them anywhere in my area, so I had to order them from Joann.com. The picture below shows the process of adding tacking strips with the fabric and batting on the side of the chairs.

Tacking strips give a very smooth finished look, with sharp edges (as in not lumpy)

After stapling the fabric/batting/tacking strips down, the fabric was folded over the edge of the seat and stapled to the bottom of the chair.

So there you have a reupholstered chair seat.

Now, it's time to sew the back fabric on the seat back, and reassemble the chair!