It’s only hard if you don’t have any crafting/sewing skill or the tools necessary. It also depends on how good you want it to look when you’re finished. There are lots of videos online that will show you what to do. Community colleges often offer adult education classes in reupholstering and you can work on your chair with them. Answer from piperdude on reddit.com
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Better Homes & Gardens
bhg.com › decorating › do-it-yourself › fabric-paper-projects › diy-chair-upholstery-guide
Your Step-by-Step Guide to How to Reupholster a Chair
September 22, 2025 - Repeat this process to cut out each fabric section. Transfer the markings for direction, welting, and seams onto the new pieces with chalk. If preferred, combine the chair reupholstery pieces into covers for the seat and back that can be applied all at once.
Discussions

r/DIY, have any of you ever reupholstered a chair on your own without any prior experience?
look up curve-ease and get it. their website has an awesome video-tutorial. It works wonders on the awkward sides and back of the wingback chairs. secondly, make sure you have lots of time, and lots of extra fabric. I would suggest doing a mock up of the harder parts with cheap muslin, so you don't screw up on your expensive fabric. with that said, don't skimp on fabric. you want it to hold up long enough...no one likes redoing a reupholstery job because the fabric wore out. take off each piece one at a time at the seams, you're going to use them as the pattern for your new fabric, so resist the urge to tear it all to pieces. for one, take pictures of the chair (or do one at a time) so you can remember how things are pleated/folded around the edges. start with the dust cloth at the bottom, get strong needle nosed pliers and pull up all of the visible staples. remove and set aside. you'll be able to see the staples along the bottom holding the leather down.. remove those. you'll be able to tell which side went on last, based on how the fabric is wrapped. it always helps to take pictures after removing every piece. I always have a sharpie with me and I label each piece I take off, so I know the order it needs to be put back on in. if you have pieces that are sewn together (commonly on the arms of chairs) carefully cut the seams until everything is separated. repeat until you're down to the foam and batting. if its in good shape, go ahead and re-use it. note: I always add or re-wrap in new batting. over time the original has been compressed, and if your going from leather to fabric, you're definitely going to want to add more. if you do need to buy new foam, get the Joann fabrics app and use a good coupon... that shits expensive. once again, don't skimp. get the good stuff. my rule, don't mess with springs or the frame. if they need repair, unless its an antique its not worth the cost. so. re foam, make sure you have supplies and equipment (a good staple gun, plenty of staples, curve ease, needlenose pliers, hammer, scissors, fabric, sewing machine if necessary) Take your time and start with the last thing to took off. work carefully, make sure you pull the fabric tight enough over the frame. DON'T move on to the next step until you are happy with the current one. if something looks crooked, take the time and pull those staples... it is not worth backtracking 5 steps to fix the 2nd thing you did. if you have any questions, PM me. I'm not a professional, but I've been sewing for 15+ years, and reupholstering as a hobby for 3. You can even send me a picture of the chairs and I can give some more detailed instructions. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/DIY
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August 8, 2012
Honest opinion - Could I reupholster a chair?
Yes, you could do it. That doesn't mean you necessarily should because it's a hugely different skillset to what you have now. It's absolutely not worth it unless you're the kind of people who love learning new skill and buying new tools and don't care that it'll be an economic disaster. If you'd love the chair more just because you're the one that rehabbed it, then that's another reason to do it yourself even though you'll take a big loss doing it. I don't think you'd make it more expensive to get rescued by a professional if you got in over your heads but one should never underestimate the public's ability to turn something into a dumpster fire. Basically upholstery isn't hard to understand or overly complicated but there's a TON of specialized techniques and tools required to do it passing well. If you think that sounds fun, go for it. If you thought it'd just be a way to save some money, you're absolutely going to spend more doing it yourself the first time than a shop would charge to do it. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/sewing
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November 6, 2022
Reupholstery of Dining Chairs
Easiest thing to upholster. Turn the chair over. The seat usually just unscrews. Take the cover off, trace, and cut. A cheap electric staple gun or even heavy duty manual will do this job. The back in not sure. More photos might help More on reddit.com
🌐 r/DIY
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March 9, 2024
Help with DIY dining room chair reupholstery
As a diy project I would have some 1/2 plywood cut to fit over the existing frame. I would secure that with a couple of screws. Put some 3/4 bonded foam (carpet pad) on the plywood. Would then put 1 1/2 inch firm foam on top of that. Then a layer of Dacron from the bottom edge over the foam to the bottom edge. Then cover with fabric. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/upholstery
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January 20, 2025
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Apartment Therapy
apartmenttherapy.com › how-to-reupholster-chair-37388958
How to Reupholster a Chair for Total Beginners (with Photos!) | Apartment Therapy
Learn how to reupholster a dining chair with this beginner-friendly tutorial featuring step-by-step photos.
Published   March 28, 2024
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Hearty Sol
heartysol.net › home › how to upholster a chair the easy way!
How to Upholster a Chair the Easy Way! - Hearty Sol
February 2, 2023 - In this tutorial, I will show you how I upholstered a chair quickly and without a lot of fuss.
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Sailrite
sailrite.com › home › learn › diy projects › home projects › how to reupholster an armchair
How to Reupholster an Armchair - Sailrite
October 29, 2025 - Pieces like that are the perfect candidates for new upholstery. Upholstery projects can look really intimidating, but if you take your time and work step-by-step they aren't as tricky as they seem. If you can use a staple gun and do simple sewing, you can reupholster a chair.
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Instructables
instructables.com › workshop › furniture
How to Reupholster a Chair : 15 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables
October 26, 2017 - Most chairs are finished on the bottom, so the best method is to remove fabric in the reverse order it was put on…this way the last pieces you will remove will be the first pieces you put back on.
Find elsewhere
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The Spruce
thespruce.com › how-to-reupholster-a-chair-seat-1313553
How to Reupholster a Chair: Step-By-Step Guide
August 26, 2025 - ... Turn the chair upside down, and unscrew the seat from the frame using a drill or screwdriver. Make any necessary repairs to the wood part of the chair—painting, refinishing, or tightening joints.
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Architectural Digest
architecturaldigest.com › ad-it-yourself › how to reupholster a chair and give your piece of furniture a fresh new look
How to Reupholster a Chair and Give Your Piece of Furniture a Fresh New Look | Architectural Digest | Architectural Digest
November 11, 2022 - AD’s step-by-step guide will teach you how to reupholster a chair seat, and it also includes DIY tips from an upholstery pro as well as a supply list and a hack for box corners
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Tylynn M
tylynnm.com › home › how to reupholster a chair
How to Reupholster a Chair | Tylynn M
November 1, 2017 - If you want to remove the existing upholstery, flip the seat over, remove the old staples, and peel off the original fabric. Each chair is a little different, so you’ll have to experiment some to see what works best on your chair.
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TwoFeetFirst
twofeetfirst.net › home › how to reupholster a chair
How to Reupholster a Chair
August 7, 2021 - A step-by-step tutorial on how to reupholster a chair, see how you can finally transform that old outdated chair.
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Upcycle My Stuff
upcyclemystuff.com › home › blog › how to reupholster a dining chair – seat & back
How to Reupholster a Dining Chair - Seat & Back - Upcycle My Stuff
August 3, 2024 - Ever wondered how to reupholster a dining chair? This tutorial takes you through removing old fabric, replacing padidng, upholstery and trim.
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Four Generations One Roof
fourgenerationsoneroof.com › home › diy tutorials › how to reupholster a chair the quick and easy way
How To Reupholster A Chair | Four Generations One Roof
August 24, 2025 - How to reupholster a chair without sewing or removing existing fabric. See how I transformed an old chair with new fabric using a staple gun.
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Wayfair
wayfair.ca › sca › ideas-and-advice › guides › how-to-reupholster-chairs-your-beginner-diy-guide-T21534
How to Reupholster Chairs: Your Beginner DIY Guide - Wayfair Canada
Ensure the glue is specifically for foam as incorrect adhesive can eat away at the material. Shop Serrated Bread Knives · The most complex part of learning how to reupholster chairs is working with the fabric.
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Pinterest
pinterest.com › explore › diy and crafts › diy interior › diy furniture
How to Reupholster Chairs: A Simple Step-by-step Guide
May 20, 2021 - When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. ... Learn how to reupholster chairs with this step-by-step guide including simple explanations of upholstery techniques and lots of helpful tips.
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Coohom
coohom.com › article › how-to-reupholster-a-dining-chair-a-step-by-step-guide
How to Reupholster a Dining Chair: A Step-by-Step Guide
May 6, 2025 - After the fabric is securely fastened, reattach the seat to the chair frame using the screws or staples from before. Make sure everything is tight and secure. Voila! Your dining chair is now reupholstered and ready to impress your guests!
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WikiHow
wikihow.life › home and garden › furniture › upholstery › how to reupholster a chair (with pictures) - wikihow life
How to Reupholster a Chair (with Pictures) - wikiHow Life
February 5, 2021 - Rivets are mostly decoration these days, but they will still hold the fabric in place if you don't remove them. Use needle-nose pliers to pull them out. This can take a while if your chair has a lot of rivets.[5] X Research source · You can save these to put back on, buy new ones, or just leave them off when you reupholster the chair.
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Hometalk
hometalk.com › diy projects › how to › repair › furniture › how to reupholster a chair in 5 easy steps
How to Reupholster a Chair in 5 Easy Steps | Hometalk
January 11, 2021 - If so: you want to cut a piece of foam and/or batting to fit the seat. For a chair reupholster, ½ inch thick batting is usually appropriate. You can also pick up foam from craft stores.
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Addicted 2 Decorating®
addicted2decorating.com › home › how to reupholster a chair – part 2 (attaching the new fabric to the chair)
How To Reupholster A Chair – Part 2 (Attaching The New Fabric To The Chair)
October 10, 2024 - So reupholstering a chair always starts with the seat. First, we wrapped the seat with a new layer of batting, tucking it in at the back and sides and pulling it through. And it just wrapped around and under the chair on the front.
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Georgina Burnett
georginaburnett.com › home › the home genie › how to reupholster a chair and upcycle it
How To Reupholster A Chair And Upcycle It - Georgina Burnett
March 9, 2018 - Georgina Burnett shows how to reupholster a chair and generally upcycle it with Fusion Mineral paint. This was a Facebook live demo for The Home Genie.