Your dining room chairs are stuck in a time warp as the latest trends come and go as the seasons pass, and the kids outgrow their high chairs. Changing the covers on the chairs in the dining room is a quick and simple approach to updating the area's aesthetic. Fabric coverings are simple to sew and can be used to set a seasonal atmosphere or liven up a party. Sewing abilities are not required for some styles. Note that chair decorations can help your guests feel at home.
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Removing the Outdated Seat Covers
- Remove the screws that secure the dining seat to the base with a screwdriver. Loosen the screws by rotating the screwdriver to the left. Keep the screws that hold the chair frame so you may replace the seat when you're finished.
- Take off the staples or tacks to release the fabric. To get rid of the tacks that keep the upholstery in place, you can use the flat side of a hammer or a special tool designed for that purpose. Insert the tool's end beneath the staple or tack and pull up. Get rid of the nails or staples, as you'll be utilizing a staple gun to fasten the new stuff in place.
- Once you remove the staples or tacks, you may lift the fabric off the seat. It is recommended that you remove this if you intend to replace the seat's padding. If your chair is older and its cushioning combines cloth and hay, consider replacing it with foam.
Modifying the Dust Shield and Cushion
- You should cut the dust cover fabric to fit the seat. To achieve the correct proportion, place the cloth dust cover over the chair base and trim along the set's outer corners. Then, refrain from fretting if the edges aren't perfect because they'll be covered by foam and fabric. Lastly, use a dust cover to keep the cushion from sinking into the seat base.
- Cover the seat base with the dust cover and staple it around its perimeter. Check that the material is taut before proceeding. Start by placing 1 staple in the middle of each side, then move outwards on every side, pulling the cloth as you go.
- Once the foam pieces are cut out, you can put them on the seat frame and ensure the edges match up. After the batting has been laid out, you can place the foam directly on top of it, followed by the seat's metal structure. Take care to align the foam and the seat with the batting.
- The batting must extend beyond the seat's back by at least 2 inches (5.1 cm) across all sides. Before cutting the batting, ensure a border of at least 2 inches (5.1 cm). Batting can be cut while still wrapped around the edge of the seat, or you can mark it to show where to cut it.
- It would help if you stapled the batting to the middle of the seat, and the padding should be applied from there. Assemble the batting by first stapling the centre of every edge and then the rims themselves. Before pinning, make sure the padding is pulled taut along the edges. To reupholster a seat, start at the central staple and work out toward a corner, then repeat on the opposite side once you've finished with one side.
- Fold over the corner of the extra fabric on one side of the seat. You can staple the material at the seat's corner by folding it in half and then in the middle. If there's still spare material, fold it and pin it shut again. Make sure to do this for all four corners of the chair.
- When you've finished securing the batting to the seat, you can trim off the excess to make it more manageable. Remove the pins from the seat's interior, leaving about 1 inch of space. Avoid slicing the batting right at the staples, or it will come undone.
How to Replace Upholstery by Cutting and Gluing
- It would help if you flushed the batting and the cushion against the material. The ideal distance to keep the seat from the fabric's edges is three to four inches, but you should be relaxed if this isn't possible. Before making any cuts, you can make the necessary adjustments.
- Choose a dark colour, so spills and stains are less noticeable, or invest in a water-resistant material to safeguard your chair. Reduce the excess fabric by 3-4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm) from the pillow's outer edges. Covering the cushion will require this much material. You can use wrapping up the cloth over the tops of the seat edges as a measuring tool or determine the desired cutting locations. Next, cut the fabric where you marked it.
- Centre the upholstery and staple it to the seat's four sides. To do this, grab the cloth on one side of your seat and lift it over the top. You can secure the fabric by finding the seat's centre and then stapling it there. And three more times on the other sides of the chair. Staple the cushion to the bottom of the seat at four evenly spaced positions, like at 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock, and 9 o'clock; suppose the seat is circular.
- Make a decision and focus on just one side of your seat at a time. Pull the cloth near the first staple you inserted on the seat's interior. The next step is to begin stapling down the edge, working outward toward the seat's corner. Take your time with stapling the fabric into the seat's corners. That needs to be done on both sides of each chair.
- If you want to gather the cloth after you've already attached it along the sides, pick a point and fold it over. The cloth is then folded in half once more and stapled several times in the middle of the fold to keep it in place. Do the same for the other angles.
- After the corners have been stapled down, trim the fabric on the interior of the chair back to be 1 inch from the staples. You will contain excess material in this manner. Cutting the material too near to the staples could cause it to unravel.
- Finalize the seat by cutting a dust guard fabric to its exact measurements. You can drape the cloth over the chair's back and trim it to fit. When removing the dust cover material, don't nick the upholstery material.
- After folding it over on one side of the chair, staple the cloth dust cover. Start stapling in the centre of one fabric side and work to the edge. To fully fasten the dust covering to the chair, repeat this process around all its perimeter.
- When you've finished tucking in the fabric, your newly reupholstered dining chair is ready to be used. Reassemble the chair and base using the spare screws. If you have additional chairs that need reupholstering, proceed as before with each one.
Related Reading: How to Make a Dining Chair?
Take away
The fabric you choose for your chair coverings should reflect the style of your dining area and the frequency with which you want to utilize them. Use this guide to change the back of your dining seat.