Upholstered drop-in seat
Who says that just because our mums and dads
have matching chairs we should, too? Besides,
these do match - just in a different kind of way
The word 'upholstery' conjures up images
of Women's Institute meetings and evening classes
in draughty strip-lit sixth-form colleges. But, in
reality, upholstery is the quickest way to revamp
boring old furniture, making it as hip as the new
material you choose. While antiques and big
projects such as sofas are best left to the
professionals, a drop-in seat can be done by a
novice in a couple of hours. Encouraging if you
have your sights set on six.
Dining chairs can be picked up anywhere
from eBay to auction houses; you'll find that sets
of four or more command a higher price than the
odd ones and twos. Don't be too led by bargain
hunting - remember, you'll be living with these
pieces - but it is worth considering buying odd
chairs of a similar style, as I have here. Stain the
wood (or whitewash it if you prefer, LA style) and
upholster the seats to match. The result will be a
fabulously witty mix of period and repro finds that
haven't cost the earth but look like a snazzy
designer collection.
Read through all the instructions before
you start and assess the condition of your chair;
this will help you decide which of the materials
listed on the right you will need to upholster
your particular chair.
You will need
- Chair with a drop-in seat (place your hand underneath the chair seat and push; if it pops out, it's a drop-in seat)
- Hand-held staple gun
- Upholsterer's tacks (buy a box of 10mm and a box of 13mm)
- Tack lifter (this has a V-shaped end that prises tacks out)
- Flat-ended screwdriver (this will do if you don't have a tack lifter)
- Small hammer (a magnetic one to pick up dropped tacks is useful)
- Polyester wadding (2oz wadding is fine for this application; you need a piece 5cm bigger than the chair seat all round)
- 5cm-thick foam, the same size as your seat (you only need this if you intend to start from scratch - see the following instructions. If your seat just needs plumping out, buy more filling identical to the filling already in your chair)
- Webbing (buy the black and white herringbone variety, as this is the strongest sort)
- Calico (tough white cotton used to protect the outer fabric from the stuffing; you need a piece 2cm bigger than your chair frame)
- Hessian (sacking-like cloth that holds the stuffing in place - 10oz hessian is ideal; a piece 1.5cm longer and wider than your seat)
- Fabric, 8cm bigger than your chair frame all round (pick a fabric suitable for upholstery, which will be stronger than normal fabric. Check with your supplier that the fabric you want complies with current fire and safety standards. Some fabrics are generally easier to clean than velvets and wider weaves which hold dust and dirt.)
- Web strainer (this is a wooden tool that enables sufficient leverage to pull the webbing taut enough to stop the seat from sagging for several years.) If you have a strong wrist, a small piece of hard wood that you can wrap the webbing around will do.
Pop out the seat and flip it upside down. Remove the canvas or hessian from the underside. This will either be tacked or stapled in place, so use your tack lifter or the flat end of a screwdriver as a lever to prise out the staples or tacks. (1) If you are using a screwdriver, you may need a bit more force to remove tacks, so gently tap the handle of the screwdriver with a hammer.
Next, take off the fabric cover, using your screwdriver or tack lifter to lever out the staples or tacks that are holding it in place. Keep this on one side to use as a pattern for your new cover.
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