How to Recover Chairs

Recovering furniture is a lot of work, but the results are amazing. It’s one of the best ways to make an old piece feel new again at a fraction of the cost of buying something new. But it does require a little bit of work and some specialized knowledge to get the job done right.

Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to recover chairs. Recovering chairs is similar to recovering any other piece of furniture, with a few minor differences you need to know about beforehand. Luckily, we have detailed instructions so you won’t get stuck along the way.

Furniture is one of the most expensive things we buy, but also one of the things that wear out the fastest. It’s not uncommon to have a rickety chair or table in your home for as long as you live there.

It’s easy to think that furniture can’t be fixed or even replaced, but it’s actually surprisingly easy to recover them with new covers and re-upholster them. In this article, we show you exactly how to recover a chair and some of the tricks you can use to do it again if it happens again.

Let’s take a look at exactly what you need in order to successfully recover those chairs with these step-by-step instructions for how to do it.

What is Recovering?

The process of recovering means you are removing the old fabric, padding and filling from a chair or other piece of furniture. The new fabric is then sewn, wrapped around the frame and tacked in place. You can also buy upholstery kits, which are pre-fabricated shapes that you can wrap around the chair.

Related Article: How to decorate chairs without covers

What Is Chair Recapping?

Chair recovering is the process of applying a new fabric or material to the outside and underside of an existing chair. It’s not about restoring chairs, rather it’s about giving them a new lease on life with a change in color or pattern to freshen them up.

Chair recapping is one of the most common furniture repair jobs and can be done by anyone with some basic tools and materials. Chairs are typically re-covered in a more durable vinyl that will last longer than just a fabric cover. You can even recover your own chair if you want to save money.

Recapping isn’t expensive, but it does take some time and patience to get right. If you’re not sure where to start, our complete guide below will help you through every step of recapping your own chair.

How to Recover a Chair

If your chair has seen better days, it may be time for an upgrade. It’s so easy to find the perfect chair cover that matches your home décor and then swap out the old flap of fabric with a new one. If you want to change up your chairs to match the season or just get a new look, it’s not difficult to do.

You can even take a simple DIY approach if you don’t have the budget right now for new chairs. Here’s everything you need to know about recovering a chair:

Why recover a chair?

We’ve all been there––we have that old chair sitting in the corner of the room that you refuse to get rid off because it’s comfortable. That chair has seen better days, though. The wood is old, the fabric is worn and torn, and it has a permanent dent at one side from where you always sit.

You’re ready to throw that chair away, but then you remember how much money you spent on it and decide to fix it instead. If you want to save money and get more out of your furniture, then recovering a chair might be what you need.

What You’ll Need

The first thing you’ll need to recover your chairs is the right equipment and supplies. In particular, you’ll need:

• – A sewing machine: If you don’t have a sewing machine, you’ll have to find a friend who can stitch the vinyl up for you.
• – Scissors: You’ll need these to cut the fabric and vinyl.
• – A staple gun: You’ll use this to fasten the fabric and vinyl to the chair. – A pencil: To mark the fabric and vinyl where you’ll be placing the staples.
• – An upholstery hammer: To hammer the staples in.
• – A measuring tape: To measure your chair before you start.
• – A level: To make sure your chair is straight when you recover it.
• – A staple remover: You’ll use this to remove the old staples from the chair frame.
• – Adhesive remover: To remove the old adhesive from the chair frame.
• – A leveler: To make sure the chair frame is level before you start stapling. You’ll also need some materials you probably have lying around the house:
• – A table: To lay out your fabric and vinyl on.
• – A cutting mat: To protect your table from the scissors.
• – A dust mask: To protect your lungs from the sanding dust.
• – Safety goggles: To protect your eyes from the sanding dust.
• – A drop cloth: To protect your floor from the sanding dust.
• – A bucket: To mix the dye with water.
• – Gloves: To protect your hands while you mix the dye.
• – A brush: To apply the dye to the chair.
• – Drop cloths: To cover the chair seat and back while you’re applying the dye.

Chair Disassembly

This is the first step of recovering chairs. It’s also something you’ll need to do before any other part of the process. You need to take the chair apart in order to get to the seat and back. Here are the instructions for how to disassemble the chair:

• – First, remove the chair seat with a screwdriver or a nut-and-screw removal tool.
• – Then, remove the chair back with either a nut-and-screw removal tool or a screwdriver.
• – Once you have both the seat and the back removed, you can disassemble the remainder of the chair.

Sanding and Coating

After you’ve disassembled the chair, you’ll need to sand down the frame and any other wooden parts of the chair that need it. This will ensure the coating will adhere correctly. You’ll also want to scuff up the areas where the vinyl will be applied.

The scuffed areas will allow the adhesive to stick better. Next, you’ll want to coat the chair frame with a wood sealer or wood finish. This will seal the wood and make it water-resistant. You’ll want to allow the coatings to dry completely before proceeding to the next step.

You can sand the chair and coat it as many times as you want until the frame feels smooth to the touch. It’s always a good idea to go a little bit overboard with the sanding and coating to make sure it’s as smooth as possible.

Recovering the Chair Frame

It’s time to start recovering the chair frame. First, lay out your fabric on the table with the pattern facing upwards as if it were on the chair. This will make it easier to position the fabric correctly later on. Next, cut the fabric to fit the frame with a pair of scissors.

Start with the seat, then the back, then the arms of the chair. Once the fabric is cut, use a level to make sure the fabric is level on the frame. A slanted fabric will make the chair crooked, so be sure to get it straight before moving on.

Next, apply the fabric to the frame using the staple gun. Start with the seat, then the back, then the arms of the chair. Make sure to leave about 1/2 inch from the edge of the fabric and the frame. You’ll need this extra fabric to wrap around the frame and adhere it to the frame.

Recovering the Chair Panels

After you’ve recovered the seat and back of the chair, it’s time to recover the chair panels. This is the part of recovering chairs that requires a little bit of experience, so if you’ve never recovered a piece of furniture before, don’t worry.

It just takes a little bit of know-how. The first thing you need to do is fold the fabric in half. Then, you need to open it back up, with the crease facing away from you. Next, lay the chair panel on top of the fabric with the pattern facing down.

Make sure the fabric is wide enough to cover the entire seat and back of the chair. Now, you need to open the fabric back up and bring the two ends together. Make sure the crease is facing towards you. Now, fold the two ends of the fabric in half so that the crease is inside the fabric.

Then, turn the fabric 90 degrees so that the fold is on the left and the crease is on the right. This will ensure the fabric is folded correctly. Next, place the fabric on top of the chair panel with the crease on the outside of the fabric.

Now, carefully fold the fabric in half again so that the crease is on the inside again. When you’re finished, the crease will be on the inside of the fabric and facing towards the outside of the chair. Now, it’s time to staple the fabric to the chair panel.

Start with one of the corners, and fold the fabric over the corner of the chair. Make sure the crease is on the inside of the fabric once again. Then, staple the fabric to the chair panel. Make sure to leave about 1/2 inch from the edge of the fabric and the frame. You’ll need this extra fabric to wrap around the frame and adhere it to the frame.

Mixing the Dye and Applying It

This is the fun part where you get to turn an ugly chair into a beautiful and unique piece of furniture. Once you’re finished with the chair frame, it’s time to dye the fabric. First, lay the fabric on a drop cloth with the pattern facing up.

Then, mix the dye with water in a bucket. The ratio you want is 1 part dye to 4 parts water. Once the dye is mixed, use a brush to apply the mixture to the fabric. Make sure you apply the dye to the entire fabric, especially the inside.

Now, place the drop cloth on top of the chair seat and back. Make sure the fabric is folded over the sides of the seat and back. Then, use a level to make sure the fabric is straight. Let the fabric sit for about 30 minutes or until it no longer feels wet.

Fixing Dye With Renovator and Polyurethane

At this point, the dye is set, but it’s not completely finished. You need to use a finishing spray to seal in the dye and make it completely finished. Start by applying a thin layer of renovator to the inside of the fabric.

You can use a spray bottle to apply it, but you want to spray the outside as well. You can also use a hot air gun. Spray the fabric once or twice with renovator and then let it sit for about 15 minutes.

After the renovator is applied, you’ll probably want to use a finishing spray and finish off the edges of the fabric with polyurethane. Now, you can turn the chair over and start applying another layer of fabric on top of that.

After you’ve applied two layers of fabric, you can apply another layer of renovator on top for about 3 minutes, until it’s completely covered with dye. Then, lay down another layer of fabric over that one completely covering all areas that are visible from where you applied your repaint.

Finally, apply another layer of polyurethane on top to seal in any remaining paint that might have escaped during your initial application process.

Once you have finished applying your final product (the chair), it’s time to put it back together and put some chairs on it.

FAQS

Conclusion

This is a great project to try out some new colors and colors you never would have thought of. It’s also an inexpensive project that can be done anywhere. If you use the fabric to make a chair, it’s an excellent way to use up those old chairs you have laying around.

The recapping process can be a lot of work, but if you want to save your furniture, there is no better time than now to get started. Recapping a chair is not an easy task, but it is something that many people have had to do at one point or another. It is not an impossible task. It just requires a lot of backbreaking labor.