Today we're having Ethan from One Project Closer teach us how to reupholster dining chairs. I, for one love the way his chairs came out. Great job choosing a rather modern fabric to balance out the classic design of this handsome dining set. Now this excellent tutorial makes me want to try my hand at reupholstering right away! Reupholstering chairs and cushions can give new life to your furniture, and that's exactly what our dining room needed. The combination of our 1 yr. old daughter and off-white, chair cushions didn't go well, and we were left with a lot of ugly stains. Needless to say, I was really excited when my wife and her mother decided to tackle this project. Reupholstering Chairs Reupholstering chairs isn't nearly as complicated as I originally believed. Even so, it's good to know what you're getting into, and I hope this DIY tutorial will help you to be prepared. First, make sure you have all the necessary tools and materials. - Heavy-duty stapler
- 1/2" staples
- Screwdriver
- Scissors
- Upholstery fabric
Start by removing the cushions from the chair frame. Our cushions had screws hidden in all four corners. 
We bought a fun zebra print upholstery fabric at the local Joann Fabric store. Whatever you chose, be sure you purchase upholstery fabric because it's more durable than other fabrics, and your cushions will last much longer. Next, set the cushion upside-down on your upholstery fabric, and cut out the required amount. We added about three inches to each side to allow the fabric to fully wrap underneath. If you're not sure, err on the side of too much. You can always trim any excess later. Also, if you chose fabric with a pattern, be sure to keep all the cushions oriented the same way. 
Use your heavy-duty stapler to secure the fabric to the underside of the cushion. Start on the front side of the cushion and then work on the opposite side, keeping the fabric tight (but not too tight). Next, do the sides in a similar fashion, placing staples every 2" or so. Leave the corners open for now. 
The toughest part of reupholstering chairs is keeping the corners nice and wrinkle-free. To do this, we created several overlapping pleats. Keep making pleats as you work around the corner, and after you're satisfied, staple them all. 
Once you've finished stapling, review your work for wrinkles and add more staples as necessary. Cut away any excess fabric. We repeated these steps for all four of our dining room chairs, and before putting them back on the frames, we sprayed them with ScotchGuard to better prevent any future stains. When you're screwing the cushions back on, be careful not to over-tighten the screws. Now it's time to enjoy your "new" chairs! 
One Project Closer is a website where Fred, Kim, Jocie, and I share home improvement guides, tool reviews, discounts for DIY centers, and crafty projects. Swing by OPC for resources like building your own workbenches or getting the first look at new tools, and more. We also maintain a list of coupons for home improvement stores like this Lowe's coupons page. We hope you'll stop by our site and say hello!
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