How to Upholster a Chair Seat

Upholstering a chair seat is one of the easiest and most rewarding DIY upholstery projects. Most dining chair seats are simply a padded board screwed to the chair frame — remove four screws, recover the seat, and screw it back on. The whole project takes about 30 minutes per chair and can completely transform a set of tired dining chairs. Here's how.

What You'll Need

• Upholstery fabric: TinaKim Upholstery Fabric, Linen Type, 1 Yard
• Staple gun: Metabo HPT Narrow Crown Stapler, 18 Gauge
• Upholstery foam: GoTo Foam 2" x 24" x 72" Firm Upholstery Cushion
• Batting: PLANTIONAL Natural Cotton Batting, 47"x59"
• Screwdriver set: CRAFTSMAN Screwdriver Set, 8-Piece
• Scissors or fabric shears
• Putty knife: Rerdeim 5-Piece Putty Knife Set (for removing old staples)

Step 1: Remove the Seat

Flip the chair upside down. You'll see the seat is held by 3–4 screws going up through the chair frame into the seat board. Remove these screws with a screwdriver and lift the seat out. Set the screws aside in a safe place.

Step 2: Remove the Old Fabric

Use a flathead screwdriver or putty knife to pry out the old staples. Remove all the old fabric and batting. Inspect the foam underneath — if it's compressed, crumbling, or misshapen, replace it now.

Step 3: Replace the Foam (If Needed)

Trace the seat board onto GoTo Foam and cut to size with an electric carving knife or sharp serrated knife. The foam should be the same size as the seat board — the fabric will wrap around and hold it in place. Glue the foam to the board with spray adhesive.

Step 4: Add Batting

Cut a piece of cotton batting slightly larger than the seat. Lay it over the foam and wrap it around to the underside of the board. Staple in place with a few staples — just enough to hold it. Batting softens the edges of the foam and gives the seat a more rounded, professional look.

Step 5: Cut the Fabric

Cut your upholstery fabric so it's about 4–5 inches larger than the seat on all sides. This gives you enough to wrap around and staple underneath. If your fabric has a pattern, center it on the seat before cutting.

Step 6: Staple the Fabric

Place the fabric face-down on a flat surface. Center the seat (foam-side down) on the fabric. Pull the fabric up on one side and staple to the underside of the board with the Metabo HPT stapler. Pull the opposite side taut and staple. Repeat for the other two sides. Then work around the perimeter, pulling the fabric taut and stapling every 1–2 inches. At corners, fold the fabric neatly like wrapping a gift and staple flat.

Step 7: Reattach the Seat

Flip the seat over and check that the fabric is smooth and even on top. Screw the seat back onto the chair frame. Done!

Pro Tips

• Pull the fabric firmly but not so tight that it distorts the pattern or tears.
• For patterned fabric, make sure the pattern is centered and straight before stapling.
• Do all chairs in a set at the same time so the fabric is cut from the same part of the roll for consistent pattern matching.
• A pneumatic staple gun makes the job much faster and easier than a manual one.
• If the seat board is warped or damaged, cut a new one from 3/4" plywood.