Bar Stool Gets New Upholstery

Bar Stool Before

Bar Stool After

This bar stool was in desperate need of new fabric, otherwise it had great bones. The fabric was circa 1980 and had seen better days. Ripped on the seat it needed replacing.

The wood was teak as it was originally used on a boat. Still in great condition and sturdy, this heavy chair only needed new an updated look.

In order to reupholster the seat, I removed the arms and flipped the chair upside down to remove the staples which held the old, outdated and very stiff fabric in place. The foam was yellowed, but otherwise still usable. I decided to use the old fabric as a template, which needed to be taken apart so I could design a new seat with the existing fabric to get the right measurements, which is essential to get a good fit. It was much easier than I thought it would be and I was satisfied with the way the new fabric hugged the seat perfectly.
The next step was to work on the top portion of the chair. I was not able to remove the old upholstery easily, so I opted to make a slipcover style cover-up. I had to allow enough fabric on the front side to tuck it into each cushion section which would give it the original look. It worked out quite well. I stitched up the sides with large pleats that would serve the purpose it was intended for. Once sewn, I slipped the fabric over the top and after a few minor adjustments, I was happy with the way it fit.

The top was a separate piece from the bottom, so I allowed extra fabric to hang down long enough to cover the back inside which would be attached to the seat from the bottom. Even though this fabric would not be visible, I covered up the old fabric nonetheless and used a staple gun to secure it into place. It was a bit tricky locating the original screw holes which were now hidden beneath the new fabric, so I used an awl to find them and marked them prior to placing the wooden arm section with screws lined up slowly screwed them into their original holes. Four metal plates attached the arms to the seat's bottom with strong screws.

My customer wanted 6" cut off the legs so she could use the chair at a dining table, so after the chair was reassembled, we cut the 6" off, making sure they were flush with the floor. The chair was now complete with a brand new facelift and still as comfortable as ever.