Fluted Chair Reupholstery Rescue!

Chair After

Chair Before

This chair was in desperate need of being rescued from severe damage from an enthusiastic dog or two. The seat was not usable because the springs were exposed from the large tear and were also damaged beneath. The left arm had been chewed to expose the wood. This chair certainly needed a lot of attention and dedication of time to bring it back to life.

The style of this chair is fluted, or channel back. These “flutes” or “channels” are created by sewing the separate front strips of fabric to a large backing with lines marked according to size, then stitched to the backing fabric and stuffed with cotton or polyester fiberfill to create the flutes.

My first approach was to remove all the old fabric, nails, staples, stuffing and webbing. Once I got down to the springs, I realized they needed to be re-tied which meant they had to be removed along with the old webbing which holds the springs in place. This is an intense process that takes a lot of patience and time to do it right. But there are no shortcuts to good upholstery. Once the springs were secured and tied, I began to build up the seat to create that nice “crown” which is an important element in a nicely structured chair. The first step was to cover those springs with burlap and secure it to all the sides, keeping the springs in their respective places. A layer of cotton batting was next, followed by a section of foam to cover the seat, another two layers of batting then covered with a large sheet of high thread count muslin. This gives the seat a pre-finished look and the top fabric a good foundation to adhere to.

Once the seat was done, the next step was the interior of the arms. Like the seat, I added several layers of batting to build up the arms, then covered them with the new fabric. You must have a “feel” for how much batting to use. Once you’re satisfied with the cushy feeling, it’s ready for fabric. Then it was time to install the flutes.  Essentially flutes or channels are constructed with a series of separate fabric sections stitched together to create one large piece, which is then attached to the chair as one unit. This is tricky because the flutes, or channels, must remain centered while you are working the fabric, attaching them to the top and bottom of the chair. Lots of tugging and pulling at this point! The center flutes were pre-stuffed prior to attachment, then the edges are filled in place after the flutes are attached by filling in the areas with layers of cotton or poly batting, then secured with staples.

Next step was the outside of the arms. I attach them using cardboard strips stapled underneath the side arms then pulled downward and attached to the underside of the chair. Snip close to the curve so later you can finish it off with the cording or piping. Lastly was the back. I use ply-grip, which are sharp little spikes on a roll that attaches to the curved back of the chair with staples or nails, then each ply-grip section is bent toward the chair halfway, while gently folding the fabric into it. Once all the fabric is wrapped around the sharp spikes, you pound the ply-grip down with a rubber mallet or hammer to secure it permanently to the back. This provides a seamless, clean back.

The fun part was adding the piping/cording to the front arms and around the back where the ply-grip was attached. This is my favorite part because it means I’m close to being done! The chair was very challenging but each time I work on such a project, I learn a new skill or how to do something a little bit better and that’s the true reward of this type of work.

Left side before - Right side after