Start upholstery
Upholstery is the craft of padding and covering furniture. Start with flat, simple seats: a board, some foam and batting, fabric pulled tight and stapled underneath. An afternoon turns a tired chair into one you're proud of. Here's the video that hooks everyone, and everything you need for your first project.
Space neededA table and a clear floor
First projectA padded memo board in an afternoon
Skill levelBeginner-friendly
Good forThrift finds, home makeovers, any age
The video that hooks everyone
Reupholstering dining chair seats
A DIY tutorial on reupholstering dining chairs: the old seat comes off, new fabric goes on, and the chair looks new again. Press play and see why it hooks people.
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Tool list
What you need to start
Everything you need for your first project, and nothing you don't. A staple gun, a pair of pliers and some fabric get you a long way.
Starter kit
01Manual staple gunA heavy-duty hand stapler that takes 1/4 and 3/8 in. staples.
02StaplesA box each of 1/4 and 3/8 in., sized for your gun.
03Staple lifter or flat screwdriverPries out old staples.
04Needle-nose pliersPulls out the staples you've lifted.
05Upholstery fabricMedium-weight, tightly woven. A yard covers about two seats.
06Polyester battingSoftens the edges and smooths the fabric.
07Upholstery foam, 1 in.For new padding when the old foam is crumbly.
08Sharp fabric scissorsKeep them for fabric only.
09Tape measure and chalkMeasure twice, mark the cut.
10Safety glassesOld staples fly when you pull them.
The manual tells you what to look for when you buy each one.
- 1Pulling one side too tightThe pattern goes crooked and the fabric puckers. Staple the middle of each side first, opposite sides in turn, with the same pull.
- 2Cutting the fabric too smallLeave at least 3 in. extra on every side. You can always trim; you can't add.
- 3Bulky cornersToo many folds make lumps and gaps. Trim the extra fabric inside each fold so the corner lies flat.
