How Much Fabric to Reupholster A Swivel Chair? A Guide

Fabric is one of the most expensive and difficult parts to find when reupholstering furniture. It can be hard to know how much fabric you need before you have measured your chair, but we aim to solve that problem for you!

The following article provides a definitive guide on how much fabric it takes to re-upholster a standard swivel chair.

How Much Fabric to Reupholster A Swivel Chair

This post will provide an overview of how much fabric to reupholster a swivel chair, as well as advice on what types of fabrics work best for this type of project.

 

Things to Bear in Mind When Reupholstering a Swivel Chair

It is possible to reupholster a chair with just about any type of fabric. With the right tools and materials, you can quickly and easily transform your chairs into something new! We’ll walk through how much fabric it takes to re-upholster a standard swivel chair in this blog post.

Reupholstering furniture is not as difficult or expensive as many people think. You don’t need special skills or an advanced degree (though that might come in handy!).

It’s actually quite simple – all you really have to do is measure how much material you need for each piece of furniture before purchasing your supplies from the store!

Fabric comes in two main types: woven and knit. Woven fabrics are woven over and under each other, while knit fabrics are looped back on themselves. When selecting your fabric, it’s important to know which type you want – woven for a durable finish or knit if you’re looking for more of a textured look!

Woven fabrics should be cut with the length running from the selvedge edge (the long edges) to the selvedge edge so that there is no fraying as the material unravels. Knit fabrics can have either side run the full length of the piece before cutting because they will not fray.

A quick note: we recommend using two different colours when reupholstering chairs to make sure everything looks uniform!

When measuring how much fabric is needed for any given project, it’s best to measure how long the material will be when laid flat.

The width of fabric is always measured from selvedge edge (the long edges) to selvedge edge, but you may find that your piece has a bit more than necessary on one side or another because most fabrics are folded over to create additional yardage.

 

What is the Best Fabric to Reupholster a Chair?

The best fabric to reupholster a chair will depend on how much time and money you’re willing to spend. For example, if you have an inexpensive swivel chair that needs new upholstery but wants only the most basic kind, then cotton or polyester-cotton blends are your best bet.

They are sturdy enough for everyday use and affordable so they won’t break the bank as soon as it’s delivered. If you prefer something more durable, with better resistance against spills and stains than say linen or silk, we recommend using leather–but be warned: this option may cost significantly more!

 

What Other Materials Are Used When Reupholingstering Chairs?

Aside from fabrics, there are several other materials that upholsterers can use to transform your chair, depending on how you want it to look. For instance, if you are looking for a more modern and sleek appearance then leather or vinyl may be the best choice.

If you prefer something with an edgier feel like velvet–hello chic! Or how about classically elegant silk fabric?

However, when deciding what type of material is right for your situation there’s one important consideration: durability.

Fabrics (especially natural fibres) tend to wear down over time which will require replacement whereas synthetic fabrics typically last much longer before needing to be replaced–which means less headache and frustration at reupholstery time in the future.

 

How Much Does it Cost to Reupholster a Swivel Chair?

The cost of reupholstering a swivel chair varies depending on how much fabric you need to cover the frame, how many cushions are attached to the backrest and armrest(s) as well as how intricate or complicated your design is.

This will also depend on what type of upholstery work needs to be done on the seat- such as padding thickness requirements for example.

A standard foam pad can range from $40-$170 per yard while polyester batting ranges anywhere from $35-$70 per yard (including shipping).

To give an idea about how this works out in terms of total costs, let’s say you order 20 yards/meters worth $50 ($1000) with just the foam pad, that’s enough to cover the seat depth (the distance from the front edge of the frame to back) and top height.

If you were going for a more cushioned look with polyester batting in between layers of fabric as well, it would typically take anywhere from $2000-$4000 worth if ordering 20 yards/meters ($500 per yard).

A higher-quality upholstery job can come out costing much more than how much we’re estimating here- labour cost will depend on how long it takes them to do their work (typically an hour or two at most depending on how complicated your design is), so this could be another factor you need to consider when figuring out how much fabric you’ll need!