Is your favorite desk chair getting worn out and you’re wondering how to reupholster an office chair? This can be done by removing your worn-out chair and attaching new fabric to it. It’s that simple.
Today, we are here to discuss all the detailed steps you’ll need for this process. Prepare to make that old desk chair look like it’s been recently brought from the store.
Steps In Fixing An Office Chair
Old age, stains, and tears can easily cause your office chair to be an eyesore. All of us want a perfect working space, so why should we settle in a worn-out office chair?
Here are some helpful steps that you can follow.
Step #1. Gather your materials and tools together
Preparation comes before anything else. Ensure that you get everything you need before starting this project to avoid unnecessary runs on the store. You can make a list of all these items and check if it’s available in your home first.
First, choose a fabric depending on your preference. Outdoor fabric is smoother than upholstery fabric, but you can never really go wrong in selecting cotton-based ones.
Ensure that the fabric you’re going to use is stain-resistant, flame-retardant, and can resist sun damage. After choosing your desired material, take care of the following items:
- Pliers
- Screwdriver set
- Fabric scissors
- Stapler
You can also add a glue gun or spray glue on the list, which you can securely attach the new fabric to the chair. After gathering these materials, you’re all set for the next step!
Step #2. Dismantle the office chair
Before you start dismantling the chair, you should take a picture of it. Take note of how the chair looks, especially on the location of its screws and bolts.
You can make use of the chair’s instructional manual along with this guide. If there’s none, you can use your perception.
Start disassembling your office chair on its armrests if it has any. Removing these first can benefit you and save you the hassle if you do it another way.
Use your screwdriver to unlatch these parts. Turn your chair over and unscrew the base parts. After the armrests and base, it would be much easier for you to separate the backrest and the seat.
Step #3. Remove the old upholstery and staples
Using your pliers or staple lifter, remove old staples that you can find in the outline of the chair’s fabric. You can let loose of yourself here unless you would want to save the old material.
Once you remove the staples, it’s time to separate the upholstery from the chair.
Step #4. Shape the new upholstery from the seat
Now’s your chance to think if you’re going to change your old foam into a new one. Whether you decided to change it or not, you can now put new fabric on your office chair. Start with shaping the upholstery by taking measurements around the seat.
Measurements do not need to be precise. However, you should leave at least four inches to attach to the base. Cut the excess fabric with your fabric scissors.
Step #5. Fasten the fabric into the chair
Fold the fabric into the back of the seat pan. Attach it carefully and make sure that it is evenly spread. This step might be challenging, but patience can get you through it.
Get your spray glue or glue gun and place it on the fabric’s edges. Then, staple it.
Step #6. Reassemble the office chair
The long process is tiring, right? Now, you can reassemble your office chair again. Refer to the picture of the office chair you took earlier and reassemble it in that way.
Put the screws and chair parts in their proper positions carefully. Don’t be afraid to make holes in your fabric.
How Much Fabric Do I Need to Reupholster A Chair?
Truthfully saying, the amount of fabric depends upon your chair size. Knowing how to correctly measure your project’s correct yardage provides safety and freedom to make adjustments.
Can I Reupholster Over Existing Fabric?
If you’re wondering how tiresome it is to remove your old fabric, this is good news for you! However, several things still need to be considered.
First, if the fabric you’re going to reuse is darker than the one you will put on top, it’ll probably not be eye-soothing. Insects are also worth considering. Don’t think twice about replacing your fabric once it shows signs of a growing ecosystem.
If all is good, you can follow all the steps discussed above except the third step.
Conclusion
Knowing how to reupholster an office chair gives you a lot of benefits. Aside from saving you from spending more money, it also helps you regain a sense of control over your workspace.
Besides this, reupholstering an office chair is eco-friendly. It’s a big help in reducing the landfill waste of the Earth and also provides recreation.
The intimidation that it can give from foresight, but it is a straightforward task. Although it can take a lot of days to finish, the result would be worth it.