DIY Upholstery, Learn How to Upholster a Chair

Julies’ Chair

- Chair 1

is set of

chairs belong

to Julie K.

W. of

Amherstburg,

Ontario.

She

opted

to reinvent her chairs with

an upbeat pairing

contemporary

fabrics.

To maintain

this

fresh transition

chose to eliminate

the

traditional and

standard use of gimp

which

is used

cover

the cut raw edge of

fabric.

A number of other

styling

changes

were introduced

well.

This

lesson

covers

new foam build

up, nailhead

trim, relief

cuts and

more.

Download or print this project in English

Traditional gimp (trim) can be seen around the edge of the frame. You can choose to finish you
chair with gimp only, or you can apply nailhead trim over the gimp. The traditional method involves
stapling the fabric along the wood trim, trimming the excess fabric and applying gimp or trim to cover
the frayed fabric edge and keep a neat appearance. To eliminate the need for gimp, I chose an
unconventional finishing method, folding the fabric under, and then stapling along the frame.

Removing Nail Trim and Staples

This chair was last reupholstered with traditional tack nails, not staples. This method is of days past,
and is not typically employed in modern day upholstery. Instead, the pneumatic stapler is the
fastening tool of choice. If you are removing old upholstery from a piece of furniture and you happen
upon traditional tack nails, consider yourself very lucky. Removing the tack nails and upholstery will
be a relatively quick job. Staples on the other hand take a considerable amount of time to remove,
easily up to eight hours for a sofa.
Some factors which will influence the ease of staple removal are;
1) Hard woods vs. soft woods
2) Staple malleability. Many of today’s staples actually break under the stress of removal and you
will be unable to remove the legs of a staple. Do your best to remove most of the staples with side
cutters. To check for protruding staples along your frame, slowly run your hand around the frame
perimeter and use a hammer to flatten the remaining metal against the hardwood.
3) The amount of staples. There can be many layers of materials and or padding and each layer is
attached to the frame with its' own series of staples
4) Decorative wood trim furniture, as in this example. When you remove staples from a chair with
exposed trim you must be very careful not to lose control of your tools. Running either the staple
removing tool or an ice pick across the wood frame will damage the decorative wood trim and extend
your “to do” list with your upholstery job.

Removing staples on a frame such as this will be time consuming because you must move very
carefully. The standard staple removal tool shown here (with the yellow handle) is manufactured by
C.S. Osborne, a U.S. manufacturer of quality upholstery tools. Another method of staple removal
involves an ice pick and a side cutter, also shown. Burying the end of the ice pick under the nail or
staple, I tap the ice pick with the cutters until the staple lifts away from the frame. I then use the
cutters to lift the staple out of the frame. A specific pair of cutters needs to be assigned to staple
removal because the cutter blades need to be dulled to do the job right.

Unless the cutter is dulled, you will cut, rather than pry staples out of a frame. To remove staples
with an ice pick, the tip must be kept sharp in order to lift the staple out of the wood. To sharpen the
tip you can use a bench grinder, 80 grit sandpaper or a sharpening stone.

The arrows point to the use cotton to fill sink areas and to smooth the finished appearance. This
method is used liberally throughout upholstery. Beginners will find that using synthetic fibers are
easier to work with than natural fibers as they are more seamless and invisible under the finished
cloth. Note the many layers of foam padding. In this example you can see that a cotton strip has
been tacked to the frame (frame front) and glued to the foam. When reupholstering a piece of
furniture the age and condition of the materials always dictate how much fill material will be replaced
with new padding and foam. The upholstery on this chair is quite aged, but unless you know when a
piece has been recovered, you will not know the condition of the foam until it has been stripped. The
benchmark lifespan for foam is approximately ten years, so without question any foam which nears
this age should be removed. Under certain conditions, such as direct exposure to sunlight, near a
window for example, foam will age and disintegrate rather quickly. Materials that do not disintegrate,
such as cotton padding or polyester batting, can be reused.

Upholstery Layers

The photos illustrates the amount of stuffing and padding that can be found in older furniture. The
layers and fill weight in modern day furniture is significantly lower than in this example. On this
project, many adjustments were made throughout the re-upholstery process. The original foam and
padding height on this chair was 3”. If you refer to the original front view of this chair you will see a
dart in the seat corner. The foam height creates excess fabric in the corner and necessitates a dart,
pleat or gathers. Another method of fitting a seat top with a substantial foam height can be seen on
the original cotton seat underlining. The seat top and seat band are cut separately. The addition of
a seat band, a dart, pleats or gathers are all options in eliminating the excess fabric in the corner.

The addition of a cotton cover or underlining smoothes down the padding layers and simplifies the
upholstery process, making the final fabric layer easier to affix to the frame. For the majority of
fabrics an underlining will not be necessary, however it is an integral step when working with
lightweight fabrics such as silk. An underlining will give your upholstery a more substantial and
polished appearance as some lighter weight fabrics will be prone to dimple when under pressure.

For lighter weight fabrics it can also more difficult to gauge the appropriate tension when stapling.
An underlining will be of great assistance to gauge and achieve an ideal finish.

The old seat padding was a very dense combination of foam and cotton layers and the core piece of
foam had a hollow grid on the underside, similar to a waffle. When you combine this hollow feature
and the ½” drop in the seat frame (pictured below), it is easy to understand why the seat surface
was destined to become uneven and lumpy. This imbalance was corrected to ensure that its
aesthetic appeal would be maintained for the maximum amount of time possible.

Glue Up

Before you reupholster check for loose screws, cracked frames or dried glue. I was able to pull apart
this frame with my bare hands, so quite a lot of gluing was necessary. If you are able to pull apart
your frame, you must scrape away all of the old dried glue from the dowels and the frame. To
remove the dried glue you can use a chisel or 80 grit sandpaper. Once all of the old glue is
removed, re glue your frame with carpenters glue and tightly clamp the frame during drying. If you
cannot pull apart a loose frame, a specialty product such as Hot Stuff by Lee Valley will do the job
perfectly. This glue is applied using a syringe, allowing even the tiniest cracks to be repaired.

Look closely and you can see the old foam powder (foam disintegration) along the frame edge. This
1/2" drop from the frame edge was filled to ensure maximum lifespan for the upholstery. Take a
note of the inside back and make a reference to the other chair frame. Are they the same? As well,
take note of the seats on the two chairs shown. One seat bottom has corner blocks, the other does
not. The frames on these two chairs are made differently, both on the seat and the inside back. This
is not uncommon, and thus you should not use one frame as a reference to cut multiple foam pads
for example. When all of your pieces are stripped you will have a good understanding of the tools
and materials needed to proceed.

I filled the ½” discrepancy on the bottom of the seat frame with ½” closed cell foam which is a dense,
stable foam. This area was filled to prolong final product appearance, avoiding foam sink with wear.
You can use scrap plywood to fill this area, just remember that you will add a substantial amount of
weight. Whichever method you choose, if you are short of material, it is not necessary to fill this
space to the edge of the frame. The prime objective is to fill the seating area which would be prone
to sink over time.

Replacing the Inside Back (IB) Foam

The old IB foam was ½”thick, which is the exact depth of the frame inset. Because I wasn’t reusing
the old foam, I decided to replace the IB with 1” foam to ensure a little more life and spring when
reclining in the chair. In the photo you can see that replacing the IB with 1" foam will require an
adjustment because it protrudes over the frame. Once the foam height and width has been
determined, on one side you will cut a path, approximately 1" wide on an angle, as is shown in the
photo.
Cutting out foam will allow the edge to be pressed into position and blend seamlessly into the edge
of the frame. To make this alteration use an inexpensive electric bread knife, this will cost
approximately $10-$20 US. The foam will be trimmed away on one side only, and that cut side will be
placed against the IB.

Do not worry about cutting a perfect consistent path, as it will not affect the outer appearance. Once
the IB back foam has been cut, spray a small amount of glue in the center of the IB chair, and a
small amount on the center of the IB foam piece. Generous amounts of glue should be applied along
the cut path of the foam and along the inset depth of the chair frame. The foam can be inserted and
pinched into place after some dry time approximately five minutes. You can place the foam in
position when the glue no longer feels wet to the touch, but feels sticky. Insert the foam into the inset
space and pinch the edge of the IB foam against the frame edge. The outer edge of the foam and
the edge of the wood frame should meet seamlessly.

Trimming out foam, as was done here with an electric bread knife, is a common upholstery practice
used to achieve a uniform, smooth tapered finish.

The IB is now ready for fabric. Mark the center of the IB foam at the top and the bottom of the insert.
Using these center marks as a guide, place the center of your fabric pattern over these indicators. If
your fabric is a solid it is not necessary to indicate the center of the frame. To secure the center of
the pattern you can spray a small amount of glue, one quick spray, on the IB foam. Glue can be
used to position foam and batting, but it never used to affix textiles. Of course, some exceptions
exist, such as an upholstered egg chair or car headliners, but glue is never applied on the back of
textiles in general furniture upholstery.

After stabilizing the IB fabric at the center, gently smooth the fabric to the outer edge and staple
along the frame. It is not necessary to staple excessively, as the nail head trim will secure the fabric.
However, your fabric will dictate and guide the necessity of staple application. The more stable a
fabric is, fewer staples will be required to maintain a smooth consistent appearance.

As mentioned previously, I decided on an unconventional finish, folding the fabric edge under to
eliminate the need for gimp or trim. Folding the fabric edge may be difficult with some fabrics, and
after a trial, you may decide against using this method. You may find that bulky, thick or stiff fabrics
will have to be cut along the frame edge and covered with gimp or trim in the traditional method.

Gimp or trim is also necessary when working with vinyl, because when cut, the scrim (knit backing) is
usually white and will show along the edge of the frame. Gimp or trim is not necessary when using
leather, as the cut edge will remain clean.

Once the IB is upholstered, you can reference the IB center to gauge the center position of the
pattern on the seat.

Seat Foam

Although this chair is an adult chair, its' frame is on the petite side. To keep the seating position
comfortable and the inside back position relative, I decided to adjust the seat padding to a 2" foam
height. When a foam block has been cut with a rough perimeter of the seating area, you will
carefully begin to cut away foam so that it can be placed into position. These cutouts which
accommodate arms and corners are made in increments, cutting one at a time. Once the foam can
be placed onto the seat, mark and trim the perimeter with an electric bread knife.
As shown, I also cut away the foam that sits over the leg post, to ensure a level, smooth, top
appearance. Any hollow areas, such as around the arm can be filled with foam (cut to shape) and
secured into place with glue. Once the seat foam has been cut and trimmed to size, you will cut a
path approximately 1" in width, this time on the top side. Trimming the foam will eliminate the square
edge, giving the upholstery a smooth, rounded professional appearance. Because this seat foam
was trimmed on the top (and not on the underside, as for the IB) a layer of batting is necessary to
conceal the uneven cut edge.

When foam is manufactured and shaped in a mold with a rounded soft top finish, the layer of batting
can be eliminated. Batting is commonly used in upholstered furniture, except for bar stools or dining
chairs, for example. Dependant on chair type or frame, the 1" foam cut path can be placed on the
underside, eliminating the need for a layer of batting while creating a rounded smooth top edge.
Keeping the cut path on the top of the seat, as shown in this example, results in a larger flat sitting
area.

To secure the closed cell foam in place just a small quick spray of glue is necessary on the seat
bottom. In contrast, the application of glue on the bottom of the seat foam can be liberal. The glue
application is most important around the frame edge, and both the frame and wood edge should be
sprayed to secure the seat foam into position. Before finalizing the application, the glue needs some
dry time and the glue should be sticky rather than wet in order to bond.

Upholstery

The method of smoothing fabric front to back and from side to side is the single most important
technique to achieve a professional upholstered finish. Your foam and batting quality will greatly
affect you finished product, and the foam density will determine the amount of tension needed to
create a smooth taut seat top.
You can begin by inserting a staple at the center front and center back to gauge the amount of
tension needed. At this point you will also determine where the poly batting will be cut. It is important
that the batting does not come into the stapling area. The transition should be smooth and it should
be seamless without adding bulk along the wood trim. In the traditional method when the fabric is cut
along the wood trim, if the batting is too close to the edge the polyester fibers will jut out. Cleaning
up the tiny fibers afterwards can be very time consuming, so it is best to determine the cut length of
the batting very carefully. Once you have determined the tension for the upholstery, use your hand
to smooth the fabric under tension, stapling your fabric into place. Your fabric pattern should not be
distorted and if tension is maintained equally throughout, your seat top will be smooth and even.
Once you have stapled at least partly across the back and front, you can begin to gauge the
position of your relief cuts.

Relief Cuts

Precise relief cuts are critical to create a polished, professional piece of furniture. If you are
uncomfortable cutting into your final fabric, use a less expensive remnant with qualities that are
similar to your final fabric. Fit and staple the remnant to the frame to gauge your fit. Remove the
remnant, lay it over your fabric and transfer the relief cut positions with chalk. You can now return
the final fabric to your chair to begin the process over.

Refer to photos: A straight cut has been made a safe distance from the arm, at least one inch, and
then a "V" has been cut toward the outer edge of the arm.

The relief cut should run right into the corner. Always keep a good distance from the frame, folding
the fabric over to check the depth of the relief cut. If you cut too far, you will expose the inner
padding. If you do not cut far enough, your fabric will not lie flat, but will cause a little dimple. Make
your relief cuts in increments testing them often and your job will turn out just right. If your fabric is
delicate and you feel that you have cut too far, you can apply a product called Fray Check or Fray
Stop. It will keep your fabric from unraveling.
When the seat has been stapled into position the excess fabric can be cut off. The orange line
represents the new cut line; you can then fold the remainder under and staple the fabric to the
frame.

Because this fabric allowed it, I was able to ease the excess corner fabric along the frame without
creating a corner pleat. However, in most instances a front corner pleat will be necessary.

Nail Trim

On the outside of the arm, two lengths of narrow trim were positioned to fill the gap. (one stacked
over the other) The nails were hammered in the center of the two strips of trim. Hammering nailhead
trim with a regular hammer would dent the nail surface. You must use a hammer with a nylon tip
such as the one shown here by C.S. Osborne, USA. If you wish you can use a nail spacing tool as a
guide, or you can hammer them one at a time, as I prefer to.
The stem of decorative nail trim is made with a degree of flexibility so that the nail can be coaxed
into position. If your nail is not heading in the right direction you can tap it into place with your
hammer.
When a chair has been recovered several times, especially with traditional tacks, you can encounter
holes or hollow spots when applying nailhead trim. This can be seen in the photos. Because the
nailhead allows for some flexibility, do your best to coax the nail into an area of wood that "bites".
Any nail that does not "bite" runs the risk of eventually falling out.

Learn how to apply upholstery trimmings such as gimp and self piping cord on the upholstery tips
page.

OB

Previously the outside back was lightly padded with a thin quilted layer similar to the thickness of a
paper towel. If you look closely at the back frame, the upholstered area does not recess but it is
completely flat. This makes the application of a welt trim, as shown below, impossible.
This back was covered with 1/4" foam, then the final fabric was folded and stapled into place. Gimp
or trim is a finishing option, with or without the addition of nail trim.

How many decorative nails are on EACH chair?
Answer =280

Underlining Example

The sofa shown was upholstered in silk, and as discussed above, an underlining was applied before
the final upholstery was affixed. This frame is finished with a self covered piping cord, you can learn
this finishing technique on the upholstery tips page.

Double Welt

Double welt is another trim option for furniture with exposed wood trim. This finish can be seen on
both furniture and window dressings. The double welt cord is produced using a special sewing
machine attachment.

Project Checklist

stapler
2" foam
1" foam
foam glue
clamps
carpenters glue
poly batting
staple removal tool
electric bread knife
fray stop
scissors
decorative nails
gimp or trim
nylon tip hammer
80 grit sandpaper

For gimp trim
high temp. glue gun
heavy duty glue sticks
see upholstery tips page for instructions

www.diyonlinemag.com is
written and produced by Sophia Sevo

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