How to Reupholster an Office Chair

Take apart the chair so that the back and seat cushions are separate.

If you have a complicated chair, it’s a good idea to take pictures beforehand so you know how to put it back together.

Look for screws and use common sense to figure out how to take apart your particular chair.

Many chairs have this black plastic covering on the back cushion and sometimes the bottom cushion. If you don’t see screws, you can usually pop off the cover.

You can choose to spray paint parts of the chair if you want. The back on this chair is scuffed up, so a fresh coat of paint will do it good. I’m going to leave the rest as is, but you could also spray paint the base.

To insure a good bond, give it a quick sanding especially if there are scratches.  Then wipe off the dust from sanding.

In a well ventilated area, spray several coats of paint on the chair parts. Upholster the cushions while the paint dries.

Lay out the fabric with the right side facing down and place one of the cushions on top. Make sure you have plenty of material to wrap around to the back, and cut out the fabric.

Place one staple in the center of one of the sides, then pull taut and staple the opposite side. Do the same for the remaining sides.

Continue stapling, working your way out towards the corners on all sides. At the corners, gather the fabric as you staple so it looks as smooth as possible on the front. Repeat for the other corners.

Trim the excess fabric.  Make sure the fabric isn’t blocking any screw holes.

Repeat for the other cushion.

Put the pieces back together and your new office chair is done.