How to Upholster a Lounge With a Staple Gun

Pry away staples holding any existing fabric in place with pliers. Do this gently so as to preserve the fabric as much as possible. A flathead screwdriver is also a useful tool for loosening up staples from the chair frame.

Use previous fabric pieces as a pattern, or position muslin cloth or butcher paper over the portion of the chair that you would like to cover. Trace out the shape of the lounge chair, then add several inches on each side to account for give. Cut out the pattern piece.

Position your pattern over your new upholstery fabric, print side up. Trace around the pattern. If you are new to upholstering, it is best to choose a fabric print with an all-over repeating pattern instead of one that requires exact pattern matching. Because of the shape of a lounge chair, vertical or horizontal prints can also be layman-friendly prints to consider for your chair.

Cut out the new upholstery fabric along your traced lines and position it in place over the lounge chair. Pull the fabric taut to the underside of the lounge frame and staple it in place. Staple in the middle of the section and work your way out evenly on either side, adding a new staple every 1 to 2 inches. Pulling taut will reduce puckering or folding for an even, professional-looking finish.

Leave approximately 1 inch of excess fabric around the edge of the stapled lines to allow for give as people sit on the chair.

Add detailing with decorative ribbon or contrasting material. You can use detailing to hide seams along the frame of the chair or add a custom detail. Apply detailing with a needle and thread or even with a hot glue gun.