How to Reupholster Wooden Chairs With Partial Vinyl Nailheads

Give your traditional dining room chairs a fresh, new look by reupholstering them. Choosing a vibrant fabric can help bring color and pattern into the dining room. The addition of nailhead trim complements the traditional design of chairs. Available in long, flexible strips, nailhead trim is a decorative element that is often used to give upholstery a finished look. Nailhead trim comes in several styles and designs. Look for nailhead trim that is easy to manipulate and bend, because the edges of seats are curved. Choose fabrics that are durable and easy to work with, such as upholstery fabrics.

Screwdriver
Utility staple remover or needle-nose pliers
Disposable cup
Spray adhesive
Batting
Scissors
Staple gun
Staples
1 yard of fabric
Partial vinyl nailhead trim
Decorative nails
Rubber mallet

Instructions

- 1
  Turn your wooden chair over. Unscrew the screws holding the chair seat in place. Remove the chair seat.
- 2
  Turn the wooden seat over to expose the staples securing the fabric in place. Use a pair of needle-nose pliers or a utility staple remover to pull out the staples that secure the fabric in place. Place your staples into a disposable cup.
- 3
  Spray the side of the seat that faces up with a spray adhesive. Unroll the batting on a flat work surface. Place the seat adhesive side down on the batting. Cut the batting so it is 4 inches longer than the seat on all sides.
- 4
  Cut a slit from one corner of the batting to the corresponding corner of the seat. Repeat on the remaining corners. Wrap the batting around to the back of the seat. Use the same method you use to wrap gifts. Secure it to the seat by stapling around the edges.
- 5
  Unroll the fabric on the flat work surface. Place the batting-covered seat face down on the fabric. Cut the fabric so it is 4 inches longer than the seat on all sides.
- 6
  Cut a slit from one corner of the fabric to the corner of the chair. Wrap the seat with the fabric using the same method described above. Secure the fabric by stapling around the edges of the seat.
- 7
  Cut a piece of nailhead trim about 2 inches longer than the side of the seat. Bend the nailhead trim along the edge of the seat. Use your rubber mallet to gently hammer a decorative nail into each of the empty holes in the trim strip. Cut the ends of the trim strip flush with the end of the seat. Repeat on the remaining edges.
- 8
  Place the seat back on your chair. Use the screws you originally removed from the seat to secure the newly upholstered seat in place.

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