How to Cover a Desk With Fabric

Smooth the desk's surface with fine-grit sandpaper to remove bumps. Work the sandpaper over the area in small circles. Remove the dust from sanding with a wet rag, and let the surface dry completely.

Fill holes with wood filler applied with a putty knife. Make the desk's entire surface smooth and flat. Let the wood filer dry for several hours.

Apply one coat of primer to the desk's surface with a paintbrush, applying the primer in the same direction as the desk's wood grain. Let the primer dry completely, which may take several hours.

Measure the length and width of the area you want to cover with fabric. Cut one piece of fabric the same size as that area, and lay it on the desk to ensure it is the proper size. Recut to adjust the size if necessary. If you prefer to use scraps of fabric to cover the desk, then iron fabric scraps so they are flat, and lay them on the desk to ensure they fit the surface.

Apply one coat of decoupage paste directly on the entire desk surface that you want to cover with fabric. Use a clean paintbrush, and proceed slowly to ensure the desk is covered completely and evenly.

Lay the fabric on the desk surface with its wrong side -- the side you don't want to be seen -- down. If you use scraps of fabric, lay them down so they overlap slightly, and smooth them down as you proceed. Use your hand to smooth the fabric into place; continue slowly, and don't force fabric into position. Smooth air bubbles and wrinkles as you proceed, starting at the center of the fabric and working your way out to the corners. If the fabric wrinkles or becomes unworkable, pull it up and place it on the desk again.

Cut excess threads from the fabric's edges. Use the blunt edges of the scissors to smooth the outer corners. Let the decoupage paste and fabric dry completely.

Apply one coat of decoupage paste on top of the fabric. Let it dry completely, and apply another coat of decoupage paste. After it dries, sand it lightly with fine-grit sandpaper.

Apply three to five more coats of decoupage paste on the fabric, letting each coat dry between applications. Sand between each coats as necessary to get rid of brushstrokes, which will help achieve a high shine.