How to Restore a Retro Dinette Set

Undo all the screws that hold the chair seat connected to the frame. Set them aside in a safe place so that you do not lose them. Remove the damaged vinyl cover from the chair seats. You will be left with old padding, which you can discard, and a wooden seat bottom.

Use the chair seat bottom as a standard to determine the size of the quilt batting. Cut two pieces of this batting in the same size to make cushions for the seats.

Lay the vinyl out on a table, with the appropriate side facing down. Lay the seat bottom on the vinyl backing and use the bottom as a pattern. Cut the vinyl around the bottom, adding an extra two inches all around the seat.

Remove the seat bottom from the vinyl. Center the two layers of quilt batting on the vinyl and place the seat bottom on top of the quilt batting.

Bring up the edge of the vinyl from one edge of the seat, overlapping the seat bottom. Use the staple gun to tack down the vinyl in the center of this side. Pull the opposite side of the vinyl taut and overlap that edge over the seat bottom. Staple that edge in the center. Staple the third and fourth sides of the seat the same way. You will now have a seat with four staples, one in the center of each edge.

Fold down the corners of the vinyl to cover the seat bottom corners, smoothing and overlapping the edges as needed. Staple each corner securely. Fasten a line of staples along each edge of the chair bottom, completely securing the vinyl to the seat bottom.

Position the finished seat bottom back on the aluminum frame, and replace all screws to fasten the seat securely.