How to Reupholster Lawn Furniture

Reupholster chair seats with attached cushions by turning the chair upside down and removing the screws attaching the seat to the frame. Remove old fabric by pulling staples or tacks with a screwdriver. Lay the fabric aside to use as a guide for cutting the new fabric.

Check the seat padding and replace if needed. Use foam padding and cover with a layer of polyester quilt batting. Cut new fabric using the original as a pattern. Lay the fabric face down on a work surface and center chair seat, padded side down, onto the fabric. Pull fabric taut and staple to bottom of seat. Space staples close together. Smooth fabric carefully at the corners to avoid wrinkles and bulges. Trim excess fabric close to staples and reattach cushion to chair.

To recover loose cushions, measure the length and width of the cushion foam; add one inch to both measurements for seam allowances. Measure the depth of cushion foam padding; add one inch to the depth for seam allowances. Cut two pieces of the fabric to the measurements, including seam allowances. These are the top and bottom of your cushion.

To form the sides of the cushion (the boxing), measure around three sides of your cushion form and add four inches. Measure the thickness of the cushion foam and add one inch. Cut the boxing fabric to these measurements. For the zipper section of the boxing, cut one piece of boxing the length of the cushion minus four inches. This section of the boxing needs to be an additional inch wider. Fold this section in half along its length and press with an iron. Cut along the crease. Press a seam allowance of 1/2-inch along the cut edges.

Install the zipper foot onto the sewing machine. Place the zipper right side up on the sewing machine. Lay the pressed seam allowance along the zipper, just touching the teeth of the zipper. Stitch the boxing to the zipper. Repeat the same procedure for the opposite side of the zipper. Sew across the closed ends of the zipper to secure.

Sew one end of the zipper section to one end of the boxing. Lay the top section of your cushion cover on the machine right side up. Start in the back section of the cushion. Lay the section of the boxing with the zipper right side down onto the cushion cover matching the edges. Stitch around the cushion cover. To make square corners, place the machine needle down into the fabric and raise the presser foot. Pivot the material around and lower the presser foot. Continue sewing around the cushion cover until you reach the zipper section. Join the open ends of the boxing, trimming away excess fabric. Finish stitching the boxing to the cushion cover.

Pin the second side of the boxing to the second cushion cover. Sew around the second cushion cover. Open the zipper and turn the cushion cover right side out. Slide the foam into the completed cushion cover.