Steps to upholster your wing chair

If the seat of your wing chair has lost shape or you are worried that the fabric of its arms looks worn from intensive use, then you have to get to work and choose material and colors to give it a new upholstery that will make it look renewed and fantastic.

A wing chair is, without a doubt, one of the most comfortable seats to rest on and, if it has armrests where you can place them on a comfortable surface, it adds more pleasure to rest. However, this can only be perceived when you feel that you are on a fresh, clean and skin-friendly fabric.

So what do you do when that cushy favorite chair you love to sit in has already lost its color or style? Or, perhaps, you want to vary and place a color that stands out in the decoration scheme you have, making it a focus of attention in that space of your home.

Well, here are some simple steps that will show you that the idea of ​​getting rid of your wing chair is far from being the most convenient. Although, certainly, undertaking the project of upholstering your armchair may require patience and dedication, it is not as difficult as it might sound or believe.

Getting ready to start

Taking everything into consideration before starting will help the work flow and you will not have to stop for a tool or material that you do not have at hand. The first recommendation would be not to forget to take a photo of the chair before starting the upholstery renovation. This way you can compare later and feel pride and satisfaction when you see the final product achieved.

Measuring each part of the wing chair will let you know how much fabric to buy based on the upholstery you have in mind. Your option can be the same fabric for everything or combine different patterns or colors for the ears, for the back or any other of its parts.

Like the new fabric for your chair, there are essential tools for the job that starts with removing the old upholstery. A flat-head screwdriver and pliers will help if there are a lot of staples and they’re a bit hard to remove because of how long they’ve been in place. A tape measure, pen, paper, scissors, pins, staples and an upholstery stapler are the basics.

Steps to follow

Among the wing chairs there is a wide range of models. If the one you have is of the colonial style that reminds of a royal armchair, usually its ears are part of the same piece that you will not be able to take off. On the other hand, in the classic or reclining style they can be independent elements of the armrests.

With these chairs, the armrests could easily be detached for individual upholstery. Regardless of whether it can be done or not, the entire procedure has common steps.

remove upholstery

It begins by taking off the trimmings if you have them, since, in general, it is what is used to hide the staples. With the screwdriver, loosen the first staples in the series and pull the fabric so that the other staples come out with it. If it is not possible, then you will have to be patient, individually peeling off the ones that are more attached.

cut the fabric

Whether you have bought a fabric of the same color or want parts of the chair with different fabrics, the fabric must be measured and cut for each part. There are those who prefer to use the tape measure and take the measurements to the fabric, and others choose to place the piece on it and draw the shape of the structure directly.

When the drawing of the piece is ready, it is the turn of the scissors to cut the fabric. A good idea is to identify on the back of each cutout which part of the chair it belongs to and thus avoid confusion and subsequent entanglements. You should do the same, in case you want to change or add foam to make it more padded.

sew the fabric

For the armrests and seat of the cushion style chair it is a good idea to sew the pieces of fabric lining style. This ensures a finish that will look stretched and very smooth.

In addition, in this way, when the chair is assembled and these parts are superimposed, it will help to hide the staples that have been used in other areas.

Place each piece of fabric

The rest of the cut pieces are located in their area and are held with pins to visualize how they look on the chair and make it easier to fix them. If you like the way they look, it’s time for the stapler. Before placing the final staple, you must fold the edges of the fabric and verify that you are following the contour.

Place each of the staples exerting enough force on the wooden structure so that they are very well fixed. Another tip of interest is to take care that the fabric does not fold, but that it is very well stretched before fixing the staple.

Final details

Once the upholstery is finished, there are details to take care of so that the finish is great. For example, areas that show staples conspicuously can be covered with pretty trimmings to match the style.

If your wing chair can’t see its base, then the job is done. In case it is one that has wooden or metal legs, also do the work of painting or polishing them to restore them and give them shine. In this way, there will be no way that the final result will not impact.

An additional detail with which no armchair or sofa fails to look attractively comfortable is a cushion that could be in a contrasting color with the upholstery you just made. In short, there is no doubt that if you dare to do it on your own or seek help from another person to make it more fun, you will turn the upholstery project into the best wing chair (in this link you can find several products to choose from) your own style.