Reupholstering an office chair is remarkably easy! It’s simple to give your office chair a complete makeover, whether the fabric is falling apart or you want to swap the bland black fabric with something lighter and more vibrant. We’ll show you how to reupholster an office chair step by step in today’s article! While it seems easy, there is much more to learn in each stage. But don’t worry. We’ve explained it in the most concise and detailed way possible, ensuring that you get everything right the first time.
How To Reupholster An Office Chair
Instead of removing the worn-out office chair, consider reupholstering it. It not only prevents wasteful spending, but it also makes the chair look more elegant than ever. Take these steps if you want to reupholster your office chair:
Gather The Materials And Tools
Here’s what you’ll need to get started on the task:
- Set of fabric
- Screwdrivers
- Needle-nose pliers
- Pair of fabric scissors
- Adhesive gun
Cotton-based fabrics are still a good option. However, acting with outdoor fabrics is more difficult because they require extra vigilance. You may have to buy a whole new kit if you make a mistake. Your cotton-based fabric should be flame-retardant, sun-resistant, and stain-resistant.
Disassemble Your Chair
Start disassembly the armrests if your chair has them. And with the arms in place, it is possible to reupholster the chair, but it is much more difficult. Remove them from their respective fixtures by unscrewing/unlatching them. Locate the bolts or screws that secure the seat pan to the foundation by inverting the chair. Next, remove the foundation from the cushion by unscrewing each one. Take a snapshot of the chair before taking it out if you find the reassembly process tough. This can be used as a point of reference throughout the reassembly process.
Only the seat pan and backrest remain after the foundation and armrests have been removed. Using the electric screw packs, locate the deep-set screws in the shell-like foundation and remove them. It should now be simple to separate the back from the bench.
Strip Any Old Staples Or Upholstery
The back of the seat pan is still lined with sturdy staples to protect the chair’s lining securely. Depending on the chair’s design, the staples may take the form of large fasteners or small staples.
Take them off with the needle-nose pliers as long as they block access to the old cloth. When you unfold the underlying yarn, make your way from one corner to the next. Remove the upholstery from the seat until you’ve finished cutting the staples. It’s absolutely good if you want to install your new fabric over the old one! So skip this stage and proceed to the next.
Cut The New Upholstery To Match The Seat’s Dimensions
Place the new roll of fabric under the seat and stretch it out. It would help if you used the outward-facing wood backing. Before attaching the new upholstery, you should cover the existing foam coating with a new one.
Fold the cloth along the corners of your seat and get some measurements. It’s not necessary to get precise measurements; leave about four inches to attach to the edges of your seat’s wood frame.
After that, take out the extra cloth with a pair of scissors.
Sew the Fabric Cut-Out To The Chair
This may be the most difficult step if this is your first time taking a tailoring lesson. We claim this because the shape of the seat and back of your office chair can not allow you to fold it as quickly as you expect. However, you’ll probably nail it and get the fabric into place if you’re careful enough.
Fold the new cloth over the back of your seat to secure it. Slowly and gently sew it together, ensuring the cloth is flat and smooth. Use your glue gun to cover the portion of the cloth you intend to stick, then press it down and staple it.
Shape the extra fabric into a compact triangular fold until you’ve reached the corners. Be sure not to tug too hard; you’ll wind up with wrinkles and many other issues. Cut some remaining cloth folds for a seamless fit to complete the setup.
Give about half an hour for the glue to dry completely before going on to the next stage. Then, to maintain uniformity, repeat the procedure for the backrest and armrests.
Assemble The Chair Together
Reassemble the chair, so there’s nothing else to do with the cloth. Do so carefully and ensure you get all the pieces and fixtures. Examine the photo you took earlier to determine where each component should go.
When you need to drill the screws into the wood base:
- Don’t be afraid to spoil your cloth covering.
- Create a little hole in the material and go as far as possible.
- Whatever you do, exercise extreme caution.
How Much Does Reupholstering An Office Chair Cost?
Reupholstering an office chair entails a lot of work. However, assuming you do your manual labour, it should be, at most, $100, based on the equipment and resources mentioned above.
To put this in context, a yard of simple upholstery fabric costs about $10. You’ll need three yards, which will cost you $30. Here are the remaining expenses:
A new screwdriver kit costs about – $21
A pair of pliers – $9
A pair of scissors costs about – $6
A glue gun costs about – $14
These rates were obtained directly from Amazon for your convenience. You’ll end up with $71 if you add them all up. Isn’t that incredible? Consider how much a new office chair would have cost you.
Is Upholstering A Chair Worth It?
The time and effort you put into reupholstering your chair would be well worth it. Here are five reasons why you should consider updating the fabric on your office chair:
- Cost-effective
There’s a significant cost difference between purchasing and reupholstering the existing office chair. However, the cost of reupholstering a chair is relatively low. Try investing the spare money into something more useful, such as a retirement account, even though you can buy a new chair. You never know when you’re going to use it!
- You Have Complete Control
Have you ever purchased something and said to yourself, “They should have done so much more.” You have complete discretion over the fabric you choose for your chair when you upholster it. You can choose the style, cloth, and paint that accompany your office or home decor.
- It Is Environmental Friendly
Taking the no-longer-used office chair to the dump is an option, but it could be better. Reusing the old office chair will help to reduce landfill waste on our planet. By reupholstering the chair, you are reducing the number of toxic chemicals and greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. The results of factory recycling are these.
- It Gives The Workspace A New Look
Go as far as your office chair if you want to make any changes to your workspace. With little effort, adding a fresh coat of fabric to your chair provides a pleasing ambience. This can be accomplished by proper reupholstering, high-quality materials, and creative colour variations.
Is There Anything I Can Do For An Old Office Chair?
In addition to reupholstering your chair, there are three other practical and valuable ways to repurpose old furniture:
Donate It To A Beneficiary:
Donate your former office chair to charity or do something useful about it. Several nonprofit organizations, such as furniture banks, would gladly accept used furniture that has been donated. The proceeds from the sale of your chair will go toward helping the poor, mentally challenged, and orphans in need.
Liquidate It:
Liquidation is worth exploring if you want to recoup the money you wasted on your old office chair. Sell it to a wholesale liquidator in a warehouse setting or to one of the hundreds of businesses that purchase used furniture for profit. They resell it for a fee after you sell it to them. Most businesses spend between 5% and 10% of the item’s original value.
You Can Sell It To A New User:
If you’re moving to a new office, consider selling the old one to the new occupant. The chair you’re marketing is almost certainly superior to the one they’re now using. They’ll happily consider your bid if you sell it for a fair amount. Even if you don’t get the full worth of your chair, you’ll at least lighten your load, clear out the mess, and make money in the process! One block, two birds.
Conclusion
Traditional offices with different foam padding that can be uncovered and recovered with new fabric fit well for this initiative. You’ll figure out immediately whether or not your chair is suitable. If you’re very committed to this idea, we recommend going to a yard sale or a giveaway and picking up a chair that’s some years old and made of cotton or jute that can be quickly reupholstered. Synthetic cloth, such as microfiber and nylon, may also be withdrawn. Look for the telltale cloth folds under the seat’s edges, indicating that the upholstery was tucked under and can be pulled away.
We hope that this article will assist you in maximizing your time and imagination. Consider starting your own upholstery company if you do a great job upholstering your office chair.
