ARM CHAIR UPHOLSTERY - step by step how I did it




I created this chair for a charity event we have locally to support the Christmas Bureau. I also photographed each
step to offer some guidance to others who want to try it themselves.





The live auction chairs made approx. $1400 for the Langley
 Christmas Bureau, my chair went to Jen from Brick & 
Mortar. And still more money was raised for the rest of the
 chairs that were up for silent auction. Thank you to everyone
 who participated, donated, and came out for the evening.


But it's time to get to the nitty gritty ...
The ins and out ..... all my little secrets how you
can create your own upholstered chair


***FOREWARD***

First of all let me say I have no formal training in upholstery,
I have always been too impatient to wait for someone to help
me when I want to get a job accomplished. I also like knowing
 how things work, thus why I use to take things apart as a
 child, like music boxes and flashlights. I would tinker away
 for hours figuring out how each little part effected the next.
It's the exact same thing today, if I don't understand how
 something goes together I take something similar apart and
 learn how to recreate it.


I was fortunate enough purchase this chair already stripped
of all it's old fabric. I've said it before and I'll say it again "the
 worst part of reupholstering is removing the old stuff"
So I got lucky with this one.


I started by stapling painters drop cloth over the springs and seat frame.


Next I hauled my roll of inch thick foam in to start cutting.


I ended up using 2 layers of foam for the seat.
Get your butt in the chair and test how it feels, as 
Goldilocks would say "that's just right"

One tip I have to offer here is to turn the square edge of the
 foam down while stapling. This helps eliminate the corners
 being seen after the fabric goes on.


 After the foam is secured into place sheets of batten were
 wrapped over the foam, this again softens the edges and
 disguises the staple indents.
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I did not staple the batten as it stays in place on its own.



You can use scissors to cut your batten but tearing
it helps thin the edges better. 


Now it was just a matter of cutting and stapling my material 
over the seat and backrest, cutting to fit where necessary.
I'm not an expert at fitting around the arms but I do my best.






The piece for the very back of the chair was cut 1 inch larger 
and in the shape of the back then carefully secured into place
 with my trusty hammer and nail head trim.





I talk about the silver paint finish used on the frame here:
and the Union Jack upholstery was done the same as these
 chairs:

The colors I used to paint the chair fabric were
Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Burgundy and Graphite.



Please let me know if you try making your own
UNION JACK CHAIRS!




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