ples, batting, new fabric and plywood if the seats in your chair are beyond repair.
Once you have found an open space to work in, remove the screws or staples from the seat of the chair. Lift the seat off the chair and remove any remaining tacks or staples. If the wood is in bad shape, trace a replacement seat on a piece of plywood. Cut layers of batting to fit the shape of the seat making the chair as soft as you like. Cut the new fabric 3 to 4 inches larger than the seat to fit over the batting. Center the seat over the wrong side of the fabric and wrap the fabric as if it were a gift. Staple the middle of one side, then the middle of the opposite side, pulling the fabric tight. Continue stapling opposing sides, wrapping corners so that no raw edges will show from the right side. Replace the seat and secure with the screws you took out at the beginning.
Luber says to consider how much wear the piece you plan to reupholster will get. This will help you determine what type of fabric to use. Nylons, acrylics and polyesters are thicker and last longer and are generally found on office and dining room chairs. Cottons and rayons have a shorter life span and are good for bedroom furniture.
You can use pliers or a hammer and
USEFUL RESOURCES
Web sites
- Upholstery kits starting at $20 and up:
  www.diyupholster.com and
  www.upholsterystudio.com.
- Upholstery project discussion board and online classes: Upholster Magazine Online,
  www.upholster.com.
- Expert advice, fabric choices and fun projects: HGTV, www.hgtv.com.
Books
- Simple Upholstery by Sunset Books: $13.27 on www.denverfabrics.com.
- Upholstery Techniques Illustrated by W. Lloyd Gheen: $20.97 on Amazon.com.
- Upholstery Basics (Singer Sewing Reference Library) from Creative Publishing International: $11.87 on www.craftfinder.com.
screwdriver to pull out tacks and a sharp pair of scissors with a straight edge will work great cutting through fabric. However, Luber says for those diving into a serious hobby or thinking about starting a business you will eventually want to upgrade to more efficient tools such as tack pullers, heavy duty fabric scissors, tack hammers, air staplers and of course, button machines and heavy duty sewing machines such as a Consew. Luber says you could start
PAINT IT TO PERFECTION
If upholstery isn't a project you're ready to take on, or if it's just too expensive, here is another furniture-revamping option. We took a plain desk chair and spruced it up with paint and a checkerboard pattern. This method will work for upholstered chairs or wooden seats. Follow these steps and you will have a new chair for any area in the house.
MATERIALS NEEDED
Two small cans of good-quality latex paint. They should be the same color, but different shades, one darker than the other. $7.98 per quart.
- Two inexpensive paintbrushes. One inch latex paintbrushes, $4.45 per two-pack
- Painter's release tape. $3.16 per 60-yard roll.
DIRECTIONS
1. If you are using a wooden seat, lightly sand area to be painted with sandpaper.
2. Tape off areas that won't be painted with the painter's release tape. This will protect those surfaces from any splatters or drips that may occur while painting.
3. Paint the seat area with the lighter base color. Let dry overnight.
4. Stretch a length of 1' (or your preferred width) painter's release tape horizontally across the surface.
5. Place a second strip of tape vertically, at right angles to the first.
6. Lightly stick another horizontal piece beside the first (this "spacer" piece will help you position the tape evenly) and add another horizontal piece of tape beside that one.
7. Remove the spacer tape and keep repeating this sequence vertically as well as horizontally, until the entire surface is taped off in a checkerboard pattern.
8. Paint over the surface with the darker color; let dry completely and remove all the tape.
with used machinery for $500. If you're good enough, the rewards may be worth it. In Lawrence, with a population of approximately 100,000, there are five upholsterers. Luber is currently backed up with three month's worth of work. "We as upholsterers are a dwindling trade," he says. "People can make pretty good money being an upholsterer. People can be taught, or can teach themselves."
—Erica Brittain
Steps for reupholstering dining room chairs adapted from www.hgtv.com.
—Tabatha Beerbower, Jayplay writer, can be reached at tbeerbower@kansan.com.
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1thursday, october 16, 2003