Add a foam pad under the fabric, or make a separate cushion to tie on the chair.
Refinishing and upholstering a dining chair is the perfect time to add a foam cushion for comfort. You can add foam under the upholstery on a dining chair with a removable seat, or make a separate pad to tie onto the chair back for dining chairs without a removable seat. Both options allow for creativity with the fabric choice, so you can upgrade your chairs with padding.
Instructions
Upholstered Seat
1. Remove the seat from the chair with a screwdriver or hammer. Lay a piece of 1-inch-thick foam chair padding on a flat surface and place the chair seat on top. Trace around the chair seat with a marker. Cut the foam to fit the chair seat. You can use two layers of thick polyester batting for a thinner pad on the seat.
2. Lay the fabric chosen for the cover on a flat surface with the right side facing down. Cut the fabric so there is a 4-inch edge around the seat. Set the foam pad and chair seat in the center so the right side of the seat is facing downward.
3. Pull the fabric at the center of one edge to the backside of the seat and secure it in place with a staple. Repeat with each side of the seat, flipping the seat over each time to verify the fabric is smooth across the seat surface. Continue to staple the fabric along each edge, stopping about 1 inch from the corners.
4. Fold the fabric taut on one side of the corner and secure with a staple. Repeat on the other side of the corner, making a smooth point with no puckers or tucks. Staple each corner in the same way.
5. Cut off excess fabric on the backside of the seat to about 1/2 inch from the staples. Reattach the upholstered seat to the chair.
Seat Cushion
6. Measure the length of the chair seat surface, from the front edge to the back poles. Measure the width of the chair seat from side edge to edge, or armrest to armrest. Add 2 inches both measurements for the seams and foam pad. Write down the true measurements and adjusted measurements.
7. Cut two pieces of fabric using the length and width measurements. Pin the pieces together with the right sides together. Sew around the side and front edges with a 1/2-inch seam, leaving the back edge open.
8. Turn the fabric cover so the right side faces out and poke out the corners carefully with the blunt end of a scissors. Turn the fabric along the back edge of the cover 1/4 inch to the wrong side and press with a hot iron to hold.
9. Cut a piece of 1-inch-thick foam pad using the true measurements of the seat. Slide the foam inside the cover. Pin the back edge together along the folded edge and hand sew with a slip-stitch to close.
10. Cut four pieces of fabric to the dimension of 2 inches by 10 inches. Fold the fabric in half by matching the long edges, so the right side of the fabric is on the inside. Sew around one short end and the long end with a 1/4-inch seam. Turn the tubes so the right side faces out, smooth the seams and corners and press with an iron. Sew two ties to each side of the pad, about 1 inch from the corner on the rear edge.
Tags: right side, about inch, about inch from, back edge, chair seat, chair seat