DIY Upholstery Tricks

When it’s time to refresh the look of any room in the home, there’s no need to invest in brand-new furniture. In fact, you don’t even need to get out of the sewing machine to achieve great results!

Creating fun and fresh looks comes down to a few simple DIY upholstery tricks that are more manageable than you might have imagined. So put the sewing machine away and pick up a staple gun instead. Whether you’re hoping to recover a chair, a headboard, or a bench, the following tricks will make the process a breeze.

Stick with Straight Edges

As tempting as it might be to upholster that decorative chair with curved arms in the living room, you’ll want to stick with straight edge pieces for DIY projects…at least in the beginning. Upholstering square chair seats or rectangle benches are a great place to start. They don’t require pleats, and beginning with pieces like these takes the stress out of the process.

Gather Tools Ahead of Time

You’ll want to make sure you have the tools you need ahead of time to make the upholstery project efficient and successful. Be sure to gather the following:

• Fabric
• Batting
• Scissors

With those in place, you’ll just need to grab a staple gun, and you’re on your way. No matter what, just leave that sewing machine safely in the closet for this one!

Use These Step-by-Step Instructions

DIY upholstery projects generally follow a basic 5-step process.

1. Remove whatever it is you’re going to be upholstering. That might be a seat cushion or a bench cover.

2. Cut batting out to match the dimensions of what you’re upholstering. Place the batting directly on top of the item.

3. Position a large piece of fabric over the batting. And flip the entire thing over.

4. Flip the item to upholster the right side up, batting, fabric, and all. There should be plenty of excess fabric on all sides.

5. Pull the loose edges tight and staple everything to the underside.

That’s all there is to it! If you cut the excess fabric away, you likely won’t need to worry about staple-side aesthetics. The underside of the piece often isn’t visible anyway.

GoldStar Tool

At GoldStar Tool, creativity is our passion. We’re here to help when you’re looking for the supplies and accessories to start your next project. Enjoy browsing tips on our blog and keep up with projects across our social media pages. Reach out to learn more!