I have had my office chair for a few decades. It was most likely my first “real piece” of adult furniture (what was yours?) that I found at Value Village for I am sure under $5. I remember it being the only one there, as the rest of the dining rooms chairs had probably all been sold to others who just need one chair.

I had grand vision for my chair- a beautiful new paint job, a new cushion, and a little back pillow. Well, did I mention I was an undergraduate with a full course load and I worked full time, and had an internship? Upholstery was going have to wait. The most I did was to add a new fabric, as the original one was tatty.

 Last summer I realized I was at the half way mark in my saving for new wooden floors in our home. This meant it was also time to begin to purge. My office chair, which I love, was ratty. The paint had it gradually worn away, and holes began to form in the seat with wear. I knew I couldn’t part with it- after all; it was my first adult purchase. It is super comfortable, made of solid wood, sturdy, and the construction is good. It has arms and no wheels. The chair is the dream. I didn’t want to spend the money on a much more expensive chair that would be only marginally more comfortable. The time had come that I would upgrade my chair, and it took me about two weeks. I am sure if you are a weekend warrior you could sand and stain in a week, but I find the gentler you are with wood, the more beautiful it becomes. I also admit I took a few lunch breaks to find the perfect sturdy fabric. How I love a good fabric store! Check out my new chair and fancy floors, and let me know what you think.

 Here is what it looked like before my attempt:

The process:

The finished product:

HOW TO UPHOLSTER DINING ROOM CHAIRS

 Supplies:

• -stain remover
• -stain
• -mask –stain remover is strong
• -goggles
• -latex (or vinyl) gloves
• -fabric
• -1″ high density foam (you can also use cotton batting) I used both I love cushion
• -staple gun
• -foam adhesive (must be rated for foam. I used a spray foam adhesive found at the craft store)
• -scissors
• -screw driver

 I like you, so I am going tell you that chemical stripper, also known as paint remover, is no f***ing joke. Read the instructions thoroughly before use. Always follow the instructions that come with the paint stripper, and when you think you have read them, have someone else read them to make sure. Please be sure to use newspaper and never pour into a plastic container. It will eat through plastic and give your deck a look you were not going for (real life moment). Once you have removed the paint, you can a) do your happy dance as you just basically distressed a chair or b) continue on and open up a can of stain of your choice. I went with a beautiful Red Chestnut 322 by Minwax, but I waited a few days as I wanted to be sure the remover had dried. I stained my chair by dipping an old soft rag in the can and working it around the chair until I got the color and look I desired. The fun part came after the chair was stained- adding (or in my case building) a cushion. I apologize for the lack of images. I didn’t know I would be sharing this step with the world, but I believe in provide answers. Please see this post for full details and if you have any questions on a super cushion, leave me a message in the comments.