How To Re-Upholster Dining Chairs

Has your dining setting seen better days? Reupholstering your dining chairs is a simple, affordable way to give your dining space a fresh new look. With the right tools, some basic supplies, and a little DIY confidence, you can restore your chairs with a polished, professional finish.

At Home Upholsterer, we stock everything you need — from custom cut seat foam to upholstery fabric, Dacron, upholstery tools and adhesives — all with fast shipping Australia-wide.

What You'll Need

Foam & Filling

• High Density Foam Sheet – N31-190 Seating Foam, 25mm thick (2100 x 1900mm)
  Tip: Layer 2 or more sheets to reach 50mm or 75mm total thickness.
• OR Custom Cut Foam Cushions – Cut to your exact seat size and thickness. Order custom foam online
• Bonded Polyester Fibre (Dacron) – Adds softness, shape, and a smooth finish

Fabric

• Durable Upholstery Fabric – Choose between woven fabrics or imitation leather or vinyls suitable for furniture
• Optional: Calico fabric as an underlayer

Tools & Accessories

• Staple Gun or Hand Tacker – Electric or pneumatic staplers make the job quicker
• Upholstery Staples – Make sure they match your gun
• Staple Remover Tool – Optional but helpful for removing old coverings
• Scissors and Stanley Knife – For trimming fabric and foam
• Foam Contact Adhesive (Optional) – For gluing foam layers or attaching foam to base

Finishing Touches

• Spunbonded Dustcover Fabric – Optional layer to tidy the underside of the seat
• Fabric Protector Spray – Helps repel stains and extend the life of your new upholstery

Step 1: Remove the Seat and Old Upholstery

• Flip the chair and unscrew the seat base from the frame.
• If working on multiple chairs, label the base and frame (e.g., "Chair 1 – Front") to ensure proper reassembly.
• Use a staple remover or pliers to remove all existing staples.
• Remove the fabric, old foam, and any Dacron or wadding.
• Reuse the timber base if it’s solid — otherwise, trace and cut a new one.

Step 2: Replace the Base (If Needed)

• Trace the old seat shape onto 12–25mm plywood.
• Cut with a jigsaw and sand or bevel the edges.
• Most hardware stores can cut plywood to size if required.

Step 3: Cut Foam and Wadding

• Place your seat base on the foam and trace the shape.
• Cut with a Stanley or bread knife, using slow, controlled strokes.
• Stack foam layers if needed to achieve 50mm or 75mm thickness.
• Apply spray adhesive to glue the foam layers together or to the base (optional).
• Cut a piece of Dacron around 10cm larger than the seat. Lay Dacron flat, place the foam and base on top, and staple the Dacron to the underside, pulling it taut.

Step 4: Attach the Fabric

• Lay your upholstery fabric face down, then centre your foam and base on top.
• Cut fabric to allow about 10cm overhang on all sides.
• Starting at the centre of each edge, pull the fabric tight and staple to the underside.
• Work outward toward the corners, stapling evenly on opposite sides to maintain balance.

🪡 If using a patterned fabric, check alignment before committing to stapling.

Step 5: Fold and Secure the Corners

• Trim excess fabric and Dacron to reduce bulk.
• Use a butterfly fold: tuck the centre inward, then fold each side neatly.
• Flip over and staple in place. Repeat for all four corners.

Step 6: Add a Dustcover (Optional)

To hide raw fabric edges and block dust or cobwebs from collecting under the seat:

• Cut spunbond dustcover fabric slightly smaller than the seat base
• Staple it to the underside of the seat for a clean finish

Step 7: Apply Fabric Protector (Optional)

For added protection, spray your newly upholstered seat with a fabric protector solution to help guard against spills and stains.

Step 8: Reattach the Seat to the Chair Frame

Line up the seat with the chair and reinstall screws in their original positions.

Step 9: Sit Back and Admire Your Work!

You've just transformed your dining chairs — and probably saved hundreds in the process. Share your results with us at [email protected]. We’d love to feature your DIY success!

Why Shop with Home Upholsterer?

We’re your trusted supplier of DIY upholstery products, including:

• Custom foam cut to size
• Upholstery fabrics, synthetic leather & Dacron
• Adhesives, staple guns & dustcover fabric
• Fast Australia-wide delivery from our stocked Sydney warehouse

🛒 Shop our full range of upholstery supplies or view our samples, demos and experience good old fashioned service at our Sydney showroom and warehouse in Chester Hill.

DIY Dining Chair Upholstery FAQs

What type of foam should I use for dining chairs?

We recommend 50mm to 75mm high-density foam for dining chair seats. You can layer 25mm N31-190 foam sheets or use our custom cut foam service to order exact dimensions.

Can I reupholster dining chairs without experience?

Absolutely. This is one of the easiest upholstery projects for beginners. With the right upholstery supplies, some expert advice and a bit of patience, you can achieve a polished, professional look without needing prior experience.

Do I need to use Dacron fibre wrap?

Dacron (bonded polyester fibre) is optional but recommended. It adds softness, rounds out cushion edges, and smooths the final fabric cover for a more professional result.

Should I buy a staple gun or use a hand tacker?

Hand tackers are affordable and suitable for one or two chairs, but for larger projects, an electric staple gun or pneumatic staple gun is worth the investment. It speeds things up and ensures a stronger hold.  

Can I reuse the seat base?

If the original plywood base is in good shape, yes. If it’s cracked or warped, use it as a template to cut a new one from 12–25mm thick plywood.