DIY Dining Chairs Refresh

Refurbish your chairs to get a custom look & save money!

When we first moved into this house, one thing on my list was to purchase a new dining table. Buying new chairs would have put us over budget so I searched Facebook Market for some chairs I could transform for our dining space.

I love to incorporate antiques and repurposed furniture in my home whenever possible and there are certain items I prefer to find used.

Dining chairs are a great way to add vintage furniture, and I am not sure if we will ever buy new chairs for a few reasons:

1. The options are overwhelming.
2. Quality chairs are expensive, especially six of them!
3. Affordable chairs can be flimsy and don’t hold up to the wear and tear from my family.

My favorite design for vintage dining furniture is Duncan Phyfe. This furniture company gained popularity in the early 19th century and still retains value for collectors while inspiring many reproductions. This style was my inspiration and I I searched daily online until I found the perfect set.

When I met up with the seller, the table was damaged in transit so I ended up with the six chairs for $150!

I knew I wanted black chairs to compliment our new wood table and updated upholstery, time for another DIY project!

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For this project I went back to my trusty Fusion Mineral Paint in Coal Black. This is my favorite brand of furniture paint and the black color is gorgeous. You can read more about the paint in my Furniture Painting post.

Tools/Supplies:

• TSP Cleaner (degreaser)
• Lint free cloths
• Screw driver or drill
• 220 grit sandpaper
• Furniture Paint
• Paint brush
• Fabric of your choice
• Staple gun & staples
• Fabric Scissors

Prep Your Chairs

1. Use the screwdriver/drill to remove the seats from your chairs. You can also remove the existing upholstery or leave it on to cover with the new fabric. I left the fabric on hoping it would provide a little extra cushion.
2. Clean the chair with a rag and TSP Cleaner. Make sure you really scrub and get every inch, chairs get really filthy (think old stuck on food).
3. Lightly sand the chairs. No need to remove the finish or stain, this is only to create some texture for the paint to stick.
4. Wipe down the chair surface again to remove any sanding dust.

The Transformation

Paint the chair using thin coats to avoid brush strokes. Fusion Mineral paint typically covers with two thin coats depending on the tone of wood and the color you are using. While the paint dries work on recovering the seats.

1. Lay out the fabric and place the seats on top to measure and cut.
2. Make sure you can fit all seats BEFORE cutting. I made the mistake of just measuring the first seat and then ran out of fabric.
3. Leave enough fabric on all sides to fold over the seat with 2 inches of extra fabric to staple.
4. Once the fabric is cut, iron each piece to get rid of any creases before you start stapling it onto the wood.
5. You are now ready to attach the fabric!

Below is a video and steps showing how I attached the fabric:

Finishing The Corners

Once all four sides are attached, tuck and fold the corners so they lay flat with minimal folds showing on the visible side. This may take some trial and error to find the perfect fold. Use the staples to secure your folds and make any adjustments as you go. Below is another video showing this process.

Once all the seats are covered, you are ready to reattach the seats to the chairs. I recommend adding a top coat after painting to prevent chips and scratches. The paint is very durable and typically doesn’t need a top coat, but I have noticed some wear on my chairs from the kids bumping them into the table. This Top Coat pairs great with the paint and comes in a matte or glossy finish.

Once your seats are reattached your done! The great thing about this project is you can repaint and/or recover your chais multiple time if you want to change colors. I replaced our original black and white fabric with this grey & beige tweed to match our new rug.

The Finished Product:

Let me know if you decide to try this DIY!