3 ways to fix your dirty upholstered dining chair

20 Oct 3 ways to fix your dirty upholstered dining chair

Dining chairs and tables can be a centerpiece in your home. It could be the few pieces of furniture that you would like to invest in, since you and your family and friends gather around this table for great food and laughter. But what happens when your upholstered dining chair gets worn out?

There are a few options, as long as the backbone and structure of your chair is still intact, you can try a DIY project to upholster your dining chair! If getting the chair dirty is the main problem and the cushion is still comfortable, then you can buy a dining chair seat cover. However, if the fabric is tearing or faded and the cushion feels flat, it might be best to hire an upholstery expert to help you restore it.

1. Changing up the upholstering for your own dining chair could be a fun activity if you have a day or two to spare! 

Firstly, you have to gather tools such as a pulling plier and staple gun. Pulling pliers look different from flat nose pliers. They have slight bent at the end of the pliers that allow you to dig it underneath staplers to take hold of it and remove it easily even in more narrow parts of the chair. Staple guns are needed after cleaning, and changing the foam inside, to attach the fabric to the wood using a staple gun. 

Then, you have to decide on the type of fabric you would like to reupholster to. The fabric you choose depends on your space, how you’ll be using it and the overall design scheme of your home. Will you be using the furniture a lot? Or will it be exposed to sunlight frequently? Since it’s your dining chair, a stain resistant fabric will be suitable. 

Synthetic fabrics are usually longer lasting, such as polyester which is a very durable fabric. It’s easy to clean, and it doesn’t wrinkle or stain easily. Natural fabrics like cotton and linen can be more suitable for tropical weather as they are more breathable. Cotton is comfortable, but can get dirty quite easily. This makes it ideal for furniture where you can take the cover off since you might need to wash it more frequently. Linen is durable but also wrinkles more easily. 

This method is not suitable if you are not good with your tools!

2. You could buy a dining chair seat cover

You can find a range of styles at Ikea, Shopee, Lazada or if you prefer sewing your own, Spotlight is a popular place to go to explore fabrics. The key is to get fabric that is washable.

This option is not the best as it involves usually spending a big sum of money to replace your used furniture. 

3. Hire an upholstery expert if your dining chair needs a major makeover

Some signs that you might need an expert include flat foam cushion, faded or torn fabric, and especially so if your upholstered dining chair is curved. Upholstery skills needed for curved chairs are slightly more advanced than one can repair from just watching Youtube tutorials. 

Mr Jimmy Wong, master craftsman at Z.Mivins, has been in the sofa upholstery industry for more than 25 years. He has handled many notable projects including but not limited to The Singapore Turf Club, One 15 Marina Sentosa Cove, Keppel Club, Esplanade and many more. He and his team specialise in curved and circular shaped furnitures, which require an advanced level of craftsmanship to attain a smooth finish.  

Torn fabric before the reupholstery works

Looking as good as brand new after the reupholstery

Cushion is almost flat in this chair

Reupholstered chairs with new foam 

A typical sofa upholstery service cost can range from $25 to $150 for a single chair, depending on the complexity of the sofa reupholstery job, the materials used, and the experience of the craftsman. 

Z.Mivins can be reached by calling or sending a WhatsApp message to 91099819.