The Foolproof Way to Reupholster Bar Stools

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This project was completed about 3 months ago, so I’m sorry for the late update. When we purchased our current residence, we were so excited about the breakfast bar. We originally bought bar stools that looked just like this set here.

They were neutral in color, matched our decor well and weren’t too busy or obtrusive. However, there was one problem…one BIG problem! The seats were covered in a light-colored microfiber fabric. And we have kids! So yeah, choosing light-colored fabric seats probably wasn’t one of our best decisions ever.

So in looking for other bar stool options at the store, I found many options. However, for $100 a pop, I knew I could re-upholster our current bar stools for a fraction of that price. After all, I had absolutely no problem with the metal frame of the stool. It was just the fabric seat that needed to be replaced. I found this gorgeous brown faux snake print fabric at Hobby Lobby. Here’s an online version that’s very similar to the one I bought. It was a glossy finish so I knew it would be easy to clean.

1. Remove existing seat.

I had to take out a handful of screws in order to remove the seat from the frame. Now you have two options. You can remove the existing fabric & replace the foam cushion or you can just cover the seat with the new fabric directly. I chose the latter. After all, the foam and original fabric were in fine condition, so why make things more time-consuming?!

2. Attach new fabric.

Lay down the new fabric on the floor and place the seat on top. Cut out the fabric, leaving at least 4 inches along the entire circumference of the seat.

Using a heavy-duty staple gun, attach the fabric to the bottom of the seat. After making the first staple, move to the opposite side of the seat, pulling the fabric taut. I really like this staple gun! 

Work your way around the seat, making sure to move to the opposite side of the seat and keeping the fabric taut throughout.

This is what the top looked like at the end. I’m pretty pleased with the final result.

3. Attach seat to stool frame.

It was time to attach the seat back to the stool frame again. This was a pretty satisfying project. I love the way the finished stool looks!

And here’s a quick before & after!

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