Craft Test Mummy: An Ikea Chair Hack

Hello folks,

Todays project is an update to a chair belonging Clever Maurice aged 12. Now there wasn't really a lot wrong with it apart from the fact it was just a bit dated and tired

(I know that feeling). I therefore just wanted to demonstrate how easy it is to update an otherwise perfectly good item and, billy bonus, it'll only take a couple of hours!

It's an old Ikea office chair I remember swivelling baby Clever Maurice to sleep on a hundred years ago. In fact this is its 2nd update (it was originally covered in black fabric). For the full Ikea hack experience I even had some of their fabric left over from a pair of curtains I'd previously made for his room. I'm not generally a person of mitchy-matchy persuasion but I thought this little project would be ideal for a 12 year olds room (and it's not my room so I don't care!). Also in a small way it goes somewhere to refreshing a foisty boys domain.

 

There are only so many boy-trumps a chair seat can take.

 

Before: not bad, but in need of a facelift. I already knew that recovering the chair would be a quick process as I'd previously done this one years ago.
Note the toolbox of Clever Norris (made by Dad - Mr Doris). Ear defenders not required.

 

 

I just needed to remove the chair back and seat sections which were held in place by only 6 screws, meaning they were easy enough to remove.

 

Essential tools: screwdrivers, pliers, scissors, staplegun (+ tons of extra staples), hammer.

 

After removing the chair back section from the frame I prised the upholstered front foamy/white plastic bit of it away from its outer black plastic casing, revealing the raw stapled edge. In order to remove the old fabric I pulled the staples out using a screwdriver and pliers. Safety goggles an option of course.

 

 

The old covering removed with the foam exposed.

 

 

The old covering was then laid on top of the new fabric (face to face). I then drew around the edges and cut out the new fabric.

 

 

The stripped foamy back section was then laid on top of the new fabric with the 'wrong side' facing the foam.

 

 

 

I then proceeded to staple the fabric to the reverse of the chair back, opposite side at a time (top, bottom, left, right etc) whilst pulling tautly over the edges to smooth the fabric, ensuring there are no bumps or creases. Because the reverse of the seat back is plastic the staples didn't always go all the way in, meaning I had to give some of them a good old wallop with a hammer!

 

 

The excess fabric was then trimmed close to the staples.

 

 

Chair back all ready to pop back into its black outer casing.

 

 

After removing the seat section from the frame I continued to repeat the same process as I did with the back. Both reupholstered seat and back sections were finally re-screwed back into place...

 

 

The finished article, as met with a grunt from Clever Maurice. I thinks that means he likes it.

Fresh bottoms only if you please...