You upholster the back of a dining chair by working the inside back first, then fitting the outside back panel over it to hide the raw edges and fixings. The inside back is pulled taut and stapled to the frame, while the outside back is usually attached with back tacking strip along the top edge and stapled or slip stitched down the sides. Doing it in that order is essential, because the outside back exists precisely to conceal the work underneath.<\/p>\n
The chair back is the part most people find harder than the seat, and the reason is simple: a seat is a flat plane you can staple from beneath, whereas a chair back has two visible faces and no hidden underside to hide your fixings.<\/p>\n
Before touching any fabric, be clear about the terminology, because instructions become confusing without it.<\/p>\n
The inside back is the surface you lean against. It is usually padded and takes the wear. The outside back is the rear face of the chair, seen from behind. It is often flat or gently curved and carries little or no padding.<\/p>\n
On a fully upholstered dining chair both faces are covered in fabric. On a partially upholstered chair, the inside back may be padded while the outside back is exposed timber, which simplifies the job considerably.<\/p>\n
Chair back construction varies more than seat construction, and identifying which type you have determines the method.<\/p>\n
Some backs are a padded panel screwed to the frame, which can be removed and upholstered separately on the bench. This is much the easiest scenario, and it is worth checking for screws before assuming otherwise.<\/p>\n
Others are integral, with the fabric wrapping directly around the chair frame itself. These must be worked in place on the chair.<\/p>\n
A third type has a sprung or webbed back, more common on older chairs, where the suspension needs attention before any padding goes on.<\/p>\n
Turn the chair around and look carefully at how the existing fabric terminates. Where the edges disappear tells you how the original was constructed, and the safest approach is to rebuild in the same way.<\/p>\n
Work from the outside back inwards, which is the reverse of how the chair was built.<\/p>\n
Remove any decorative trim or braid first. Then lift the outside back panel, noting how it was fixed along the top edge. Look for a thin cardboard or metal strip: this is back tacking strip and it is what creates the crisp line along the top.<\/p>\n
With the outside back off, you can access the inside back fixings. Remove those staples and lift the fabric away.<\/p>\n
Keep the old fabric pieces. They are ready made templates and they show you exactly how the original was cut, including where notches were made to fit around uprights. Label each piece before you set it aside.<\/p>\n
Remove every old staple from the frame. Fresh staples need clean timber, and old fixings left in place will deflect new ones and split the wood.<\/p>\n
Check what is underneath. Chair backs typically have a thinner layer of foam than seats, usually 2cm to 4cm, because a thick padded back pushes you forward and away from the table.<\/p>\n
Replace crumbling or flattened foam. Cut new foam to the exact outline of the back panel. On a curved back, foam will flex to shape, but on a strongly curved frame you may need to shape the edges with an electric carving knife or a sharp blade.<\/p>\n
Add a layer of polyester wadding over the foam, wrapping it slightly over the edges. On chair backs this matters more than on seats, because the edge of the back is highly visible in profile and unwrapped foam produces a hard line under the fabric.<\/p>\n
Cut your fabric with a generous margin, at least 8cm beyond the padded area on every side. You need enough to grip and pull.<\/p>\n
Position the fabric and check the pattern alignment from directly in front of the chair. On the inside back, pattern placement is very noticeable, so take a moment over it.<\/p>\n
Start stapling at the centre of the top rail. Pull the fabric down to the centre of the bottom edge and staple there. Then the centre of each side. As with a seat, this four point approach centres and tensions the fabric before you commit to it.<\/p>\n
Work outwards from each centre staple towards the corners, alternating sides. Keep the tension even and consistent. Too much tension flattens the padding and creates a hard look. Too little leaves ripples that will never settle out.<\/p>\n
Where the back meets the seat, the fabric usually tucks through the gap between the back frame and the seat frame and is stapled behind. If there is no gap, staple along the back rail as close to the seat as you can.<\/p>\n
Where the chair back meets vertical posts, the fabric needs cutting to fit around them. This is where most people go wrong.<\/p>\n
Make a Y shaped cut in the fabric, with the stem of the Y running towards the upright and the two arms opening around it. Cut conservatively at first: you can always extend a cut, but you cannot undo one. Stop the cut about 1cm short of where the fabric will wrap, then test the fit and extend only if needed.<\/p>\n
Tuck the resulting flaps around the upright and staple them behind. A small amount of fabric glue on the cut edges prevents fraying over time.<\/p>\n
On strongly curved backs, ease the fabric around the curve while stapling frequently, roughly every 2cm rather than every 4cm. More staples mean smaller adjustments and a smoother curve.<\/p>\n
This panel is what makes the difference between a chair that looks professionally done and one that clearly does not.<\/p>\n
Cut the fabric to the shape of the outside back plus 4cm all round. Place it upside down against the top edge of the chair back, right side facing the chair, with the top edge of the fabric aligned where you want the finished seam.<\/p>\n
Lay a strip of back tacking card along that line and staple through it. The card distributes the staples and creates a straight, crisp edge. Then flip the fabric down over the back of the chair. The staples are now hidden behind the fabric and the top edge is clean.<\/p>\n
Pull the fabric down and staple along the bottom, then work the sides. On the sides, either staple close to the edge and cover with braid, or turn the edge under and slip stitch it by hand for the neatest result.<\/p>\n
Slip stitching takes longer but produces a finish with no visible fixings at all. Use a curved needle and matching thread, and take small stitches catching just the folded edge and the fabric beneath.<\/p>\n
Decorative braid or gimp glued along the edges hides staple lines and gives a traditional finish. Use a fabric adhesive suitable for upholstery and work in short sections so you can adjust as you go.<\/p>\n
Studs are an alternative, particularly on leather or faux leather. Individual studs give a hand finished look but require even spacing, which is fiddly. Stud strip is quicker and easier to keep straight.<\/p>\n
Press the finished chair back gently with a steam iron held slightly away from the fabric to relax any small creases, checking first that your fabric tolerates heat.<\/p>\n
Upholstering a chair back is more demanding than a seat and takes considerably longer, often two hours or more per chair once you include stripping and finishing. Across a set of six, that is a serious commitment.<\/p>\n
It is worthwhile on chairs with good frames and shapes you genuinely like. It is not worthwhile on chairs with loose joints, damaged frames or a silhouette that has never suited the room.<\/p>\n
If you are weighing it up, our modern fabric dining chairs UK sale<\/a> range covers a wide spread of back styles, from low profile to fully padded, and our velvet dining chairs UK<\/a> selection shows how upholstered backs look in a softer finish. For a full refresh, our modern dining table and chairs sets UK sale<\/a> range pairs seating and tables at matched proportions.<\/p>\n