How to Make Upholstered Bar Stools

Upholstered bar stools are much more attractive, and certainly more comfortable, than those made with a hard seat. They make a kitchen or dining area look pleasant and also make eating areas integrate into existing themes within a home. Making upholstered counter stools is an easy job and the way they can transform a place is fantastic.

Preparing the Foam

The thickness of the foam that you choose to use depends on your own personal preference, although you should go for at least 4 inches for the stools to feel really comfortable during periods of extended use. You’ll need a large enough piece of foam to cover all of the stools you wish to upholster.

Place the foam on a flat surface then place the stool on top, with the seat directly against the foam. Draw the shape of the seat on the foam with your pencil. Repeat for as many stools as you’re going to upholster. Using an electric knife, cut out the foam shapes carefully. You can either discard the remainder of the foam or reserve it for other projects.

Preparing the Fabric

Take your time in choosing the fabric as you'll want to choose something that fits in with the existing decor of your room. When you've brought it home, place the fabric, pattern side down, on a flat surface. Next, place the stool on top with the seat on the fabric. Draw the shape of the seat on the fabric with your pencil, then follow with a parallel shape 8 inches outside the first. Use the scissors to cut the fabric in the outer shape.

Repeat the procedure for all your upholstered counter stools. Make sure you have enough fabric of the same pattern for all the stools or you’ll ruin the overall matching effect.

Attaching the Fabric

Place the fabric, pattern side down, on a flat surface. Follow this by centering the cut foam on the inner drawn shape. Now, put the stool on top with the seat centered on the foam. At the 6 o’clock side, draw up the fabric and attach to the underside of the wood seat with 3 staples. Next, pull up the fabric at the opposite side (12 o’clock) and attach it with 3 more staples. Repeat this at the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock sides.

Go around the rest of the fabric, attaching with staples until the fabric is firmly secured to the wood. Cut off the excess fabric on the underside of the seat with scissors. Turn the stool right side up and inspect your handiwork. The fabric should be tight over the foam with no bunching. Try sitting on your new upholstered counter stool and you should find it very comfortable.

Repeat the procedure with all of the other stools you wish to upholster.

Tidying the Underside of the Seat

If you want the underside of the seats to look even neater, you can cut another circle of the fabric, making it a little larger than the seat of the stool. Fold the edges underneath themselves then staple or sew neatly around the edge of the circle on the underside of the stool to attach it. This will hide the staples of the fabric covering the foam of your upholstered stools.