How to Replace Wood Chair Seats

Wood chair
  • 4-8 hours
  • Intermediate
  • 50-200
What You'll Need
Sandpaper of 300 grits
Tracing Paper
Plywood sheets - 3/8 inch thick
Foam sheets 1 inch or 2 inches thick
Fabric of choice
Handheld or Powered Screwdriver
Wood screws- 1 inch
Hammer
Measuring Tape
Glue tube or Glue gun with wood glue
Tracing Paper
Jigsaw
Staple gun
What You'll Need
Sandpaper of 300 grits
Tracing Paper
Plywood sheets - 3/8 inch thick
Foam sheets 1 inch or 2 inches thick
Fabric of choice
Handheld or Powered Screwdriver
Wood screws- 1 inch
Hammer
Measuring Tape
Glue tube or Glue gun with wood glue
Tracing Paper
Jigsaw
Staple gun

Replacing a wood chair seat is a simple affair. It can be easily done at home as a weekend project. Here are some guidelines that will help you replace the seats of your wooden chairs at home.

Remove the Existing Seats

Remove the existing seat of the chair with a powered or manual screwdriver. If the seat is upholstered, remove the existing upholstery and seat cushion as well. Take care while removing any staples or nails.

cutting plywood

Cut out Template for New Seats

With the wooden plank removed, take a tracing paper and trace the seat on to it. Cut out the traced bit and test fit on the chair seat. It should fit snugly, but not too tightly as you need to also consider a little space for the upholstery.

Cut out the New Seats

When you have the right shape and size on the tracing paper, trace the template back on the plywood sheet and cut it out with the help of a jigsaw. Depending on the pattern, you can also use a circular saw. Sand the sides of the cut plywood seat carefully to ensure that there are no rough edges that can tear the upholstery or hurt somebody sitting on the chair. Once ready, fit the new seat into the groove of your chair to check if it is the right size.

Position Foam Cushion

Trace the seats on to foam sheets and cut similar shapes as the seats, allowing two extra inches. Now, place your new wooden seats in an open area and spray some wood glue on them. Apply the cut-out foam sheets to the seat and press down firmly. Allow the glue to dry as per the manufacturer’s instructions.

Cut out Fabric

cutting fabric

Once dry, turn the seat over and fix the extra protruding foam sheets with a staple gun. Now take your fabric and cut it using the same template of tracing paper that you used for the plywood seat. Cut it in a similar shape allowing an extra two inches all the way around. These extra inches are important as these will be used to wrap the fabric around the edges and underneath the seat to give a clean look to your chair sheets.

Attach Fabric

Once your fabric pieces are cut out, take a seat and wrap the front portion neatly with the fabric. Carefully hammer in tacks or use a staple gun to attach the fabric to the bottom of the seat. Work your way around the seat, pulling each section of fabric tight and mounting to the bottom side. Trim all the excess fabric from underneath the seat. Ensure that you do a clean job.

Reattach Seat to Frame

With the new seat cut and covered, you can reattach it to the frame of the chair. Use the same hardware that you removed from the original seat. Predrill holes if necessary.