Dining Chairs - a Formal Focal Point

Have you ever been to a friend's home for dinner, andremoved, measure the fabric, allowing for enough to
just as you ease yourself in the dining room chair, youtuck and secure underneath the seat. Measure the
discover that it's one of those wobbly, unsteady itemswidth and length, allowing plenty for the occasional
that you hope won't give way as you're eating? Ifmistake. Multiply width by length and we have the
you're the owner of such chairs, you may want tosquare footage required. Multiply by the number of
address the situation and put all your future dinnerchairs, and we have the total square footage.
guests at ease - at least as far as their seating isNext, it's time for a trip to the fabric store, and to
concerned.choose some appropriate fabric for the job. Be sure to
Sometimes these tottering artifacts just need atake into account the décor of the dining room
screwdriver or wrench, and a little of your time toand other furniture and choose a color and texture of
tighten up the nuts and bolts. But if your dining chairsyour liking. You may want to invest in a staple gun for
are assembled with the use of glue or joints, thethis project, but on the other hand, if this is the only job
project may take a little longer. Wood glue is neededit may be used for, you may be able to borrow one
as well as a clamp to hold it all in place. Glue the jointsfrom a friend, or the job can be completed using small
well, and clamp them for at least 48 hours. You couldtacks and a tack hammer.
also attach some form of splint between the legs andOnce we have all the materials necessary for the job,
the main frame of the chair to give it more stability.we can commence. Take the original seat cover off
The other problem that arises with older dining chairs isthe dining chair, trying to protect the padding in the
the seat covering. It gets torn and worn over theprocess. If the padding is worn, you might want to
years, and if the basic chair is of good quality, it couldreplace this also. Now, cut a piece of fabric to the size
be worth recovering. You have the opportunity topreviously measured for one seat cover. Place it over
purchase a seat covering of your style and color, andthe seat and pulling it as tight as possible, staple or tack
can even fit it yourself.it into place under the seat. Keep pulling it tight as you
Let's take a look at how it can be done.round each corner of the seat so as to avoid wrinkles
Invert one of the dining chairs on a table or suitableover the padding area. And that's it - simple. Now you
support, and the seat portion of the chair will pop outhave new seat covers for your dining chairs - all your
with a little persuasion. Once this part is successfullyown work.