How much fabric does it take to reupholster a chair?

Whether it's a chair you've had for years or a couch you saved from the curb, reupholstering old furniture will bring a new lease on life. The problem is that finding out exactly how much fabric you need depending on the form and shape of your item can be a challenge.

Your most important job for any project is to select the fabric, and you need to decide not only the style of the cloth but also how much of it you'll need. It's tricky to assess fabric numbers, so it's good to consult a specialist before you make a purchase. 

But it's good to be able to make at least a rough guess and to consider the factors involved before jumping into a project, such as the form of the object, the fabric pattern, any extras such as a skirt or welting. To get the right amount of fabric for reupholstering a chair, here are some ideas you can use.

Measure your Chair

To know how much fabric to use for reupholstering your chair, you need to take the right measurement. Of course, the kind of chair you are going to reupholster plays a big role in how much fabric you need to use.

We suggest you determine what kind of chair you’re going to reupholster and then proceed to the fabric. Here is some type of chair that you can use to determine how much fabric you’ll use. 

Types of Chair

Wing Chair

A good way to give it a fresh appearance is to reupholster a wing chair. You will need to determine how much fabric it will take to cover the entire chair while gathering your instruments and materials for reupholstering. 

It will save you from wasting money by getting too much fabric or returning to the fabric store for a second trip to get more. With a clear assessment of the chair and fabric width, this can be achieved. Furthermore, it would usually take between five to seven metres of fabric for a wing chair.

Dining Room Chair

One of the most popular pieces of reupholstery furniture is the chairs of the living room. Many of us own a single chair, couch, or bench seat that's been through it all and needs a makeover.

Some chairs are uniquely designed, and instead of taking measurements, it is better to use the current pattern in that case. Cut the fabric that is already on the chair and using it as a template for the new fabric is the simplest way. It involves the number of folds along the edges of the fabric and ironing them out so that you have a complete flat pattern. 

If the fabric has been torn by the staples, apply an extra inch across the whole pattern to keep it from uniformly lying out. "You can get two seats out of 3/4 of a metre of 54" thick fabric for the average dining room chair (16" x 18").

Parson's chair

The Parsons Chair is a typical modern dining chair and was designed in the 1930s in Paris at the Parsons School of Design. The Parsons Chair was originally designed as an armless chair for dining, crafted with a rather linear look and squared legs of hardwood. 

Furthermore, you need to have at least 3 metres of fabric or 3.5 metres with a skirt if you want to reupholster this kind of chair. Of course, you can add a little more to the fabric, depending on your preference.

Chesterfield

A sofa from Chesterfield is a kind of sofa featuring rolled arms and tufted upholstery. Traditionally, the upholstery of a Chesterfield sofa is dark leather. To reupholster this type of chair, you need to have 6 to 7 metres of fabric.

Club Chair

A club chair, typically covered in leather, is a type of armchair. It was produced in France and made there. Before it became known under its present name, it first appeared as the comfortable armchair.

To know how much fabric to use for reupholstering a chair, you must measure its size. You can also use a chart that has been popular for so many years based on how many metres of fabric you use for various types of chairs, but we recommend taking the measurements to ensure you purchase the correct amount of fabric.