How do I recover my computer chair?

Most on the backs on office chairs are snapped on the seat and back with plastic barb anchors. ***** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT77U1ChaHY ***** http://www.practicallyfunctional.com/reupholster-an-office-chair/ ***** http://sewway.com/recovering-an-office-chair.html ***** http://www.joyfulabode.com/how-recover-ugly-office-chair/

Thanks so much William! I'll check those out tonight!!!!

I appreciate your time,

Cindy

I was seriously impressed with this chair transformation - it might be what you are looking for:

http://www.hometalk.com/diy/home-office/furniture/desk-chair-makeover-1653826

Valerie,

That is just gorgeous isn't it!!!!!!! Mine doesn't have the some of the components that this chair has but she did such a beautiful job I'd like to send her mine to do! LOL

You might conisder finding a good iron on backing fabric with your new upholdstry fabric and keeping the original fabric on the chair when you reupholster if this is your first try. Just clean the fabric with Kids n Pets enzyne cleaner - soak it and let it dry to get rid of any funky office chair smell first tho. It might take a day or two to dry, but you will then have much less to worry about. -Use velcro to attach and sew slipcovers - true upholstrey for something you love & don't want to throw out may be a mistake unless you have massive patience and can handle how difficult the project really is with those chairs. I had a really cool office chair and ruined it thinking it would be easy - ended up sitting in the garage for a year before I could bear to admit defeat.

Thanks Sage! I wondered if I could do it too!!!!! Would be so much easier if I found a chair that I liked but for some stupid reason I can't!!!!

I bought a chair over 15 years ago. Loved, Loved it! When it needed replacing or repairing, I tried to do it myself... didn't work... So I invested in some decent fabric and carried it to a friend in the upholstery business. For $40, he redid it and I can get 20 more years out of my favorite chair! Not a bad deal!!

Well Susan,

Around here upholstery business are very scarce but I might also check out that idea! Thanks so much!!

Maybe try fabric paint (Annie Sloan paint can be used on fabric) if everything is in good shape otherwise.

I redid my husband's chair a few years ago. Gently pry off the back. He had a couple of broken plastic clips that I was able to find at O'Reilly's auto parts store. I bought new fabric at Hobby Lobby & used the old back & seat fabric for patterns

First check and see if the arms of your beloved chair can come off ? There should be caps that cover the screws on the side. I did this for my boyfriend chair. With arms off , make a large pillow case that covers the whole chair. With a little leway for sitting,stretching. I did mine in John Deere material. Excess material front and bottom and staple it down if possible.

Hi, I grew up in Burlington . Now live in NE Arkansas . I would just try cleaning and making slipcovers if the padding is in good shape. Try calling local dry cleaners to see if they know anyone who does upholstery. Also check fabric stores to see if they know anyone in area. Haven't been back in years but there should be someone who can help in the area .

Lucy,

I arms come off easily but it's the back and seat I'm worried about. They apparently pop off and then back on and the cushion for the seat is shaped and so is the back (as far as indents go in the cushion). So I'm still leery of trying anything!

Would you follow same steps if the chair is vinyl ???

I have just recently started tackling some reupholstery projects, recliner chair and bar stools. For both projects I used the old fabric as a pattern, removing the old fabric reduces the bulk and gives a more professional finish. If you do a search "reupholtering a computer chair" there are lots of step by step tutorials available. I love the tricks the upholstery business uses to get nice smooth finishes. It can be a time intensive project but a computer chair would be a great beginner project. I love my $25 electric staple gun, well worth the investment for reupholstering. Good luck, you'lol be so proud of yourself when it's done.

Paint it with Annie Sloan chalk paint. Check out videos on YouTube on how to paint fabric. Have fun

have you thought of looking to see if seat covers for a car would work, looks about like some of the bucket sets they have, then just get matching or contrasting material and wrap the arms

Hi. I just recently recovered an office chair just like yours except it was orange. WAH! Because I couldn't find suitable material, I bought two stretch "suade" dusty BLUE chair covers from surefit.com and I reversed and stretch-fitted over the chair back and bottom for the patterns. After I had my "pattern" and dry-fitting several times, I sewed the sides and hand stitched the bottom of the material for both the chair back and seat. Since the material was stretchy, it filled in for the gaps that would have been there with regular upholstery material. I wanted the fabric to show on the back as well because it was visible when entering the room. The arm pads were black, so I didn't need to cover those. My accent color was a lighter blue, so I spray painted my in box, pencil holder, and other office desk items to match. Too cute. This was a fun project that was done in a few hours.

Absolutely get a SureFit stretch chair slipcover. You can fit the top and using "T" pins gather up the extra and pin it securely into the bottom of the chair back. Cut away the seat, gather the extra and secure it to the bottom of the seat (staple gun?). If you cut the excess carefully you can get enough for the arms too.....Less than $20 on either Wayfare or Overstock....

was thinking more about not removing any thing and just sliding it over the plastic too.

I agree with Diane. You can paint it with Annie Sloan chalk paint. Try it on the arms first to see if you like it., because those are the easiest to cover up if you don't. I'll send a how-to link.

Painting fabric with chalk paint: https://youtu.be/GHxmfuEvPo0. Good luck with whatever you decide!

Lived in Burlington most of my life. Used to work at Domino's Pizza in late 80's and early 90's , then Pizza Hut in mid 90's after that I worked for Vista Bakery in the Quality Assurance. Dept. Left on Disability then I moved down to Ft. Madison after I lost my rental home in a fire. Worked as an Shift Manager for McDonalds in Fort Madison then in 2006 I moved to Paranoid AR. Now I am totally disabled

Have to put tablet on charger . Down to less then25% . Will be back on after 10 p.m. Is it possible that we know each other? I use Gmail for my emails. If you would like to write me easier.

Three Karens responding! I like the sure-fit idea too. It's also cheaper than a can of chalk paint.

I was an upholsterer in a former life. The plastic on the back and seat can be pried off with a large pry bar of long screwdriver. Underneath you will find the fabric stapled to the wood or plastic base. Each will pop back on when the job is done. Just mark top/bottom, front/back with chalk or grease pencil as you remove. Good luck, very rewarding when finished.

I have a sewing chair looks just like black plastic on back. I took my fabric cotton.

I used a butter knife an a screw driver. Cut out fabric with maybe 5 inch fabric extra larger then chair. Stuffed it between old material and plastic back of cair it was super tight and my chair took some work, but came out very nice. I did this two years again still in great shape. I also before stuffing into chair I embroidery the back out cotton fabric . It as I say was tight watch not to put hole in fabric.

It made a nice tight fit.