Chair Repair + Makeover

by Crystal Holliday

6 Materials

$20

2 Days

Easy

Looking for an easy weekend project? This chair makeover using Annie Sloan Chalk paint and Farmhouse Wares fabric is a really simple, yet gratifying project.

The best thing is that you can finish this project in one weekend!

When shopping for second-hand wood furniture, always check the condition of the item. Look underneath the item, open it up if it has drawers, or sit in it if it’s a chair. Check for cracks, tears, and broken pieces. This will tell you what repairs are needed.

This piece was in pretty good condition so there weren't a lot of repairs needed.

Here are the supplies that I used to repair and makeover the chairs.

If all the wood is in tact, like mine, then it’s likely that you won’t need to make any repairs. However, in most cases, wood glue and filler is all that’s needed to fix any cracks or broken wood. One of the chairs I was working on needed wood glue and wood filler. Those products take time to dry and have to be sanded down once dry.

I enjoy using Annie Sloan Chalk paint on vintage and antique furniture. It covers very well and I love the chalky finish that it leaves behind. In this case, I decided to use the paint color Graphite.

I painted the chair with 2 coats of paint and let it dry. Then I lightly distressed the chair in areas that may get wear and tear anyways. Once the dust from distressing is wiped away, you can seal your paint. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Clear Wax coordinates with the chalk paint great!

Next, I updated the chair covers using the Feed Sack Fabric by the Yard, in the Cream with tan stripes color. I used the previous fabric as a template. That’s the quickest way to upholster a simple chair cover like this. You’re able to make a quick cut and know that it will fit perfectly. Then all you have to do is use a staple gun and staple the new fabric onto the seat. In this case, the batting and wood was in good shape so I kept it in place.

Once the wax dries, buff the wood to show off the sheen and seal the piece. You can apply 2 coats of wax if you’d like. In this case, I only used one coat of wax. Here is what it looked like after the paint job and update to the fabric.