How to Reupholster a Bench: Easy DIY Makeover

How to Reupholster a Bench

Reupholstering a bench is easier than you might think. I found this vintage wood bench at a garage sale for only a few dollars, and I couldn’t pass it up. But its loose frame, worn upholstery, and deteriorated stuffing needed some attention.

With wood glue, fresh paint, new foam, batting, and upholstery fabric, I transformed it into a comfortable accent bench. Below, I’ll walk you through how to reupholster a bench in a complete bench makeover, step by step.

With a little TLC and fresh upholstery, this bench would be easy to transform—and it would look perfect in my daughter’s room.

The bench was a little rickety, but it was easily secured a little wood glue to fix the joints. This dainty piece had so much potential and deserved to be beautifully restored and given a new life.

We love a good D.I.Y. project to spruce up our home. You can see some of our projects that require a little more skill here and here. If you are a beginner upholsterer, this type of project would be a great place to start.  Also, these instructions would apply to any bench or chair seat.

Reupholstered bench tutorial

Supplies needed:

• Upholstery staple remover or flat head screwdriver may work also
• Quilt batting
• Electric carving knife aka turkey carver
• Upholstery foam – I used 2″ for this project
• Fabric of your choice
• Pneumatic staple gun or heavy-duty staple gun
• Scissors
• Hot glue
• Iron
• Sanding block
• Spray paint (Color of your choice), or you can also brush on paint
• Wood glue
• Clamps

Unfortunately, I was so excited about reupholstering the bench that I forgot to take pictures of the process. This happens to me every so often.

So, I’ll have to explain step by step, no problem.

Here we go…

How to Reupholster a Bench Step by Step

Step 1: Inspect and Repair the Bench Frame

I also noticed that over time the joints had loosened, mainly the support wood from the bottom, front to back. After removing the seat, I applied wood glue to the loose joints and secured the frame with clamps until the glue dried completely.

Step 2: Remove the Bench Seat

After inspecting the bench, I realized it was an antique, not a reproduction. This explained some of the bench’s beautiful characteristics. I removed the seat with a flathead screwdriver to separate the seat from the frame; it came off surprisingly easily.

Step 3: Remove the Old Fabric and Stuffing

I removed layers of fabric using a heavy-duty staple remover. Removed all the fabric that had been covered over the years, right down to the original fabric. It was stuffed with hay, most of which had turned to dust; this was the sign that it was a true antique. Make sure to wear gloves and a mask so you don’t breathe in the old, dusty stuffing.

Synthetic materials weren’t used for upholstery stuffing until the 1920s.  Before then, upholstery was stuffed with natural materials like horse hair or hay.

Step 4: Sand and Paint the Wood Frame

I lightly sanded the bench with 220-grit sandpaper to remove the shine and create a better surface for the paint to adhere to. Wiped down the frame with a microfiber cloth to remove all dust.

I decided to paint the frame with spray paint, which made it much easier to achieve even coverage in the grooves and detailed curves of the turned wood.

Next, I spray-painted the frame, making sure the paint reached all the grooves and detailed areas.

Once the first coat was completely dry, I lightly sanded the frame again and applied a second coat for a smooth, even finish.

Step 5: Cut the Upholstery Foam to reupholster the bench

After removing all the old stuffing, I placed the seat base on top of the two-inch upholstery foam and traced around it with a black Sharpie.

Using an electric carving knife, I held the blade vertically and carefully cut along the traced outline so the foam matched the shape of the seat. I kept the foam aligned with the edge of the frame, knowing the batting would add a little extra fullness once wrapped over it.

Step 6: Attach the Foam and Batting

I then glued the foam to the seat base to keep it securely in place while adding the batting.

Next, I wrapped the batting around the foam, pulling it firmly and evenly before stapling it to the underside of the seat. At the corners, I neatly tucked and folded the batting to create a smooth finish, secured it with staples, and trimmed away any excess material

Step 7: Measure and Cut the Upholstery Fabric

I had chosen this beautiful brocade fabric, which went perfectly with my daughter’s room.

I laid the fabric face down on the floor and centered the bench seat on top of it. Then, I cut the fabric, leaving several inches of extra material on all four sides so it could wrap around the seat and be stapled securely to the underside.

Step 8: Staple the Fabric to the Bench Seat

Starting with one side, I pulled the fabric taut in the center and secured it with several staples. I repeated this process on the opposite side and then on the remaining sides, leaving the corners unstapled.

Step 9: Fold and Staple the Rounded Corners

To finish each rounded corner, I pulled the fabric tightly, then carefully tucked and folded it so it lay smooth and flat. Holding the first fold in place, I gathered the remaining corner fabric, kept it as flat as possible, and secured it with staples. I repeated the same process on all four corners.

Once the fabric was fully attached, I trimmed away the excess material to reduce unnecessary bulk, which can make it difficult to reattach the seat to the frame.

Step 10: Reattach the Seat to the Frame

Finally, once the painted frame was completely dry, I reattached the upholstered seat by securing it with screws inserted through the underside of the frame.

Reupholster a bench seat

I love how the finished bench turned out, and it was a fairly simple project to complete.

The beauty of an upholstered bench is its versatility; it can provide extra seating in almost any room while also adding a beautiful decorative accent. Choose a fabric that complements your existing colors and décor to create a cohesive, polished look

I hope this will encourage those of you thinking about giving reupholstering a try.

Thank you for visiting! Have a great day!