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restoring a bridge armchair
Reupholstering an armchair is not as complicated as you may think.
Often it is just a matter of tightening the webbing then reinforcing it with a few upholstery tacks.
With minimal skills in upholstery, you can change the fabric and update the style of just about any chair.
You can also paint the frame, apply a ceruse finish or simply sand the wood.
Start by carefully stripping the old upholstery from the armchair back and seat using a nail puller or flat-tipped screwdriver.
Be sure not to damage the wood. Save the old fabric pieces as patterns for your new fabric.
Remove the padding made with horsehair and stuffing.
Turn the armchair upside down and pull the loose webbing to make it taut, then tack it down.
To tighten webbing, you will need a webbing stretcher.
Professional upholsterers usually make their own stretcher out of a block of wood, some leather and a few nails.
Webbing stretchers can also be found in stores, but it is best to make one yourself.
Fold a piece of thick fabric in two and staple it to one end of a piece of scrap wood.
Then hammer a dozen or so thin nails into the other end. Cut off nail heads using sharp pliers. Your webbing stretcher is ready.
Add new strips of webbing to reinforce the seat. Fasten the new strip with two upholstery tacks,
leaving a 3 cm (1 in.) margin. Fold the 3 cm over and fasten with three additional tacks (placed between the first two, which are now invisible).
Pull the webbing taut using your webbing stretcher: "grab" the webbing by placing the fabric-end of the stretcher on the armchair frame, like a lever.
Pull the nail-end of the stretcher down as low as you can and fasten webbing with two tacks.
Trim the webbing, leaving a 3 cm (1 in.) margin. Fold this margin over and attach with three additional tacks.
Repeat this process for each strip of webbing.
Cut your new upholstery fabric using the old fabric as a pattern. Begin with the armchair back, often made of durable cardboard and stuffing, with fabric on both sides. Begin by fastening the back-side fabric using upholstery tacks, then put the cardboard and stuffing back into place. Next, fasten the front-side fabric using a few staples. For the armchair seat, carefully reposition the padding, then lay down the new fabric and use some pins to pull the fabric taut.
To hide the staples and give a nice finishing touch to your newly reupholstered armchair, you can choose a trim, held in place with a multi-purpose glue or decorative nails, which are quick and easy to add.
February 2007 [upholstery]
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